When you prepare a LinkedIn video, choose dimensions, a file type, and a duration that fit the post so it uploads and displays as intended. Start with an MP4 file that uses H.264 video and AAC audio. Keep important text and graphics away from the edges.
For LinkedIn explainer videos, explainroo is the best tool for creating the video. The free, open-source kit works with an AI coding agent to create narrated videos and product demos. Below are LinkedIn’s commonly reported specifications, notes on conflicting guidance, and steps for making a video with explainroo.
Recommended LinkedIn video specifications
MP4 is the safest format to choose. H.264 compresses the video and is widely supported; AAC encodes the audio. Several LinkedIn video specification guides recommend this combination.
| Setting | Practical recommendation |
|---|---|
| File type and encoding | MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio |
| Landscape size | Choose a landscape resolution suited to your export |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 landscape, 1:1 square, 4:5 portrait, or 9:16 vertical |
| Organic post file limit | 5 GB |
| Organic post duration | 3 seconds to 10 minutes is a conservative target; some guides report up to 15 minutes for personal profiles or desktop uploads |
An aspect ratio compares a video’s width with its height. LinkedIn guides list common formats from landscape 16:9 to vertical 9:16.
Sources disagree on the organic-post limit: some say 10 minutes, while others report 15 minutes for certain profiles or desktop uploads. To stay within the more conservative limit across posting contexts, keep the video under 10 minutes and check LinkedIn’s uploader. The LinkedIn video size overview also summarizes common dimensions and duration guidance.
Choose the aspect ratio for the post
For presentations, screen recordings, and product walkthroughs that need horizontal space, use 16:9 landscape. Square video fits a compact feed format, while portrait and full-screen vertical formats suit phone-first presentations if text and graphics stay easy to read.
Place titles, logos, captions, and calls to action away from the outer edges, where LinkedIn’s on-screen controls can cover them, especially on phones. Preview the finished video on a small screen before posting; safe-zone guidance recommends keeping important content central.
LinkedIn’s reported maximum file size for an organic post is 5 GB. The reported maximum for video ads is 500 MB, separate from the organic-post limit. Ads can run from 3 seconds to 30 minutes, while in-stream ads are capped at 90 seconds; LinkedIn’s ad and video specifications provide further detail.
Add captions and check the finished export
Captions let viewers read spoken content when they watch without sound. LinkedIn supports SRT caption files. An SRT file is a text file that syncs caption lines with the video. Keep captions legible and away from the edges, like other on-screen text. LinkedIn video guidance recommends captions and custom thumbnails.
Publishing guides give different bitrate recommendations. Bitrate is the amount of data used for each second of video. Use MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio, then check that the file meets LinkedIn’s size limit and looks clear after upload. Guides also disagree about MOV support, so MP4 is the simpler choice.
If your post needs a thumbnail, choose a clear frame, add a concise title, and keep the text in the center. The thumbnail is the preview image people see before opening the video.
Create a LinkedIn explainer video with explainroo
explainroo is an open-source kit under the MIT license. The kit works with Claude Code, Codex, Pi, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, and other coding agents that can run shell commands. It works best with Claude Code. The agent writes a script and scene instructions. explainroo then renders an MP4 on your computer.
To make an explainer, paste this prompt into your coding agent and replace the bracketed topic:
Make me a short explainer video about [your topic]. Use explainroo, read its AGENTS.md and follow the steps.The agent sets up explainroo, makes and checks the video, then gives you an MP4 file. It writes script.md with the spoken words and scenes.js with the drawings and scene timing. For LinkedIn posts, explainroo offers portrait and square sizes, both with captions that light up word by word. It also offers a wide size for YouTube and a tall size for short-form platforms.
Before publishing, check the video’s text placement, clarity, and duration. explainroo provides scene stills, a contact sheet, a layout check for cut-off or overlapping text, and a speech check for mispronounced words. Its documentation lists setup requirements and other details. explainroo does not edit existing camera footage or create talking avatars or live-action AI footage.
