What are the best export settings for YouTube?

1920×1080 (or 3840×2160 for 4K), H.264 High profile, frame rate matching your source, roughly 12 Mbps target / 16 Mbps max bitrate, .mp4 container, AAC audio at 384 kbps / 48 kHz, and Rec.709 color. Pick YouTube above and copy the full card.

What bitrate should I export TikTok and Instagram Reels at?

Export 1080×1920 vertical, H.264, 30 fps, at roughly 10 Mbps target / 12 Mbps max, .mp4, with AAC audio at 256 kbps. Shooting 60 fps needs about 14 Mbps. These bitrates survive the platform's own re-compression best.

Should I export H.264 or HEVC (H.265)?

Use H.264 for 1080p uploads — it is universal and accepted everywhere. Use HEVC only for 4K masters, where it preserves more detail at a given file size; some platforms still prefer H.264 even at 4K, so the 4K card flags that.

What aspect ratio and resolution does each platform want?

YouTube and X are 16:9 (1920×1080). TikTok, Reels and Shorts are 9:16 (1080×1920). Instagram Feed is 4:5 (1080×1350) or 1:1 square. Pick the platform above to see the exact values to type.

Why do my uploads look soft or washed out?

Usually too-low bitrate, the wrong color space (export Rec.709, not a log or raw profile), or the platform re-encoding an already-compressed file. Match these target/max bitrates and Rec.709 color and the result holds up.

Can I get a one-click export instead of typing the settings?

Yes, free. Below the settings there's an optional FFmpeg export recipe: a one-line command plus drag-and-drop encoder scripts for Mac (.command) and Windows (.bat) that re-encode any video to the exact spec for the platform you picked. It needs the free FFmpeg tool installed and is aimed at users comfortable running a script — if you edit in Premiere, DaVinci, or CapCut, just copy the settings into your editor's export panel instead.

Video editors

Video Export Settings Generator

Pick a platform and copy the exact export settings — resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, audio, and color — that survive the upload. No more translating a 2,000-word blog post into your export panel.

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Export settings

YouTube — 1080p

Verified Jun 2026 Kept current — specs drift year to year.

Resolution: 1920×1080
Frame rate: match source (24/25/30)
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Codec: H.264, High profile, Level 4.2
Bitrate: 12 Mbps target / 16 Mbps max (VBR, 2-pass)
Container: .mp4
Audio: AAC-LC, 384 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo
Color: Rec.709, 8-bit, BT.709

Enable JavaScript to switch platforms and copy settings in one click. Every value is shown above to type by hand.

How these settings are chosen, and kept current

These are each platform's current recommended upload specs as of Jun 2026. Every platform re-encodes your file on its own side, so these target the highest quality that survives that pass — going higher than the listed bitrate usually just gets thrown away.

"Match source" frame rate means export at the same fps you shot and edited at — resampling (e.g. forcing 24 fps footage to 30) adds judder and motion artifacts. Rec.709 color is the standard for delivery; exporting a log or raw profile is what makes uploads look washed out.

Specs drift. Platforms quietly change their recommendations, which is why most "best settings" blog posts go stale. This table is dated and maintained — the Verified Jun 2026 badge tells you how current it is. Not affiliated with YouTube, TikTok, Meta, or X.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best export settings for YouTube?: 1920×1080 (or 3840×2160 for 4K), H.264 High profile, frame rate matching your source, roughly 12 Mbps target / 16 Mbps max bitrate, .mp4 container, AAC audio at 384 kbps / 48 kHz, and Rec.709 color. Pick YouTube above and copy the full card.
What bitrate should I export TikTok and Instagram Reels at?: Export 1080×1920 vertical, H.264, 30 fps, at roughly 10 Mbps target / 12 Mbps max, .mp4, with AAC audio at 256 kbps. Shooting 60 fps needs about 14 Mbps. These bitrates survive the platform's own re-compression best.
Should I export H.264 or HEVC (H.265)?: Use H.264 for 1080p uploads — it is universal and accepted everywhere. Use HEVC only for 4K masters, where it preserves more detail at a given file size; some platforms still prefer H.264 even at 4K, so the 4K card flags that.
What aspect ratio and resolution does each platform want?: YouTube and X are 16:9 (1920×1080). TikTok, Reels and Shorts are 9:16 (1080×1920). Instagram Feed is 4:5 (1080×1350) or 1:1 square. Pick the platform above to see the exact values to type.
Why do my uploads look soft or washed out?: Usually too-low bitrate, the wrong color space (export Rec.709, not a log or raw profile), or the platform re-encoding an already-compressed file. Match these target/max bitrates and Rec.709 color and the result holds up.
Can I get a one-click export instead of typing the settings?: Yes, free. Below the settings there's an optional FFmpeg export recipe: a one-line command plus drag-and-drop encoder scripts for Mac (.command) and Windows (.bat) that re-encode any video to the exact spec for the platform you picked. It needs the free FFmpeg tool installed and is aimed at users comfortable running a script — if you edit in Premiere, DaVinci, or CapCut, just copy the settings into your editor's export panel instead.

How to use this tool

Select your target platform Choose where the video is going — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels or Feed, YouTube Shorts, or X.
Pick a quality target (optional) Choose 1080p, 60 fps, or 4K if you need it. Leave it on the default if you are unsure — the default is the safe, recommended setting.
Copy and paste into your editor Click "Copy all settings" and paste each value into your editor's export panel — Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, or CapCut.

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