The standard YouTube video dimensions are 1920x1080 pixels for 1080p HD, in a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is YouTube's default on a computer. For 16:9 video, YouTube recommends encoding at one of eight resolutions, from 7680x4320 for 8K down to 426x240 for 240p.
Here's what trips people up. YouTube asks you not to add padding or black bars to your video file, because they stop the player resizing itself to fit your video and the viewer's device. YouTube adds any padding it needs itself, white by default and dark gray when Dark theme is on. The other one most people don't know: in 2022 YouTube started removing support for playback at resolutions between 4K and 8K. Its own example is 5K, which may no longer play at 5K.
Every 16:9 resolution YouTube recommends
As of October 2026, these are the sizes YouTube's help lists for the default 16:9 aspect ratio, with the video bitrates it recommends for standard dynamic range uploads. Standard frame rate means 24, 25 or 30 frames per second, and high frame rate means 48, 50 or 60.
| Resolution | Pixel size | SDR bitrate, standard frame rate | SDR bitrate, high frame rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4320p (8K) | 7680x4320 | 80 to 160 Mbps | 120 to 240 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K) | 3840x2160 | 35 to 45 Mbps | 53 to 68 Mbps |
| 1440p (2K) | 2560x1440 | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 1080p (HD) | 1920x1080 | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 720p (HD) | 1280x720 | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
| 480p (SD) | 854x480 | 2.5 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p (SD) | 640x360 | 1 Mbps | 1.5 Mbps |
| 240p (SD) | 426x240 | Not listed | Not listed |
YouTube says no bitrate limit is required, and these figures are recommendations for reference. If you film in HDR, the recommended bitrates go up, so 1080p HDR is 10 Mbps at a standard frame rate and 15 Mbps at a high one. HDR isn't supported at 480p or 360p. One more thing for 4K: YouTube says that to view new 4K uploads in 4K, you need a browser or device that supports VP9.
What happens when your video isn't 16:9
You don't have to shoot in 16:9. YouTube's player automatically changes to the ideal size to match your video and the viewer's device, so vertical, square and horizontal videos all fit the screen. For some combinations, such as a 9:16 vertical video watched in a computer browser, YouTube adds extra padding around it for the best view.
That's exactly why you shouldn't bake black bars into the file. If you put them there, the player can't adapt, and your video looks boxed in on every screen. YouTube's upload help says the same thing about vertical video: don't add black bars to the sides. If you're making vertical clips, my guide to the YouTube Shorts aspect ratio covers that format on its own.
The encoding settings YouTube asks for
You don't need to understand every term here. If your editing app has an MP4 export with H.264, these are the boxes YouTube's help says to tick, as of October 2026:
- Container: MP4, with no edit lists, and the moov atom at the front of the file, often labelled Fast Start.
- Video codec: H.264, progressive scan with no interlacing, High Profile, 2 consecutive B frames, a closed GOP of half the frame rate, CABAC and a variable bitrate.
- Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0.
- Audio codec: AAC-LC, Opus or Eclipsa Audio, at a 48kHz sample rate.
- Audio channels: stereo, stereo plus 5.1, or stereo plus Eclipsa Audio.
- Audio bitrate: 128 kbps for mono, 384 kbps for stereo and 512 kbps for 5.1.
- Colour space for SDR: BT.709. YouTube converts full colour range to limited range.
YouTube warns that edit lists can stop your video processing correctly, so that's the one setting I'd double check if an upload keeps failing.
Frame rate: keep what you filmed
YouTube says to encode and upload at the same frame rate you recorded at. Common rates are 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 frames per second, and other rates are fine too. If your footage is interlaced, deinterlace it first: YouTube's example is turning 1080i60 into 1080p30, so 60 interlaced fields per second become 30 progressive frames per second.
Uploading your video in YouTube Studio
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- In the top right corner, click CREATE, then Upload videos.
- Select the file you want to upload. You can upload up to 15 videos at a time.
- Click Edit on each file and add the details: title, description, thumbnail, playlist and audience.
- Choose your visibility, Private, Unlisted or Public, or schedule it for later.
- Check your changes follow YouTube's policies, then click SAVE.
A few limits are worth knowing before you hit upload. Titles can be up to 100 characters and descriptions up to 5,000. Your video's converted to the highest resolution available so it plays well on different devices and networks, and 4K or HD versions can take longer to process. You can publish once SD processing is complete. If you close the upload window before choosing visibility, the video's saved as private. You'll need a video of 25 seconds or longer to add an end screen, and you can't upload an audio file on its own, so add an image to turn it into a video first. For the image viewers see before they click, here's what size YouTube thumbnails should be.
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My verdict on YouTube video size
I'd export at 1920x1080 in 16:9 if you're a small business or a creator filming talking heads, tutorials or webinars, because it's the HD standard and it's what YouTube treats as its default on a computer. I'd go up to 3840x2160 if you've filmed in 4K and want viewers on big screens to get it. I'd skip exporting at sizes between 4K and 8K, such as 5K, because YouTube's been removing playback support for them since 2022. And whatever size you pick, I'd never add black bars yourself. Let YouTube handle the padding.
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Frequently asked questions
What size is a 1080p YouTube video?
A 1080p YouTube video is 1920x1080 pixels in the standard 16:9 aspect ratio.
What is the best aspect ratio for YouTube?
16:9 is the standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a computer. If your video has a different ratio, the player changes size automatically to match it and the viewer's device.
Should I add black bars to a vertical video for YouTube?
No. YouTube asks you not to add padding or black bars, because they stop the player adapting to your video size and the viewer's device.
Can I upload 5K video to YouTube?
In 2022 YouTube started removing support for playback at resolutions between 4K and 8K, and it says it may no longer support playback at 5K.
What frame rate should I upload to YouTube?
Upload at the same frame rate you recorded at. Common rates are 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 frames per second.
