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What is the size, limit or rule for this on YouTube right now? 113 answers, each one read on YouTube's own documentation and linked to it. Where YouTube publishes no number, this page says so.
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Upload size, shape, file weight and format for video, Shorts and podcast thumbnails. Preview your thumbnail at real sizes. Learn how to make a YouTube thumbnail
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended resolution (video) | 3840 x 2160 px | YouTube recommends custom video thumbnails with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Many size guides still list 1280 x 720. YouTube's page no longer mentions that size. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Minimum width (video) | 640 px | A custom YouTube video thumbnail should be at least 640 pixels wide. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Aspect ratio (video) | 16:9 | YouTube recommends a 16:9 aspect ratio for video thumbnails. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| File formats | JPG or PNG | YouTube says to upload custom thumbnails in image formats such as JPG or PNG. The YouTube Data API accepts image/jpeg and image/png for thumbnails. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| File size limit on desktop | 50 MB | On desktop, YouTube accepts thumbnails up to 50 MB for videos, Shorts and podcasts. The YouTube Data API documents the same 50 MB maximum. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| File size limit on mobile | 2 MB (10 MB for podcasts) | On mobile, YouTube accepts thumbnails up to 2 MB for videos and up to 10 MB for podcasts. The often quoted "2 MB limit" is the mobile limit only. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Limit through the API | 50 MB, image/jpeg or image/png | The YouTube Data API accepts thumbnail uploads up to 50 MB with the media types image/jpeg and image/png. Source: YouTube Data API: Thumbnails: set, checked October 2026. |
| Shorts thumbnail | 2160 x 3840 px, 9:16, at least 640 px tall | YouTube recommends custom Shorts thumbnails of 2160 x 3840 pixels in a 9:16 aspect ratio, with a minimum height of 640 pixels. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Where you can add a Shorts thumbnail | YouTube Studio on a computer only | Custom thumbnails for Shorts can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer, and the account must be verified. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Podcast playlist thumbnail | 1:1 (square) | For podcast playlists, YouTube asks for a thumbnail with a 1:1 aspect ratio instead of 16:9. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Vertical videos with a 16:9 thumbnail | Replaced by an automatic 4:5 thumbnail on some pages | For vertical videos, YouTube replaces a 16:9 custom thumbnail with an auto-generated 4:5 thumbnail on the home, explore and subscription pages. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Who can upload a custom thumbnail | Verified accounts | You can upload your own custom thumbnail on YouTube only if your account is verified. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Penalty for repeat thumbnail violations | Custom thumbnails removed for 30 days | Repeat thumbnail policy offenses can lead YouTube to remove your custom thumbnail privileges for 30 days or to terminate the account. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
Character limits and the hashtag rules. Check a title against these limits. Learn what a title has to promise
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Title length | 100 characters | YouTube video titles have a limit of 100 characters. The same 100 character maximum applies to Shorts titles. Source: YouTube Help: Edit video settings, checked October 2026. |
| Characters not allowed in a title | < and > | A YouTube title or description may contain all valid UTF-8 characters except the angle brackets < and >. Source: YouTube Data API: Videos resource, checked October 2026. |
| Description length | 5,000 characters | YouTube video descriptions have a limit of 5,000 characters. The YouTube Data API documents the same limit as 5000 bytes. Emoji and non-Latin scripts take more than one byte per character, so they reach it sooner. Source: YouTube Help: Edit video settings, checked October 2026. |
| Tags, total length | 500 characters | The tags on a YouTube video have a combined maximum length of 500 characters, and the commas between tags count toward that limit. This number is in the Data API reference. A tag that contains a space is counted as if wrapped in quotation marks, which adds two characters. Source: YouTube Data API: Videos resource, checked October 2026. |
| How much tags matter | Minimal role in discovery | YouTube says tags play a minimal role in a video's discovery and are mainly useful when the topic is commonly misspelled. Source: YouTube Help: Add tags to your YouTube videos, checked October 2026. |
| Hashtags shown by the title | Up to 3 | Of the hashtags in a video description, up to three appear by the video title on YouTube. Source: YouTube Help: Find playlists & videos using hashtags, checked October 2026. |
| Maximum hashtags | 60 | If a YouTube video or playlist has more than 60 hashtags, YouTube ignores every hashtag on it. Source: YouTube Help: Find playlists & videos using hashtags, checked October 2026. |
| Spaces in hashtags | Not allowed | YouTube hashtags cannot contain spaces, so two words must be joined together, as in #TwoWords. Source: YouTube Help: Find playlists & videos using hashtags, checked October 2026. |
Every rule YouTube lists for timestamps in the description. Build and validate a chapter list. Descriptions, chapters, and tags that matter
