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The Best Video Format for Youtube: Dimension & Size

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By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

Drive 20-40% of your revenue with Avada
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Each YouTube creator acknowledges that it is important to keep pace with the pace changing platform video demands, typically the YouTube dimension.

No matter you are running ads on YouTube or use it for hosting, you have to make sure that YouTube is the online video king, and definitely a solid bet. So as to remain its leading position, the platform adds the fresh features and updates constantly that come along with new requirements. To ensure your video is displayed and popped up more on Google, you might have to know the exact YouTube video sizes.

In this post, you will be introduced to The Best Video Format For Youtube.

Why you need to use the correct Youtube video size and format

Why you need to use the correct Youtube video size and format
Why you need to use the correct Youtube video size and format

With the help of our digital world, generating Youtube videos are never easier than before, typically when you own top-notch tools such as Lumen 5 on hand. However, as you question any influential Youtubers and they tell you a similar story, which is to get your chances maximized on their platform, you have to make use of the correct YouTube video size.

Besides, when brands depend on video content more than anything, there are lots of competitions. Take note that thriving and staying relevant is known as an issue of designing your own video to each platform, along with ensuring your content is always first-rate. Without any more mentions, you can check and update the correct YouTube video sizes.

Different kinds of video file formats exist for a reason. Everyone has different ways to organize their content; therefore, it can impact the playback. Different types of file format, with file containers, may become or may not become compatible with specific kinds of players. There are several file formats to take single videos and generate a bigger file size than another, which has great influences on the capabilities of uploading it to particular platforms also. Because YouTube is about videos, it is vital to opt for video file formats that will bring you more benefits.

Recommendation: How Big Is Youtube Thumbnail? Size Guide & Best Practices

What is the best video format for Youtube?

What formats does Youtube accept?

Keep in mind that YouTube only accepts the following video formats:

  • .MOV
  • .MP4
  • .MPEG4
  • .AVI
  • .WMV
  • .FLV
  • .MEGPS
  • .3GPP
  • .ProRes
  • WebM
  • DNxHR
  • HEVC (h265)
  • CineForm

All video editors, followed by creators, provide you a good chance to choose what kind of file format you wish to save your content in it, and the majority of people states such files as .MPEG4, .MOV, and.MP4.

What formats does Youtube accept?
What formats does Youtube accept?

Best Youtube video formats

YouTube is now recommending the encoding systems below for your own videos:

1. Container: MP4

  • No Edit Lists (or the video may not become processed exactly)

  • Moov atom at the front of the file (Quick Start)

2. Audio codec: AAC - LC

  • Channels: Stereo or Stereo + 5.1

  • Sample rate 48khz or 96khz

3. Video codec: H.264

  • Progressive scan (no interlace)

  • High profile

  • 2 consecutive B Frames

  • CABAC

  • Close GOP.GOP of half the frame rate

  • Chroma subsampling: 4:2:0

  • Variable bitrate: No bitrate limit asking although bit rates are highly recommended for reference

4. Frame rate

Your content needs to be encoded as well as uploaded in the similar frame rate it was already recorded. There are some common frame rates, including 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames each second. If there are other frame rates, they are also acceptable.

Interlaced content needs to be deinterlaced prior to uploading. For instance, 1080i60 content needs to be deinterlaced to 1080p30, which means it can go from 60 interlaced fields each second to about 30 progressive frames each second.

What is the correct Youtube video size?

You are allowed to post lots of video kinds on YouTube. In order to receive the best quality and stay away from issues, you need to make sure that you are using the dimensions below:

What is the correct Youtube video size?
What is the correct Youtube video size?

In order to have a better understanding of those numbers, you can check out the following straightforward picture:

What is the correct Youtube video size?
What is the correct Youtube video size?

Another vital YouTube video dimensions to take you into consideration:

  • Maximum file size: 128GB

  • Maximum video length: 12 hours

  • Accepted YouTube video formats: .mpeg, .mov, .mp4, .avi, .mpegps, 3GPP, .flv, .wmv., .flv, and webM

The standard aspect ratio from your YouTube on the desktop is 16:9. In case you get your videos uploaded with different aspect ratios, the player will frame them automatically to make sure they are correctly shown without stretching and cropping no matter what the video’s size is.

For other aspects ratios, like 9:16, YouTube will know how to add padding for optimal viewing. The padding is white by default, coming with dark gray as you use the dark gray as using the Dark theme.

For satisfying results, do not put black bars or padding bards directly to the videos to enable YouTube to perform its thing, then offering the best viewing experience.

What is the correct Youtube video size?
What is the correct Youtube video size?

Other technical requirements you will need to know

As you generate YouTube videos and get ready to upload them, there might be some technical requirements as well as general best practices you will be careful to order.

Following is other technical requirements you had better take a note to aid in your own channel skyrocket to be successful.

  • The maximum file size you are allowed to upload is 128 GB or 12 hours. Keep in mind that some old videos might last more than 12 hours; however, that cut off is reduced.

