Pinterest video ads take H.264 or H.265: do you need H.265?

No, you do not need H.265. Pinterest's product specs list the video codec as H.264 or H.265, so an H.264 MP4 meets the codec rule. The one Sume doc that names a codec is Video trim: its default exact precision re-encodes with libx264 and yuv420p, which is H.264. For any other Sume output, read the codec from a probe rather than assuming.

Pinterest video ad spec

Values from Pinterest's product specs page.

What Sume documents

For Video trim, precision: exact (the default) is a frame-accurate re-encode with libx264 and yuv420p, and the kept audio is remuxed as AAC. precision: keyframe is a stream copy, so it keeps whatever the source used. Optional output conform sets width and height (256-2160) and fps (24, 25, 30 or 60), exact only. The job is $0.02 per the docs.

The docs for other routes do not name a codec. Video inspect returns a probe and never re-encodes; it is the right check. The docs do not list the probe's fields, so look at what it returns for your file and read the codec from there.

Does it matter?

For acceptance, no: H.264 is on Pinterest's list. H.265 is the option when you want smaller files at similar quality, but the Sume trim and timeline docs expose no codec option (they reject codec and crf fields), and with a 2 GB cap a short ad is unlikely to need it.

The things more likely to bite are the container and the ratio. Confirm the file is MP4, MOV or M4V, and that the frame is 1:1, 2:3, 4:5 or 9:16. Sume's Timeline default of 1080x1920 is 9:16, which is on the list.

Pre-flight

• Probe the final file and note container and codec.
• Check length is at least 4 s; 6-15 s is the recommended band.
• Check ratio against the four listed.
• Keep title under 100 characters, with the first 40 doing the work.