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| First timestamp | 00:00 | The first timestamp in a YouTube chapter list must be 00:00. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
| Minimum number of timestamps | 3, in ascending order | A YouTube video needs at least three timestamps, listed in ascending order, for chapters to work. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
| Minimum chapter length | 10 seconds | The minimum length of a YouTube video chapter is 10 seconds. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
| Where the list goes | In the video description | You add YouTube chapters by writing a list of timestamps and titles in the video description. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
| Manual and automatic chapters | Manual chapters override automatic ones | Chapters you write yourself override YouTube's automatic video chapters. Automatic chapters are allowed by default on new uploads and can be turned off per video or in the upload defaults. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
| When chapters are unavailable | Active strikes, or content that may be inappropriate | Video chapters are not available if the channel has any active strikes or if the content may be inappropriate for some viewers. Source: YouTube Help: Video Chapters, checked October 2026. |
What you can upload, and what you need before you can upload long videos. Work out how big your footage will be
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length without verification | 15 minutes | By default, you can upload YouTube videos up to 15 minutes long, and verified accounts can upload longer videos. Source: YouTube Help: Upload videos longer than 15 minutes, checked October 2026. |
| Maximum length and file size | 12 hours or 256 GB, whichever is less | The maximum YouTube upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. YouTube notes that older videos can be longer than 12 hours because the limit has changed in the past. Source: YouTube Help: Upload videos longer than 15 minutes, checked October 2026. |
| How you verify | A code by text message or voice call | You verify a YouTube account with a code sent to a phone number by text message or voice call, and one phone number can be linked to no more than 2 channels per year. Source: YouTube Help: Verify your YouTube account, checked October 2026. |
| Files larger than 20 GB | Need an up-to-date browser | YouTube says to use an up-to-date browser version to upload files greater than 20 GB. Source: YouTube Help: Upload videos longer than 15 minutes, checked October 2026. |
| Accepted file formats | .MOV, .MPEG-1, .MPEG-2, .MPEG4, .MP4, .MPG, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (H.265) | YouTube accepts uploads in these formats: MOV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4, MP4, MPG, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm and HEVC (H.265). Source: YouTube Help: Supported YouTube file formats, checked October 2026. |
| Audio files | Not accepted as a video | Audio files such as MP3, WAV or PCM cannot be uploaded to create a YouTube video. Source: YouTube Help: Supported YouTube file formats, checked October 2026. |
| Standard aspect ratio | 16:9 | The standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a computer is 16:9, and the player adapts automatically to other aspect ratios. Source: YouTube Help: Video resolution & aspect ratios, checked October 2026. |
| Recommended 16:9 resolutions | 7680x4320, 3840x2160, 2560x1440, 1920x1080, 1280x720, 854x480, 640x360, 426x240 | For 16:9 video, YouTube recommends encoding at 7680x4320 (8K), 3840x2160 (4K), 2560x1440, 1920x1080, 1280x720, 854x480, 640x360 or 426x240. Source: YouTube Help: Video resolution & aspect ratios, checked October 2026. |
| Black bars and padding | Do not add them | YouTube advises against adding padding or black bars to a video, because they stop the player from adapting to the video and the device. Source: YouTube Help: Video resolution & aspect ratios, checked October 2026. |
| Resolutions between 4K and 8K | Playback support is being removed | In 2022 YouTube started removing playback support for resolutions between 4K and 8K, such as 5K. Source: YouTube Help: Video resolution & aspect ratios, checked October 2026. |
The export settings YouTube recommends. They are recommendations, not limits. How to make YouTube videos for TV
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Container | MP4, moov atom at the front, no edit lists | YouTube recommends uploading in an MP4 container with the moov atom at the front of the file (Fast Start) and no edit lists. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Video codec | H.264, High Profile, progressive, 4:2:0 | YouTube recommends H.264 video with progressive scan, High Profile, 2 consecutive B frames, a closed GOP of half the frame rate, CABAC, variable bitrate and 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Audio codec | AAC-LC, Opus or Eclipsa Audio, 48 kHz | YouTube recommends AAC-LC, Opus or Eclipsa Audio at a 48 kHz sample rate, in stereo or stereo plus 5.1. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Audio bitrate | Mono 128 kbps, stereo 384 kbps, 5.1 512 kbps | YouTube recommends audio upload bitrates of 128 kbps for mono, 384 kbps for stereo and 512 kbps for 5.1. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Frame rate | The rate you recorded at | YouTube says to encode and upload in the same frame rate the content was recorded in, and lists 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 frames per second as common rates. Interlaced footage should be deinterlaced first, for example 1080i60 to 1080p30. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Color space (SDR) | BT.709 | YouTube recommends BT.709 as the standard color space for SDR uploads. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR requirements | 10 or 12 bit, Rec. 2020, PQ or HLG | HDR uploads to YouTube need 10 or 12 bit color, Rec. 2020 primaries and a PQ or HLG transfer function, at 720p, 1080p, 1440p or 2160p. Containers tested to work: MOV, MP4 and MKV. Recommended codecs: VP9 Profile 2, AV1 and HEVC. Source: YouTube Help: Upload High Dynamic Range (HDR) videos, checked October 2026. |