  • Stick to the 16:9 aspect ratio. You really wish your amazing videos to turn up as users watch if they are watching on mobile or desktop. It is vital on mobile, typically with about 70 percent of views from mobile so that videos can properly scale to make the screen full; hence, making it easy for lots of users to check and engage with.

  • Generate customized YouTube thumbnails rather than making use of screengrabs. When your own videos are uploaded successfully, YouTube will create potential thumbnails automatically; however, they perform this randomly.

Instead, you can take advantage of drag-and-drop design software such as Snappa to generate recognizable thumbnails and uniform. It will assist in making your hot channel become great; a, and build up brand awareness.

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In addition, you can confer to several technical requirements you’ll need to know below:

My video is larger than 128GB

According to Google, in case your video is bigger than 128GB, you should try to compress your videos in video editors prior to getting it uploaded to YouTube. This will help ease your video file size but still, keep your video quality become high. A common way to get a video compressed for YouTube is encoding it by using the H.264 codec.

Why My YouTube video resolution looks low on uploading?

Google states: “When you upload a video, it will initially be processed in low resolution. This process helps you complete the upload process faster. When the upload flow is complete, your video will be available to stream in low resolution, on a wide variety of devices. Higher resolutions, such as 4K or 1080p, can take more time to process. While this happens, your video may appear to be missing higher resolutions for several hours. Once high-resolution processing finishes, higher resolutions will be available on your video”.

Will my phone record in the Right YouTube video size?

Luckily, the answer is yes. Should you use smartphones, let’s say G2. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 helps you film in the resolution up to 2160, known as the highest size recommended for YouTube videos.

How many MB is a YouTube video?

G2 has said: “5 minutes of a 720p video will use approximately 75MB of data and 5 minutes of a 1080p video will use approximately 170MB or more.”

What does the video aspect ratio mean?

Basically, the aspect ratio is relevant to your video’s proportion. The most popular aspect ratios are 1:1, 16:9; and 4:3. Take note that the exact aspect of YouTube videos is known as 16:9.

What is the best YouTube video format?

According to YouTube, one of the best video formats is MP4, along with the H.264 video codec with AAC audio codec. You will get high-quality videos and small file sizes. But, YouTube together supports the formats below: WebM, MOV, AVI, MPEG PS, 3GPP, and WMV.

Can I upload videos longer than 15 minutes?

As you know, the default size for your YouTube videos is 15 minutes. Byt, you can even upload your videos longer in case you are enabled to get your account verified from your own mobile. In order to do so, you had better access to https://www.youtube.com/verify and do all actions that are required to get your own account verified. Bear in mind that the maximum file size you are able to upload is 12 hours or 128GB. In case your own video is bigger than 128GB, let’s make use of video editors to compress it prior to uploading it to your YouTube channel.

How many pixels is a YouTube video?

YouTube’s default video size is about 320 pixels by 240 pixels tall. However, you also find out some videos in the 360 x 480-pixel size.

Why does it take YouTube so long to process my video?

The main reason why it takes a long time to upload is since your Internet connection is unstable or slow. This is called heavy uploads traffic and you can upload during the busy time. However, in case your video is 4k, it might take YouTube longer to get it processed. A 4K video, along with a frame rate of 30 fps which lasts 60 minutes; hence taking a maximum of 4 hours to finish the high-resolution procession.

What happens if a YouTube video uploaded is not 16:9?

Bear in mind that YouTube already used to insert black bars on sides of videos that do not belong to 16:9 resolution; however, they stopped doing this last year. In order to assist other aspect ratios as well as align with the rival platforms, YouTube made a decision to delete black bars on small videos, then replacing them with white space or expanded videos if it is applicable.

Why do some of my YouTube videos look fuzzy?

There are some reasons stating the reason why videos uploaded do not look high quality. In order to make it easy for YouTubers to understand, Google explains the whole process of how videos get to you. Google will pick up the shortest and most direct route. As you click to play, YouTube will carry video data via its own system to your ISP (known as Internet Service Provider) through the most powerful path. Sometimes, there are some exceptional circumstances that mean you have to use less-direct paths.

In addition, Google cannot do it alone. As your ISP gets your videos from YouTube, they start their vital job of transferring it across their own network to your one home. They have to ensure that there is enough capacity where they can get the data from YouTube. If not, your own videos will suffer bad quality. Last but not least, your videos have to travel into your own home. Apart from congestion on the ISP’s network, the performance of your video can be impacted by the ISP’s connection size into your home, your WIFY, or other home factors like the number of connected devices.

Conclusion

YouTube is known as an outstanding marketing platform; however, it takes a huge time to invest in. Generating videos are not so easy and it is not so quick; hence, you do not want to throw all of your hard work away at the ending minutes by selecting the wrong file format. You are strongly recommended to stick to.MP4 video formats for YouTube and try not to forget to get a double check on other selections for the best outcomes. It might take you a little time; however, it is well worth your efforts, especially when you start to see your YouTube channel growing and drive off-platform outcomes.

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Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.