The best phone camera settings for TikTok, Reels and Shorts in the UK

Published 26 October 2026 by Unvanilla (ARX Algorithms Ltd)

For TikTok, Reels and Shorts, film vertically at 4K or 1080p. In the UK, use 25 fps for talking videos indoors, because UK mains electricity runs at 50 Hz and 25 fps avoids flicker from lights. Use 50 or 60 fps only for slow motion. Then lock focus, exposure and white balance on your face so the picture doesn't shift mid-take.

The settings at a glance

SettingUseWhy
OrientationVertical (9:16)Fills the screen on every short-form app. TikTok recommends 9:16 and at least 720p (TikTok).
Resolution4K, or 1080p if storage is tight4K gives room to crop and stabilise in the edit.
Frame rate indoors (UK)25 fpsMatches 50 Hz mains lighting, so no flicker.
Frame rate for slow motion50 or 60 fpsSlowed to half speed in the edit. Use 50 under UK indoor lights.
Focus and exposureLocked on your faceStops the picture pulsing as you move.
White balanceLockedStops colours shifting between takes.
StabilisationStandard on a tripod; stronger only when handheldHeavy stabilisation crops the picture.
HDR videoOff if uploads look washed outNot every app and screen shows HDR well.

Why 25 fps in the UK

Great Britain's electricity system runs at 50 Hz, kept within 0.5 Hz either way by law (National Energy System Operator). Many lights, including a lot of LED bulbs and fluorescent tubes, brighten and dim twice in every cycle, so they pulse 100 times a second. Your eyes don't see it, but a camera can (SlashGear explainer).

When the frame rate divides neatly into 100, every frame catches the light at the same point in its pulse, so the brightness stays steady. 25 and 50 do (100 ÷ 25 = 4, 100 ÷ 50 = 2). 30 and 60 don't, which is why video filmed at 30 fps under UK lights can flicker or show rolling dark bands. Most phones default to 30 fps, a setting designed around the 60 Hz mains used in the US.

Daylight doesn't pulse, so outdoors or by a window with the lights off, 30 fps is fine. If you are not sure, 25 fps is the safe choice in the UK.

iPhone: where the settings are

  1. Resolution and frame rate. Go to Settings, then Camera, then Record Video, and choose a resolution and frame rate. iPhones record at 30 fps by default (Apple: change video recording settings).
  2. 25 fps. In the same Record Video menu, turn on Show PAL Formats. That adds 25 fps options for 1080p and 4K. If you don't see it, check under Settings, Camera, Formats, and try switching from High Efficiency to Most Compatible, then back (ProVideo Coalition).
  3. Lock white balance. At the bottom of Record Video, turn on Lock White Balance (iOS 17 or later). The white balance then stays put while you record (Tom's Guide).
  4. Lock focus and exposure. In the Camera app, touch and hold your face on screen until AE/AF Lock appears. Drag the sun icon down a touch if your skin looks too bright.
  5. Quick changes. In video mode, the resolution and frame rate shown at the top of the screen can be tapped to switch them without going into Settings.

Android: where the settings are

Menus vary by maker, but the options are usually in the camera app itself:

Lighting matters more than settings

No setting rescues bad light. Face a window, or stand side-on to it, and turn off overhead bulbs that mix warm and cool colours. The phone sets exposure for the brightest thing in the frame, so a bright window behind you turns your face dark whatever the settings are. Our guide to filming yourself alone covers where to stand.

Before every shoot: a 30-second check

  1. Lens wiped clean (a fingerprint smudge softens everything).
  2. Storage: at least a few gigabytes free. 4K uses several times more space per minute than 1080p.
  3. Do Not Disturb on, so a call doesn't stop the recording.
  4. Right frame rate for the light you are in.
  5. Focus, exposure and white balance locked on your face.
  6. A 5-second test clip, watched back with sound.

When the upload looks worse than the original

Every platform compresses what you upload. Start from the cleanest file you can: export at the same resolution and frame rate you filmed at, don't apply heavy filters before uploading, and upload over Wi-Fi rather than mobile data if your app gives you a data-saving option. If HDR clips look washed out after posting, turn HDR video off for the next shoot and compare.

Questions

Should I film TikToks in 4K?

Filming in 4K gives you room to crop and reframe in the edit, and the app scales it down when you upload. If your phone runs short of storage or gets hot, 1080p is perfectly good for short-form video.

Is 25 fps or 30 fps better in the UK?

Under ordinary indoor lights in the UK, 25 fps (or 50 fps) avoids the flicker and banding that 30 fps can pick up, because UK mains electricity runs at 50 Hz. Outdoors in daylight either is fine.

Why do my videos flicker under lights?

Many lights pulse twice for every cycle of the mains supply, which in the UK is 100 times a second. If the camera's frame rate and shutter don't line up with that, you get flicker or rolling bands. Filming at 25 or 50 fps usually fixes it.

Should I turn on HDR video?

HDR can look great on the phone that recorded it but may look too bright, washed out or inconsistent after upload and on other people's screens. If your clips look odd once posted, try turning HDR video off.

Related