YouTube says no bitrate limit is required. These are its reference values per resolution and frame rate. Turn a bitrate into a file size
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| SDR, 8K | 80 to 160 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 120 to 240 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 8K SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 80 to 160 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 120 to 240 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 2160p (4K) | 35 to 45 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 53 to 68 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 4K (2160p) SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 35 to 45 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 53 to 68 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 1440p | 16 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 24 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 1440p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 16 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 24 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 1080p | 8 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 12 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 1080p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 8 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 720p | 5 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 7.5 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 720p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 5 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 7.5 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 480p | 2.5 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 4 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 480p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 2.5 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 4 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| SDR, 360p | 1 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 1.5 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 360p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 1 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 1.5 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 8K | 100 to 200 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 150 to 300 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 8K HDR uploads, YouTube recommends 100 to 200 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 150 to 300 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 2160p (4K) | 44 to 56 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 66 to 85 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 4K (2160p) HDR uploads, YouTube recommends 44 to 56 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 66 to 85 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 1440p | 20 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 30 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 1440p HDR uploads, YouTube recommends 20 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 30 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 1080p | 10 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 15 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 1080p HDR uploads, YouTube recommends 10 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 15 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 720p | 6.5 Mbps (24 to 30 fps), 9.5 Mbps (48 to 60 fps) | For 720p HDR uploads, YouTube recommends 6.5 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 9.5 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| HDR, 480p and 360p | Not supported | YouTube lists HDR uploads at 480p and 360p as not supported. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
| Is there a bitrate limit? | No | YouTube says no bitrate limit is required for uploads, and offers its bitrate table for reference only. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026. |
Length, shape and resolution, and when the three-minute rule started. How to get views on YouTube Shorts
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length | 3 minutes | A YouTube Short can be up to 3 minutes long. Source: YouTube Help: Upload YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Aspect ratio | Square or vertical | A video counts as a YouTube Short when it is up to 3 minutes long and has a square or vertical aspect ratio. The upload page gives no pixel dimensions. A 9:16 frame at the 1080p maximum is 1080 x 1920. Source: YouTube Help: Upload YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Maximum resolution | 1080p | YouTube Shorts can be uploaded with a maximum resolution of 1080p. Source: YouTube Help: Get started creating YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| When the 3 minute limit started | October 15, 2024 | Since October 15, 2024, square or vertical videos up to three minutes long are classified as Shorts on YouTube, and videos uploaded before that date keep the classification they had. Many guides still say 60 seconds. That was true before this change. Source: YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Official Artist Channels | Three-minute rule from December 8, 2025 | For Official Artist Channels, the three-minute Shorts rule applies to videos uploaded on or after December 8, 2025. Source: YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Shorts over 1 minute with a Content ID claim | Blocked globally | Any YouTube Short longer than one minute that has an active Content ID claim is blocked globally and cannot be monetized until the claim is resolved. Source: YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Music length in a 3 minute Short | Up to 90 seconds for most songs | In a three-minute Short you can use most songs from the Shorts Audio Library for up to 90 seconds, and some tracks are limited to 60 or 30 seconds. Source: YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Keeping a short video out of Shorts | Use a wider aspect ratio such as 16:9 | To stop a video under three minutes from being classified as a Short, YouTube says to use a wider aspect ratio such as 16:9. Source: YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| Shorts uploaded at once on a computer | Up to 15 | In YouTube Studio on a computer you can select up to 15 short videos to upload at a time. Source: YouTube Help: Upload YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
When they can appear and how many you can add. End screens, cards, and playlists: the lesson
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| When an end screen can show | The last 5 to 20 seconds | End screens can be added to the last 5 to 20 seconds of a YouTube video. Source: YouTube Help: Add end screens to videos, checked October 2026. |
| Minimum video length for an end screen | 25 seconds | A YouTube video has to be at least 25 seconds long to have an end screen. Source: YouTube Help: Add end screens to videos, checked October 2026. |
| Maximum end screen elements | 4 (on 16:9 videos) | You can add up to four elements to an end screen on a standard 16:9 YouTube video, and other aspect ratios may have a lower limit. Source: YouTube Help: Add end screens to videos, checked October 2026. |
| Where end screens do not appear | Made for kids videos, the YouTube Music app, mobile web, 360 videos | End screens are not available for videos set as made for kids, in the YouTube Music app, on mobile web or on 360 videos. Card teasers and the video watermark are hidden while the end screen shows. Source: YouTube Help: Add end screens to videos, checked October 2026. |
| Maximum info cards | 5 per video | You can add up to 5 info cards to one YouTube video, and cards are not available on videos set as made for kids. Source: YouTube Help: Add info cards to videos, checked October 2026. |
Sizes and file limits for the three channel images.
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Banner, recommended size | 2560 x 1440 px | YouTube recommends a channel banner of 2560 x 1440 pixels, especially for TV. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Banner, minimum size | 2048 x 1152 px (16:9) | The minimum upload size for a YouTube channel banner is 2048 x 1152 pixels with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Banner, safe area | 1235 x 338 px at the minimum size | At the minimum banner size of 2048 x 1152 pixels, the safe area for text and logos on a YouTube banner is 1235 x 338 pixels. YouTube gives the safe area only for the minimum size. Scaled to 2560 x 1440 that is about 1544 x 423, close to the 1546 x 423 other guides quote. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Banner, file size | 6 MB or smaller | A YouTube channel banner file must be 6 MB or smaller. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Profile picture | JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG, up to 15 MB, renders at 98 x 98 px | A YouTube profile picture must be a JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG file (no animated GIFs), no larger than 15 MB, and it renders at 98 x 98 pixels. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Video watermark | Square, at least 150 x 150 px, under 1 MB | A YouTube video watermark must be a square image of at least 150 x 150 pixels and less than 1 MB. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Video watermark, display time | Last 15 seconds, a custom start time, or the entire video | A YouTube video watermark can show for the last 15 seconds of the video, from a custom start time, or for the entire video. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
The caption file formats YouTube accepts.
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Basic caption formats | .srt, .sbv or .sub, .mpsub, .lrc, .cap | YouTube accepts these basic caption file formats: SubRip (.srt), SubViewer (.sbv or .sub), MPsub (.mpsub), LRC (.lrc) and Videotron Lambda (.cap). YouTube suggests .srt or .sbv if you are new to caption files. Both must be plain UTF-8 and carry no styling. Source: YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files, checked October 2026. |
| Advanced caption formats | .smi or .sami, .rt, .vtt, .ttml, .dfxp | For styled or positioned captions, YouTube accepts SAMI (.smi or .sami), RealText (.rt), WebVTT (.vtt), TTML (.ttml) and DFXP (.ttml or .dfxp). Source: YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files, checked October 2026. |
| Broadcast caption formats | .scc (preferred), .stl, .tds, .cin, .asc, .cap | For broadcast captions, YouTube accepts .scc, .stl, .tds, .cin, .asc and .cap files, and names Scenarist Closed Caption (.scc) as its preferred format. Source: YouTube Help: Supported subtitle and closed caption files, checked October 2026. |
Image and poll limits for posts on your channel.
