Making unique video versions for Reels, Shorts, TikTok and VK Clips means preparing several different versions of a vertical video so that you don't publish the same file in different accounts. ClipClone makes such versions in batches and checks the difference of every copy. For a horizontal video there is the “Strong + vertical” preset: it builds each copy in 9:16 format. Whether a video is shown in recommendations is still up to the platform.
What format do short vertical videos need?
Reels, Shorts, TikTok and VK Clips are feeds of vertical videos. If the source is already vertical, the copies keep its format, and any preset works, for example “Optimal”. If the source is horizontal, choose “Strong + vertical”: each copy will be built in a 9:16 frame of 1080 × 1920 pixels.
| Source video | Which preset to choose | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical, light changes | “Optimal” | copies in the same format, changes barely noticeable |
| Vertical, maximum difference needed | “Strong” | copies in the same format, changes may be noticeable |
| Horizontal | “Strong + vertical” | 9:16 copies (1080 × 1920) with a random background |
What does the “Strong + vertical” preset do?
“Strong + vertical” is the “Strong” preset plus vertical format: the video is placed in a 9:16 frame and the free space is filled with a random background, so the copies have different backgrounds. The position of the video in the frame and the margins also change slightly from copy to copy.
- Changes as in “Strong”: color filter, animated overlay on top of the frame, codec mix, as well as cropping, micro-rotation, noise and variable speed.
- Vertical frame: 1080 × 1920 pixels; if there are no suitable backgrounds, a blurred frame of the video itself becomes the background.
- The same check thresholds as in “Optimal”: SSIM with the source no higher than 0.88, difference by pHash and dHash at least 8 of 64, by PDQ at least 55 of 256, picture quality (PSNR) no lower than 12 dB.
All four presets and their thresholds are compared in the guide “Presets for unique video versions”.
How do the versions differ from each other?
Each copy is built from its own random set of changes, so the copies differ both from the source and from each other. After it is built, each copy is compared with the source and with 100 neighboring copies in the project; a copy that is too similar gets a mark and does not go into the archive of unique copies.
| What changes | Differently in each copy |
|---|---|
| Background and position of the video in the frame | only in the “Strong + vertical” preset |
| Frame | edge cropping, scale, micro-rotation, frame movement |
| Color and noise | color correction, noise texture, color filter |
| Speed | video tempo, variable speed |
| Sound | tempo without distortion or pitch, depending on the preset |
| File data | metadata, encoding parameters, file hash |
What the check metrics mean is explained in the metrics glossary.
What do platforms say about repeated videos?
Platforms state directly that they promote original content and filter out repeats, including modified copies. Unique versions do not change these rules: they help you release your own video in several versions, and the platform decides what is shown in the feed. Below is what the official sources say.
| Platform | What the platform says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| VK Clips | VK added a neural-network technology for finding duplicates: it analyzes the video and the audio track and filters out repeated videos “even if they have a different duration and resolution, filters have been applied or noise has been added” | VK, “VK Clips launches a new recommendation system for viewers” (in Russian) |
| TikTok | a video does not get into the For You feed if it contains unoriginal or reused material with nothing added to it; you should only publish what you created or have the right to distribute | TikTok Community Guidelines, Integrity and Authenticity section |
| YouTube Shorts | channels that reuse already published content without significant commentary, meaningful changes or educational or entertainment value are not monetized; on July 15, 2025 YouTube clarified that the rule on repetitive content also covers mass-produced content | YouTube channel monetization policies |
| Instagram Reels | if two or more identical videos are found, only the original is shown in recommendations; a match is determined by sound and picture (announcement of April 30, 2024) | Instagram for Creators, “Helping Creators Find New Audiences” |
What this means in practice:
- Publish your own videos. Make versions of videos you have the rights to: your own, your clients' under a contract or licensed ones.
- The video matters more than the version. The video itself has the biggest effect on views; versions help you avoid publishing the same file in different accounts but do not replace new content.
- Don't count on guaranteed views. The ClipClone check measures the difference between copies by frames and frame fingerprints, while the platforms set their own recommendation rules.
How do you prepare versions for short videos in ClipClone?
Versions for vertical feeds are made like any others: upload a video, set the number of copies and choose a preset from the table above. Processing runs on servers, and each copy in the project shows its check mark.
- Upload videos — up to 10 per run, MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, M4V or a ZIP archive, up to 2 GB.
- Set the number of copies — from 1 to 1,000 of each video.
- Choose a preset: “Optimal” or “Strong” for a vertical source, “Strong + vertical” for a horizontal one.
- Download the unique copies as one ZIP archive.
Step-by-step instructions with a comparison of methods are in the guide “How to make many versions of one video”.
Frequently asked questions
Do unique versions guarantee views in Reels, Shorts, TikTok or VK Clips?
No. The service checks how much each copy differs from the source and from the other copies, but the platform decides what is shown in the feed. Platforms say that they promote original content and filter out repeats.
Can a horizontal video be made vertical?
Yes. The “Strong + vertical” preset builds each copy in a 9:16 frame of 1080 × 1920 pixels and fills the free space with a random background.
Does the meaning of the video change?
No. The story, on-screen text, voice and music stay the same. What changes are the frame, color, speed, sound and file data.
How much does it cost to prepare versions for short videos?
You pay for output minutes: a copy of a 30-second video is half a minute. For a trial, you get 5 free minutes after your first login; plans are on the page “ClipClone plans”.
Other guides
- Unique video versions: what they are and how they workWhat making unique versions of a video means, what changes in each version, how the difference between copies is checked and how to make hundreds of versions of one video in the cloud.
- How to make many versions of one videoHow to make many different versions of one video: by hand in a video editor, with software on your computer or in a cloud service. A comparison of the methods and step-by-step instructions.
- Presets: Standard, Optimal, Strong, Strong + verticalClipClone presets “Standard”, “Optimal”, “Strong” and “Strong + vertical”: what changes in the copies, which check thresholds each one has and which preset to choose.
- How to check that video copies differ: SSIM, pHash and PDQHow to tell that the copies of a video really differ: what SSIM, pHash, PDQ and PSNR show, which thresholds ClipClone uses and an example of a real check.
- SSIM, pHash, dHash, PDQ and PSNR in plain wordsWhat SSIM, pHash, dHash, PDQ and PSNR are: plain-language definitions, what each number in the report means and which check thresholds ClipClone uses.
- How much unique video versions cost and how output minutes are countedHow the cost of unique video versions is calculated in ClipClone: output minutes, calculation examples, plans from 2,990 ₽ per month, price per minute and the free trial.