Recommended Settings for YouTube 1080p HD
Video
Resolution
1920 x 1080
16:9 aspect ratio
Frame Rate
30 fps
Supported: 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 fps
Codec / Container
H.264
Container: MP4
Bitrate
12 Mbps
Range: 8 - 16 Mbps
Audio
Audio Codec
AAC
Stereo, 48 kHz
Audio Bitrate
384 kbps
Platform Notes
- Most common YouTube format
- Good balance of quality and file size
- 60fps recommended for gaming content
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 18 -b:v 12M -maxrate 16M -bufsize 32M -vf "scale=1920:1080" -r 30 -c:a aac -b:a 384k -ar 48000 -movflags +faststart output.mp4Replace "input.mp4" with your source file and "output.mp4" with desired output name.
Quick reference: all platforms
| Platform | Resolution | Bitrate | FPS | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4K UHD | 3840x2160 | 45 Mbps | 30 | - |
| 1080p HD | 1920x1080 | 12 Mbps | 30 | - |
| Reels | 1080x1920 | 8 Mbps | 30 | 1m |
| Feed Video | 1080x1080 | 5 Mbps | 30 | 1m |
| Standard TikTok | 1080x1920 | 8 Mbps | 30 | 10m |
| Twitter Video | 1920x1080 | 8 Mbps | 30 | 2m |
| 4K SDR | 3840x2160 | 45 Mbps | 24 | - |
| 1080p HD | 1920x1080 | 20 Mbps | 24 | - |
| 1080i/p Broadcast | 1920x1080 | 147 Mbps | 29.97 | - |
| 4K UHD Broadcast | 3840x2160 | 600 Mbps | 29.97 | - |
How it works
- 1Pick the platformYouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X, Vimeo or broadcast.
- 2Pick the formatLandscape, vertical, 4K and so on.
- 3Copy the settingsInto Premiere, Resolve or Final Cut.
- 4Or run FFmpegThe command is built for you.
Questions
What codec should I use for social media?
H.264 is the universal choice for social media. It's widely supported, compresses well, and all platforms accept it. H.265 offers better compression but isn't supported everywhere yet. For maximum quality, export at a higher bitrate than the platform's minimum - they'll re-encode anyway.
Why does my video look worse after uploading?
All social platforms re-encode your video to save bandwidth. To minimize quality loss: upload at higher resolution than needed (1440p for 1080p), use a higher bitrate, avoid multiple re-encodes of your source, and export as progressive (not interlaced).
What frame rate should I use?
24fps for cinematic content, 30fps for vlogs/tutorials/talking heads, 60fps for gaming/sports/fast motion. Note: Instagram and TikTok often convert 60fps to 30fps, so the extra frames may be wasted.
Should I use variable or constant bitrate?
Use CBR (constant) for streaming and broadcast. Use VBR (variable) for file delivery and uploads - it's more efficient and most platforms handle it fine. For critical delivery, check the specific requirements.
What audio settings should I use?
AAC codec at 48kHz sample rate for everything. 128-256kbps for social media, 320-384kbps for YouTube/Vimeo, and uncompressed PCM for broadcast. Always export stereo unless you have specific surround requirements.
How do I export for multiple platforms efficiently?
Create a high-quality master file (ProRes or high-bitrate H.264 at your highest resolution), then create platform-specific exports from that. This prevents generational quality loss. Tools like Handbrake, FFmpeg, or Adobe Media Encoder can batch process.
Why export settings matter
Every platform re-encodes what you upload. Sending it the resolution, frame rate and bitrate it expects means less of your picture is thrown away in that second encode, and no black bars or odd crops.
Bitrate, briefly
Higher bitrate keeps more detail but makes a bigger file. The recommended value is the point where platforms stop showing a visible difference.
This tool is looked after by Knob.A fiddler. One more notch. No, back one.
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