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Images per post | Up to 10 | A YouTube post can include up to 10 images. Source: YouTube Help: Create a post, checked October 2026. |
| Post image file | JPG, PNG, GIF or WEBP, up to 16 MB, 1:1 suggested | Images in a YouTube post can be JPG, PNG, GIF or WEBP files up to 16 MB, and YouTube suggests a 1:1 aspect ratio because that is how they show in the feed. Source: YouTube Help: Create a post, checked October 2026. |
| Poll answers | Up to 4, 65 characters each (36 on image polls) | A YouTube text poll takes up to 4 answers of up to 65 characters each, and an image poll takes up to 4 images with captions of up to 36 characters. Source: YouTube Help: Create a post, checked October 2026. |
| Quiz answers | Up to 4, 80 characters each (30 with an image) | A YouTube quiz post takes up to 4 answers of up to 80 characters each, or 30 characters if an image is added, and the explanation can be 500 characters at most. Source: YouTube Help: Create a post, checked October 2026. |
Only the limits YouTube documents clearly.
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| What a Premiere cannot be | A Short, 360 or VR180 video, or above 1080p | YouTube Premieres do not support Shorts, 360 or VR180 video, or output greater than 1080p. Source: YouTube Help: Premiere a new video, checked October 2026. |
| Premiere reminder | About 30 minutes before, and at the start | A viewer who sets a reminder for a YouTube Premiere gets a notification about 30 minutes before it and another when it starts. Source: YouTube Help: Premiere a new video, checked October 2026. |
| Who can live stream | Verified accounts | You need a verified YouTube account to live stream. Source: YouTube Help: Verify your YouTube account, checked October 2026. |
| Live encoder settings | RTMP or RTMPS, H.264, H.265 or AV1, up to 60 fps, CBR | For live streams, YouTube lists RTMP or RTMPS, the H.264, H.265 (HEVC) or AV1 video codec, up to 60 fps, constant bitrate, and AAC or MP3 audio. For HDR live streams the codec is H.265. AV1 is not supported for HDR. Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, checked October 2026. |
| Live keyframe frequency | 2 seconds recommended, 4 at most | For YouTube live streams the recommended keyframe frequency is 2 seconds, and it should not exceed 4 seconds. Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, checked October 2026. |
| Live bitrate, 1080p at 60 fps | H.264: 6 Mbps minimum, 17 Mbps recommended | For a 1080p 60 fps live stream, YouTube lists a minimum of 6 Mbps and a recommended 17 Mbps with H.264, or a minimum of 4 Mbps and a recommended 12 Mbps with AV1 or H.265. Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, checked October 2026. |
| Live bitrate, 1080p at 30 fps | H.264: 5 Mbps minimum, 14 Mbps recommended | For a 1080p 30 fps live stream, YouTube lists a minimum of 5 Mbps and a recommended 14 Mbps with H.264, or a minimum of 4 Mbps and a recommended 10 Mbps with AV1 or H.265. Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, checked October 2026. |
| Live bitrate, 4K at 60 fps | H.264: 14 Mbps minimum, 50 Mbps recommended | For a 4K 60 fps live stream, YouTube lists a minimum of 14 Mbps and a recommended 50 Mbps with H.264, or a minimum of 10 Mbps and a recommended 35 Mbps with AV1 or H.265. Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions, checked October 2026. |
The definition changed on August 24, 2026. Read what changed and what did not
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| When a view is counted | The moment the video starts to play | Since August 24, 2026, YouTube counts a view the moment a video starts to play, across Shorts, long-form videos and live streams. Our article on what counts as a view explains what changed and what did not. Source: YouTube Help: How engagement metrics are counted, checked October 2026. |
| What earnings and eligibility use | Engaged views and qualified views | YouTube Partner Program earnings are still based on engaged views and engaged watch hours, and eligibility is still based on qualified views. Source: YouTube Help: How engagement metrics are counted, checked October 2026. |
| Shorts views | Counted on every start or replay since March 31, 2025 | Since March 31, 2025, a Shorts view is counted each time a Short starts to play or replay, with no minimum watch time. Source: YouTube Help: Get started creating YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026. |
| The 30 second rule | Applies to paid ad views only | The 30 second threshold on YouTube applies to paid skippable in-stream ads: a TrueView view is counted when someone watches a complete ad of 11 to 30 seconds, or at least 30 seconds of a longer ad. It is a billing rule for advertisers. It was never the rule for the public view count. Source: YouTube Help: How engagement metrics are counted, checked October 2026. |
Both tiers, as written on YouTube's own pages. How YouTube pays creators in 2026
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier access tier, long-form route | 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days, 3,000 watch hours in 12 months | The expanded YouTube Partner Program opens at 500 subscribers with 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days and 3,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months. This tier gives fan funding and Shopping features, in eligible countries only. It does not include ad revenue sharing. Source: YouTube Help: Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program, checked October 2026. |
