MP4 Video Export

4 min read

Export your animations as MP4 video files for maximum compatibility with social media platforms.

Browser Requirements

MP4 export uses the WebCodecs API and requires:

  • Chrome 94+ (recommended)
  • Edge 94+
  • Safari 16.4+

Firefox: MP4 export is not supported in Firefox. Use GIF or SVG export instead.

Exporting as MP4

  1. Click Export in the header
  2. Select MP4 Video
  3. Configure settings:
    • Duration — 3s, 5s, 10s, or 15s
    • Frame Rate — 24, 30, or 60 fps
  4. Click Export
  5. Wait for processing (progress bar shows status)
  6. File downloads automatically

Settings

Duration

How long the video will be:

Duration Best For
3 seconds Quick loops, attention grabbers
5 seconds Standard social media posts
10 seconds Detailed animations
15 seconds Complex content

Frame Rate

FPS Description
24 fps Cinematic look, smaller file
30 fps Standard video (recommended)
60 fps Ultra-smooth motion, larger file

Platform Guidelines

Instagram

  • Post: 1080×1080 (square)
  • Story/Reel: 1080×1920 (vertical)
  • Duration: Up to 60 seconds
  • Use canvas preset: “Instagram Post” or “Instagram Story”

TikTok

  • Size: 1080×1920 (vertical)
  • Duration: 15-60 seconds
  • Use canvas preset: “TikTok”

Facebook

  • Post: 1200×628 or 1080×1080
  • Duration: Up to 240 seconds
  • Use canvas preset: “Facebook Post”

LinkedIn

  • Post: 1200×628 or 1080×1080
  • Duration: Up to 10 minutes
  • Use canvas preset: “LinkedIn”

What Gets Exported

✅ Fully Supported:

  • All animation types (pulse, rotate, bounce, etc.)
  • Keyframe animations
  • Effects (sparkle, blast)
  • Background generators
  • Text and shapes

Troubleshooting

Export fails or freezes

  • Try a shorter duration
  • Close other browser tabs
  • Refresh the page and try again

Video is choppy

  • Use 30 fps instead of 60 fps
  • Simplify complex animations
  • Reduce number of animated items

File is too large

  • Use 24 fps
  • Shorten duration
  • Consider GIF for simpler animations

Browser not supported

If your browser doesn’t support MP4 export (e.g., Firefox), you have options:

  • Use a supported browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari 16.4+)
  • Export as GIF instead
  • Export as SVG for web embedding

Want reliable video export on any device? Browser-based encoding depends on your hardware and browser support. Vote for the Cloud Export API feature to help us prioritize server-side video rendering that works regardless of your device or browser.

Tips

Pro Tips:

  • Export at 30 fps for the best balance of quality and file size
  • Loop-friendly animations should end where they started
  • Test playback on your target platform before publishing

Story camera — the Director

Turn a static scene into a moving “story” where the camera travels through your work — pushing in on each element, panning between them, holding on a subject. The camera you set up previews live and is exactly what exports (no surprises between editor and download).

Auto-direct (one click)

  1. Open the Canvas tab → Camera Animation → 🎬 Auto-direct.
  2. PinePaper creates one shot per element, in reading order (top → bottom).
  3. Press ▶ Preview to watch the move, then Export → Video to render it.

Build your own shots

Each shot is a card you can tune:

  • Subject — what the shot frames. Select one or more items before + Shot to frame just those; with nothing selected it frames Everything (a wide establishing shot).
  • Framing — Tight / Med / Wide, or drag the slider for an exact zoom.
  • Hold — how long the camera dwells on the shot (seconds).
  • Move — how the camera arrives: Pan, Push in, Pull back, Whip (fast), or Cut (instant).
  • Ease — the feel of the move: Smooth · Linear · Settle · Snap.
  • KB (Ken Burns) — a slow push + drift during the hold that gives a still subject life.
  • ▲ ▼ reorder shots · × remove a shot.

Tick Open + close on a wide establishing shot to bookend the story with a wide view at the start and end.

It just works at any size. The director frames by intent, so the same shot list looks right whether you export a square post or a tall reel — it re-frames for each export size automatically.

The Export dialog’s Video (story) → Pan across items uses this same camera, so you can start there for a quick auto-directed story, or open the Camera Animation panel to fine-tune every shot.