What is the best YouTube video size?

The best standard YouTube video size is 1920 × 1080 pixels, a 16:9 HD video. If your footage was shot in 4K, upload 3840 × 2160 so YouTube can serve a sharper version on large screens.

What is the YouTube video aspect ratio?

Standard YouTube videos use a 16:9 aspect ratio. Vertical videos can be 9:16 and Shorts should use 1080 × 1920, but regular watch-page videos are built around 16:9.

Can I upload 4K video to YouTube?

Yes. Upload 3840 × 2160 for 4K when the source footage was shot at 4K resolution. Upscaling a soft HD file rarely helps because YouTube compression cannot add detail that is not in the source.

What file type should I upload to YouTube?

MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the safest YouTube upload format. MOV and WebM also work, but MP4 is the easiest format to move between editing tools.

What is the maximum YouTube video size?

YouTube accepts uploads up to 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever comes first. Most brand and creator videos should stay much smaller so the upload, processing and review pass faster.

YouTube Video Size

Standard YouTube video dimensions, aspect ratio and upload specs for HD, 4K and regular watch-page videos.

HD upload1920×1080

4K upload3840×2160

Standard ratio16:9

Format

Full frame usable

16:9

Resolution: 1920 × 1080
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Max duration: 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever comes first
Max file size: Up to 256 GB
File types: MP4 with H.264 / AAC recommended; MOV and WebM accepted
Frame rate: Match source: 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 or 60 fps

16:9 is the default YouTube player shape for standard videos. Upload 1920 × 1080 for HD, or 3840 × 2160 when you have a true 4K master.

Resolutions and aspect ratios are stable; durations, file-size limits, crops and safe-zone margins reflect the major social platforms as of June 2026 and shift over time. Confirm in-app before a high-stakes upload.

Frequently asked

What is the best YouTube video size?: The best standard YouTube video size is 1920 × 1080 pixels, a 16:9 HD video. If your footage was shot in 4K, upload 3840 × 2160 so YouTube can serve a sharper version on large screens.
What is the YouTube video aspect ratio?: Standard YouTube videos use a 16:9 aspect ratio. Vertical videos can be 9:16 and Shorts should use 1080 × 1920, but regular watch-page videos are built around 16:9.
Can I upload 4K video to YouTube?: Yes. Upload 3840 × 2160 for 4K when the source footage was shot at 4K resolution. Upscaling a soft HD file rarely helps because YouTube compression cannot add detail that is not in the source.
What file type should I upload to YouTube?: MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the safest YouTube upload format. MOV and WebM also work, but MP4 is the easiest format to move between editing tools.
What is the maximum YouTube video size?: YouTube accepts uploads up to 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever comes first. Most brand and creator videos should stay much smaller so the upload, processing and review pass faster.

Bevyl turns raw footage into finished YouTube cuts with the right shape for the channel.

Try Bevyl free

More free tools

LengthLab

The right length and pace for each platform and goal, with a hook → value → payoff timeline.

Audio Editor

Drop in audio, trim the useful part, remove the dead air, fade the edges and download the result.

Username Ideas

Type a word, pick a vibe, and copy clean handle ideas for TikTok or Instagram.

HookHacker

Pick a style and niche, and get opening lines ready to paste into your next video.

Engagement Rate

Enter your numbers to see your engagement rate and how it compares by platform.

Terms of Engagement

What TikTok, Reels and Shorts each call the same metric: watch time, retention, hook rate.

ScriptSkeletons

Beat-by-beat script structures by format: UGC review, product demo, founder story.

Social Media Sizes

Every short-form video and image size: TikTok, Reels, Stories and Shorts, with safe zones.

Aspect Ratio Calculator

Simplify dimensions, scale an image or video to a new width, and match the ratio to platform sizes.