| Earlier access tier, Shorts route | 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days, 3 million Shorts views in 90 days | The expanded YouTube Partner Program also opens at 500 subscribers with 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days and 3 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Source: YouTube Help: Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program, checked October 2026. |
| Full tier, long-form route | 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 12 months | A channel becomes eligible for the YouTube Partner Program with 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility, checked October 2026. |
| Full tier, Shorts route | 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days | A channel also becomes eligible for the YouTube Partner Program with 1,000 subscribers and 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility, checked October 2026. |
| Shorts watch time and the 4,000 hours | Does not count | Watch hours from Shorts views in the Shorts Feed do not count toward the 4,000 qualified watch hours threshold. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility, checked October 2026. |
| Application review time | Typically about 1 month | YouTube says it typically reviews a Partner Program application in about 1 month. Source: YouTube Help: YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility, checked October 2026. |
Numbers you will see quoted with confidence elsewhere that have no official source. We list them so you know they are estimates. What YouTube has said about its algorithm in 2026
| What | The number | In full, with its source |
|---|---|---|
| Where a title gets cut off | No number published | YouTube does not publish the number of characters at which a title is cut off: its guidance only says viewers may see part of your title and to put the most important words first. Figures such as 50, 60 or 70 characters are third-party measurements. The cut depends on the device, the surface and the width of the letters. Source: YouTube Help: Thumbnail & title tips, checked October 2026. |
| Thumbnail display sizes | No number published | YouTube does not publish the pixel sizes at which thumbnails are displayed on the home page, in search or in the sidebar: its thumbnail page gives upload sizes only. Display sizes quoted elsewhere are measurements of one layout on one screen. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Seconds needed for an engaged view | No number published | YouTube does not publish how many seconds of watching make an engaged view: its page on how metrics are counted gives no threshold. Source: YouTube Help: How engagement metrics are counted, checked October 2026. |
| Daily upload limit | A limit exists, no number published | YouTube limits how many videos a channel can upload each day across desktop, mobile and the API, but does not publish the number. Source: YouTube Help: Upload YouTube videos, checked October 2026. |
| Daily custom thumbnail limit | A limit exists, no number published | YouTube limits how many custom thumbnails a channel can upload each day, says the limit varies by country and channel history, and does not publish the number. Source: YouTube Help: Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026. |
| Daily post limit | A limit exists, no number published | YouTube limits how many posts a channel can create in a 24-hour period, but does not publish the number. Source: YouTube Help: Create a post, checked October 2026. |
| Videos per playlist | No number published | YouTube's page on creating and managing playlists does not state a maximum number of videos per playlist, and says only that the number of public playlists a channel can create each day is limited. Source: YouTube Help: Create & manage playlists, checked October 2026. |
| Profile picture upload dimensions | No number published | YouTube does not publish a recommended upload size for profile pictures: its branding page says only that the image renders at 98 x 98 pixels. The 800 x 800 figure found in many guides is not on the current page. Source: YouTube Help: Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026. |
| Tag limit in YouTube Help | Not on the Help page | The YouTube Help page on tags states no character limit: the 500 character figure comes from the YouTube Data API reference. Source: YouTube Help: Add tags to your YouTube videos, checked October 2026. |
Drop a thumbnail or a video file. Your browser reads its dimensions, shape, weight and type and compares them with the rows above. The file stays on your computer: nothing is uploaded.
No file yet. A 1280 x 720 PNG, a 4K JPG or a 20 minute MP4 all work.
This is a reference of the numbers you need when you publish on YouTube: how big a thumbnail can be, how long a title can run, what the chapter rules are, what to export at. It holds 113 facts. Each one was read on a Google or YouTube page, links to that page, and carries the date it was checked.
