YouTube video size and aspect ratio
Regular YouTube videos are 16:9: 1920 × 1080 for 1080p and 3840 × 2160 for 4K. Shorts are vertical 9:16 at 1080 × 1920, or square, and up to 3 minutes long. Other shapes play too, because the player fits itself to the video, so do not add black bars yourself.
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- Even sizes for video
Size and ratio
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9
- As a number
- 1.778:1
- Common use
- HD and 4K video, YouTube
Resize to the same ratio
Most video codecs need even widths and heights.
- New height
- 720
- New size
- 1280 × 720
| 640 × | 360 |
| 1280 × | 720 |
| 1920 × | 1080 |
| 2560 × | 1440 |
| 3840 × | 2160 |
Reference
Sizes and rates at a glance
| Format | Aspect ratio | Size in pixels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 16:9 | 1920 × 1080 or larger | Other ratios play with padding |
| Shorts | 9:16 or 1:1 | 1080 × 1920 | Up to 3 minutes |
| Thumbnail | 16:9 | 1280 × 720 | At least 640 wide |
| Quality | Size in pixels |
|---|---|
| 4320p (8K) | 7680 × 4320 |
| 2160p (4K) | 3840 × 2160 |
| 1440p | 2560 × 1440 |
| 1080p (HD) | 1920 × 1080 |
| 720p (HD) | 1280 × 720 |
| 480p | 854 × 480 |
| 360p | 640 × 360 |
| 240p | 426 × 240 |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Something else, or a file that will not convert? Write to conform@niamori.ai.
What is the best size to upload to YouTube?
Export at your timeline’s resolution and frame rate. 1920 × 1080 is the usual minimum for a sharp video; upload 3840 × 2160 if you shot and edited in 4K.
Will a vertical or 4:3 video get black bars?
YouTube resizes the player to the video’s shape, so do not add bars to the video itself. On a computer, a 9:16 video plays with padding at the sides.
What size is a YouTube Short?
1080 × 1920 pixels, vertical 9:16, up to 3 minutes long. Square videos are accepted too, but vertical fills the phone screen.
What frame rate should I use?
The one you shot in. YouTube recommends uploading at the original frame rate; 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 fps are the common ones.
More from Conform
Reports, tools and conversions
- Aspect ratio calculator16:9, 9:16, 4:5 and resizing to fit
- 16:9 aspect ratio16:9 resolutions from 360p to 8K
- 9:16 vertical videoReels, TikTok and Shorts sizes
- 4:3 aspect ratioSD video, iPad and photo sizes
- Instagram video sizeReels, Stories and feed posts
- TikTok video size1080 × 1920 and what to avoid
- Timecode calculatorAdd, subtract and convert, drop-frame too
- SRT to VTTSubtitles for web players, with time shift
- Timeline reportClip list, cue sheet, markers and effects
- FCPXML ⇄ XML converterMove the timeline between Final Cut, Premiere and Resolve