What are the best export settings for YouTube? Bitrate and file size calculator

YouTube recommends an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio at 48 kHz, exported at the frame rate you recorded. For 1080p at 24 to 30 fps that is about 8 Mbps of video (12 Mbps at 60 fps) and 384 kbps of stereo audio; 4K needs 35 to 45 Mbps (53 to 68 at 60 fps). A 10 minute 1080p30 export comes out at about 630 MB.

Updated October 19, 2026 · Built by Kevin Tabares, long-form YouTube editor at Umbrella Creators. Numbers from YouTube Help, read on October 19, 2026.

Resolution Frame rate (the one you recorded) Dynamic range Audio Video length (minutes) Your upload speed (Mbps) Any speed test shows it as "upload".

Settings to type into your editor

How to use the calculator

Pick the resolution of your timeline and the frame rate you recorded at. YouTube asks you to export at the same frame rate you recorded, so a 60 fps gameplay capture stays 60 fps.
Choose SDR or HDR. If you are not sure, it is SDR. HDR is only for footage shot and graded in HDR.
Type the length of the video and your upload speed. The calculator gives the file size at YouTube's recommended bitrate and how long the upload takes.
Copy the settings into the export window of Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro or CapCut. The names change a little between programs, but every one of them has these fields.

For 4K and 8K, YouTube gives a range. The calculator uses the middle of the range for the size and shows both ends. If your file comes out bigger than the estimate, that is normal with variable bitrate on busy footage (fast gameplay, confetti, water); YouTube re-encodes everything anyway.

YouTube's recommended bitrates for SDR uploads

Resolution	24, 25, 30 fps	48, 50, 60 fps
8K (4320p)	80–160 Mbps	120–240 Mbps
4K (2160p)	35–45 Mbps	53–68 Mbps
1440p (2K)	16 Mbps	24 Mbps
1080p (Full HD)	8 Mbps	12 Mbps
720p	5 Mbps	7.5 Mbps
480p	2.5 Mbps	4 Mbps
360p	1 Mbps	1.5 Mbps

Recommended bitrates for HDR uploads

Resolution	24, 25, 30 fps	48, 50, 60 fps
8K (4320p)	100–200 Mbps	150–300 Mbps
4K (2160p)	44–56 Mbps	66–85 Mbps
1440p (2K)	20 Mbps	30 Mbps
1080p (Full HD)	10 Mbps	15 Mbps
720p	6.5 Mbps	9.5 Mbps
480p	Not supported	Not supported
360p	Not supported	Not supported

Audio: 128 kbps for mono, 384 kbps for stereo and 512 kbps for 5.1, always at 48 kHz.

What each setting means, in plain words

H.264, High Profile: the most common video format. Every editor has it, and YouTube lists it as the recommended codec.
Variable bitrate (VBR): the file uses more data on busy scenes and less on calm ones. YouTube says no bitrate limit is required.
Keyframe every half second: YouTube asks for a closed GOP of half the frame rate. At 30 fps that is a keyframe every 15 frames; at 60 fps, every 30.
2 consecutive B-frames and CABAC: compression options. If your program does not show them, its default H.264 preset is fine.
4:2:0 chroma: the normal color sampling for web video. Do not send 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 to YouTube.
BT.709, limited range (SDR): the standard color space. YouTube converts BT.2020 SDR to 8-bit BT.709 and full range to limited, so exporting in BT.709 avoids surprises.
Fast Start (moov atom at the front): a checkbox called "Fast Start" or "Optimize for web" in most programs.

When I export long-form videos for clients, the setting that causes the most trouble is the frame rate: a 60 fps gameplay recording dropped into a 30 fps timeline, or the other way round, which makes motion stutter. Before you export, check that the timeline frame rate matches the recording. If the audio is the problem instead, my LUFS meter shows how loud the export is, and the silence detector finds the dead air before you upload.

FAQ

What are the best export settings for YouTube?

YouTube recommends an MP4 file with H.264 video (High Profile, progressive, 2 consecutive B-frames, closed GOP of half the frame rate, CABAC, variable bitrate, 4:2:0) and AAC-LC audio at 48 kHz. Export at the frame rate you recorded. For 1080p at 24 to 30 fps that means about 8 Mbps of video and 384 kbps of stereo audio.

What bitrate should I use for 1080p on YouTube?

YouTube Help recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps (SDR). For HDR it is 10 and 15 Mbps. A higher bitrate does not hurt, it only makes the file bigger and the upload slower.

What bitrate should I use for 4K on YouTube?

For 2160p SDR, YouTube recommends 35 to 45 Mbps at standard frame rates and 53 to 68 Mbps at 48 to 60 fps. For 4K HDR it is 44 to 56 Mbps and 66 to 85 Mbps.

How big is a 10 minute 1080p video?

At YouTube's recommended 8 Mbps for video plus 384 kbps for stereo audio, a 10 minute 1080p export at 30 fps is about 630 MB. At 60 fps (12 Mbps) it is about 930 MB.

What is the maximum file size for a YouTube upload?

YouTube Help says the maximum is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. Accounts that are not verified can only upload videos up to 15 minutes long.

Sources

YouTube Help, YouTube recommended upload encoding settings: container, codecs, bitrate tables, audio and color space. Read October 19, 2026.
YouTube Help, Upload videos longer than 15 minutes: 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less; 15 minutes for unverified accounts. Read October 19, 2026.
File size = (video bitrate + audio bitrate) × length ÷ 8. Real files with variable bitrate land above or below this estimate.

Who made this

I'm Kevin Tabares. I've edited long-form YouTube videos since 2015 (1,277 videos and 152.2M+ views tracked on YT Jobs), from Roblox and Minecraft gaming to narrated documentaries. Every week someone asks me what to put in the export window, so I built this. For the editing itself, my guide on how to edit gaming videos for YouTube covers the rest. If you want an editor for your channel, get in touch.

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