You need it at the moment you are about to export or upload and a number is in doubt. Most size guides are undated, give no source per number, and repeat old values. While building this page we opened several current guides that still list a 1280 x 720 thumbnail, a 2 MB thumbnail limit and 60 second Shorts. YouTube's own pages say 3840 x 2160, 50 MB on desktop and 3 minutes.
A number goes on this page only after someone opened the source page and read it there. Search snippets, other size guides and memory do not count. Every row was last read on October 4, 2026. When YouTube Help and the YouTube Data API reference describe the same limit in different words, the row says so. When no official page gives a number, the row goes under What YouTube does not publish instead of borrowing someone else's estimate. There are 9 of those today.
The same facts are available as a machine-readable file at
https://vanpelt.studio/tools/youtube-specs.json. It is built from the same data as this page, so the two
cannot disagree. You are welcome to link to it or fetch it.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended resolution (video) | YouTube recommends custom video thumbnails with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. | Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026 |
| File size limit on desktop | On desktop, YouTube accepts thumbnails up to 50 MB for videos, Shorts and podcasts. | Add custom thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026 |
| Title length | YouTube video titles have a limit of 100 characters. | Edit video settings, checked October 2026 |
| Description length | YouTube video descriptions have a limit of 5,000 characters. | Edit video settings, checked October 2026 |
| Minimum number of timestamps | A YouTube video needs at least three timestamps, listed in ascending order, for chapters to work. | Video Chapters, checked October 2026 |
| Maximum length and file size | The maximum YouTube upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. | Upload videos longer than 15 minutes, checked October 2026 |
| Maximum length | A YouTube Short can be up to 3 minutes long. | Upload YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026 |
| SDR, 1080p | For 1080p SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 8 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. | YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026 |
| SDR, 2160p (4K) | For 4K (2160p) SDR uploads, YouTube recommends 35 to 45 Mbps at 24, 25 or 30 fps and 53 to 68 Mbps at 48, 50 or 60 fps. | YouTube recommended upload encoding settings, checked October 2026 |
| Banner, recommended size | YouTube recommends a channel banner of 2560 x 1440 pixels, especially for TV. | Manage your channel branding, checked October 2026 |
| When an end screen can show | End screens can be added to the last 5 to 20 seconds of a YouTube video. | Add end screens to videos, checked October 2026 |
| Full tier, long-form route | A channel becomes eligible for the YouTube Partner Program with 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months. | YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility, checked October 2026 |
You have exported a thumbnail from your editor: a PNG, 1280 x 720 pixels, 1.4 MB. You drop it on "Check my file".
The same picture exported at 3840 x 2160 as a PNG might weigh 9 MB. That passes the resolution row, and the weight row then warns you: fine from a computer, too heavy for the mobile app. That is the trade the two limits create.
Changes we can trace to an official page, newest first. The 2024 and 2025 entries are here because many guides have still not caught up with them.
For the view-count change in detail, read what counts as a view on YouTube now.
YouTube recommends 3840 x 2160 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio, with a minimum width of 640 pixels, as a JPG or PNG. The older 1280 x 720 figure still works because it is above the minimum, but it is no longer the size on YouTube's own page (checked October 2026).
50 MB when you upload from a computer, and 2 MB from the mobile app (10 MB for podcast thumbnails). The "2 MB limit" many guides quote is the mobile limit only (YouTube Help, checked October 2026).
Up to 3 minutes, with a square or vertical aspect ratio and a maximum resolution of 1080p. The three-minute rule applies to videos uploaded on or after October 15, 2024 (YouTube Help, checked October 2026).
The limit is 100 characters. YouTube does not publish where a title is cut off: it only says viewers may see part of it, so put the most important words first. Any figure such as 50 or 60 characters is a third-party measurement.
12 hours or 256 GB, whichever is less. Without a verified account you are limited to 15 minutes (YouTube Help, checked October 2026).
For SDR, YouTube recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p and 35 to 45 Mbps for 4K at 24 to 30 fps, and 12 Mbps and 53 to 68 Mbps at 48 to 60 fps. These are recommendations: YouTube says no bitrate limit is required.
The earlier access tier opens at 500 subscribers with 3 public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. Ad revenue sharing needs 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours in 12 months or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
No. Since August 24, 2026 a view is counted the moment a video starts to play. The 30 second rule is for paid ad views that advertisers are billed for, not for the public view count.