Every video uploaded to YouTube gets re-encoded into YouTube's own playback formats, at several resolutions. Nothing you do can skip that step, but what you hand YouTube decides how good the result looks: a clean, high-quality upload survives re-encoding far better than one that's already been squeezed. Conveniently, YouTube publishes exactly what it would like to receive. Here are those recommendations in plain English.
#The short version
- File type: MP4, with the file's index at the start ("fast start").
- Video: H.264, the same frame rate you recorded at, and the bitrate from the table below.
- Audio: AAC (Opus is also accepted), 48 kHz, stereo at 384 kbps.
- Resolution: the resolution you edited in. 16:9 is the standard shape for YouTube on a computer.
Video bitrate for standard (SDR) uploads
| Resolution | 24, 25 or 30 fps | 48, 50 or 60 fps |
|---|---|---|
| 8K | 80-160 Mbps | 120-240 Mbps |
| 4K (2160p) | 35-45 Mbps | 53-68 Mbps |
| 1440p | 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 |
#What each setting means
MP4 with fast start
YouTube asks for MP4 files with the index - the "moov atom" that maps where every frame sits - at the start of the file rather than the end (What is the moov atom? explains it). Most editors do this when exporting for the web. Wave does it on every MP4 it writes.
H.264, the way YouTube likes it
YouTube's full list reads: H.264, High Profile, progressive scan (no interlacing), two consecutive B-frames, closed GOP of half the frame rate, CABAC, variable bitrate and 4:2:0 colour. In practice, choosing H.264 in any modern editor's export panel with variable bitrate covers almost all of that; the rest are defaults. If your footage is interlaced - from an older camcorder or a TV recording - make sure the export de-interlaces it.
Keep the frame rate you recorded at
YouTube is explicit: upload at the same frame rate you shot. Converting 24 fps to 30, or 30 to 60, adds duplicated or blended frames that make motion look worse, not better. Common rates are 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 fps.
The bitrate is a target, not a limit
The table gives YouTube's recommended rates, and going a bit higher is fine - YouTube accepts files up to 256 GB or 12 hours long. Going much lower is where quality suffers, because YouTube's own compression stacks on top of yours. Video bitrate explained covers what bitrate does, and How much storage video takes turns these numbers into file sizes: a 10-minute 1080p video at 8 Mbps is about 600 MB.
Audio
AAC at a 48 kHz sample rate, stereo at 384 kbps, is YouTube's recommendation (128 kbps for mono, 512 kbps for 5.1 surround). That's generous on purpose, since audio takes up very little of the file compared with video.
#Exporting from your editor
Most editors have a YouTube preset that gets close to these settings: Premiere Pro has YouTube presets in its H.264 export options, DaVinci Resolve has one on its Deliver page, and iMovie can share directly for YouTube. Check that the preset matches your timeline's resolution and frame rate, and that the bitrate is at least the figure in the table above. If your editor asks for a single bitrate number, use the table's figure for your resolution and frame rate.
#Mistakes to avoid
- Compressing before uploading. Shrinking the file to save upload time throws away detail that YouTube's encoder then can't use. Upload the best version you have.
- Changing the frame rate. Keep what you recorded.
- Adding black bars yourself. Upload vertical or square video as it is; YouTube's player handles the shape.
- Upscaling expecting more detail. Exporting 1080p footage at 4K doesn't add detail. Some creators do it anyway, because YouTube has tended to give higher-resolution uploads better-quality processing, but it makes files much bigger and the benefit varies.
#Do you need to convert before uploading?
Usually not. YouTube accepts most video files, including MOV, MP4, AVI, WMV, WebM and ProRes, and re-encodes them anyway. Converting helps when an upload fails, processing gets stuck, or the file is in an old format. Then Wave turns it into a standard MP4 with fast start, in your browser - copying H.264 or HEVC video untouched, so nothing is lost. For vertical Shorts, see the Reels, TikTok and Shorts format guide.
#The short version
- MP4 with fast start, H.264, AAC at 48 kHz, and the frame rate you recorded at.
- Bitrate: 8 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps, 12 Mbps at 60 fps, 35-45 Mbps for 4K at 30 fps, 53-68 Mbps for 4K at 60 fps.
- Upload the best quality you have; YouTube re-encodes everything.
- Don't change the frame rate, add black bars, or compress before uploading.