TikTok Shop slideshow rule vs Timeline stills: static holds

The TikTok Shop requirements page has two still-image rules. For a LIVE: "Do not use stills, slideshows, or scrolling images that covers more than 50% of the screen", and the same limit for animated figures. For a posted video: "Do not use still, looping, or scrolling images through the entire video without featuring your face and the physical product", and aim for at least 3 seconds of dynamic content without still images or looping visuals. The 50% figure is stated under LIVE, not under video posting (read 2026-10-05).

What Timeline does with images

In Timeline 1.0, video[].source_url may be a still, and stills are static holds: the job accepts a motion field, ignores it, and reports motion_ignored. A sequence of photos therefore renders as a slideshow, whatever you request.

Where the still rules bite

Using compose

Timeline compose puts one still and one video on screen together. In stack mode layout.ratio is the still's share of the frame, from 0.1 to 0.9. At 0.3 the still takes 30% and the video the remaining 70%, which is under the LIVE figure on the page and keeps live footage on screen for a posted video.

Do the math in code

def still_share_ok(ratio: float) -> bool:
    return 0.1 <= ratio <= 0.9 and ratio < 0.5


for r in (0.3, 0.5, 0.7):
    print(r, still_share_ok(r))

Caveat

A ratio is a layout fact, not a pass from TikTok. The 50% number is a LIVE rule; for posted videos the page asks for dynamic content with your face and the product, so judge the finished video as a viewer would.