Recommended upload encoding settings
Below are recommended upload encoding settings for your videos on YouTube.
- No Edit Lists (or the video might not get processed correctly)
- moov atom at the front of the file (Fast Start)
- Channels: Stereo or Stereo + 5.1
- Sample rate 96khz or 48khz
- Progressive scan (no interlacing)
- High Profile
- 2 consecutive B frames
- Closed GOP. GOP of half the frame rate.
- CABAC
- Variable bitrate. No bitrate limit required, though we offer recommended bit rates below for reference
- Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0
Content should be encoded and uploaded in the same frame rate it was recorded.
Common frame rates include: 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second (other frame rates are also acceptable).
Interlaced content should be deinterlaced before uploading. For example, 1080i60 content should be deinterlaced to 1080p30, going from 60 interlaced fields per second to 30 progressive frames per second.
The bitrates below are recommendations for uploads. Audio playback bitrate is not related to video resolution.
Recommended video bitrates for SDR uploads
To view new 4K uploads in 4K, use a browser or device that supports VP9.
| Type | Video Bitrate, Standard Frame Rate (24, 25, 30) |
Video Bitrate, High Frame Rate (48, 50, 60) |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4k) | 35-45 Mbps | 53-68 Mbps |
| 1440p (2k) | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 1080p | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 720p | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
| 480p | 2.5 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p | 1 Mbps | 1.5 Mbps |
Recommended video bitrates for HDR uploads
| Type | Video Bitrate, Standard Frame Rate (24, 25, 30) |
Video Bitrate, High Frame Rate (48, 50, 60) |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4k) | 44-56 Mbps | 66-85 Mbps |
| 1440p (2k) | 20 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| 1080p | 10 Mbps | 15 Mbps |
| 720p | 6.5 Mbps | 9.5 Mbps |
| 480p |
Not supported |
Not supported |
| 360p | Not supported | Not supported |
Recommended audio bitrates for uploads
| Type | Audio Bitrate |
|---|---|
| Mono | 128 kbps |
| Stereo | 384 kbps |
| 5.1 | 512 kbps |
YouTube uses 16:9 aspect ratio players. If you're uploading a non-16:9 file, it will be processed and displayed with either black bars on the left and right (pillar boxes) or black bars at the top and bottom (letter boxes) to make a 16:9 ratio in the player.
Learn how to use resolution and aspect ratios correctly.