TL;DR
- Regular YouTube videos use 16:9; 1080p means 1920x1080 and 4K means 3840x2160 pixels.
- Shorts must be square or vertical and up to 3 minutes; vertical Shorts work best at 9:16, 1080x1920.
- Thumbnails: 3840x2160 recommended, at least 640 px wide, JPG or PNG, max 2 MB from mobile or 50 MB from desktop.
- Channel banner: 2,560x1,440 recommended, 2,048x1,152 minimum, 1235x338 safe area for text and logos, max 6 MB.
- Ad lengths: skippable after 5 seconds, bumpers 5-6 seconds, non-skippable 15-60 seconds by subtype, Shorts ads under 60 seconds.
The recommended YouTube video size for a standard video is a 16:9 aspect ratio at 1920x1080 pixels (1080p) or higher. Shorts must be vertical or square and no longer than 3 minutes, and a vertical Short is best made at 9:16, 1080x1920 pixels. The safest upload file is an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC-LC audio.
This guide puts the specs that video editors and ad buyers reach for most often on one page: video dimensions, thumbnail size, the channel banner and its safe area, the length rules for each ad format, and the file formats YouTube accepts. Every number comes from the specs YouTube and Google Ads publish in their help pages. Those pages change from time to time, so check them again before you deliver final files.
Recommended YouTube video size: aspect ratio and resolution
The standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a computer is 16:9. The player adapts to the video's aspect ratio and the viewer's screen on its own. If you upload a 9:16 vertical video and someone opens it in a desktop browser, YouTube adds padding at the sides (white in the default theme, dark gray in dark theme). So there is no need to add black bars or padding to the file yourself. Bars baked into the video make the actual picture smaller on phones and TVs.
The standard resolutions YouTube lists for 16:9 video are:
- 2160p (4K): 3840x2160 pixels
- 1440p (2K): 2560x1440 pixels
- 1080p (HD): 1920x1080 pixels
- 720p (HD): 1280x720 pixels
- 480p (SD): 854x480 pixels
- 360p (SD): 640x360 pixels
- 240p (SD): 426x240 pixels
For most work, 1080p is the sweet spot. Files stay manageable, uploads are quick, and the picture looks sharp on phones and laptops. If you already shot in 4K, upload in 4K. Upscaling 720p footage to 4K before upload does not make it sharper. It only makes the file bigger and processing slower.
Frame rate is the other common slip. YouTube recommends encoding and uploading at the same frame rate the footage was recorded in. Common rates are 24, 25, 30, 48, 50 and 60 frames per second. Interlaced footage, for example from older camcorders, should be deinterlaced first (1080i60 to 1080p30, say), because YouTube wants progressive scan.
YouTube thumbnail size and maximum file size
The thumbnail is the first thing people see before they decide to click. The current YouTube help page recommends 3840x2160 pixels for standard videos and 2160x3840 pixels for Shorts. The minimum width for a standard video thumbnail is 640 pixels, and the minimum height for a Shorts thumbnail is 640 pixels.
Use 16:9 for standard videos and 9:16 for Shorts. Podcast playlists use 1:1. The file must be an image format such as JPG or PNG, and the size limit depends on where you upload from:
- From mobile: up to 2 MB for video thumbnails and 10 MB for podcasts
- From desktop: up to 50 MB for video, Shorts and podcast thumbnails
One limit to plan around: custom Shorts thumbnails can only be added in YouTube Studio on a computer. If your team works mostly from phones, someone needs to open a laptop to set them.
You will still see 1280x720 pixels and under 2 MB quoted, and the Google Ads video ad specs page still lists those figures for ad thumbnails. The YouTube Help page for channel thumbnails now recommends 3840x2160. A 1280x720 thumbnail still clears the minimum, but if you want it crisp on a large TV, keep a high-resolution master and export a smaller version for mobile uploads.
A few design habits help a lot. Thumbnails appear very small on the mobile home feed, so any text should be short and large. The bottom-right corner of a standard video thumbnail is covered by the duration label, so keep important text out of it. For Thai-language thumbnails, choose a typeface whose upper vowels and tone marks survive being shrunk. Some Thai fonts have marks so fine that they become unreadable once the image is a few hundred pixels wide. Preview every thumbnail at actual size on a phone before you upload it.
YouTube channel banner size and safe area
The channel banner is the wide image at the top of a channel page, and it displays very differently on TV, desktop and mobile. YouTube's specs are:
- Recommended size: 2560x1440 pixels (mainly so it looks right on TV)
- Minimum upload size: 2048x1152 pixels at 16:9
- Safe area for text and logos: 1235x338 pixels (measured at the minimum size)
- Maximum file size: 6 MB
The logic of the safe area is simple. YouTube uses the same banner image on computer, mobile and TV, but crops it differently on each device, and the central 1235x338 box is the area YouTube sets aside for text and logos. Brand name, tagline and logo all belong inside it. Use the area outside for background imagery that can be cropped without losing meaning.
The easiest workflow is to build a 2560x1440 file and set guides for the central box in your design tool. On a 2560x1440 canvas the safe area scales to roughly 1544x423 pixels (1235x338 multiplied by 2560/2048). That figure is a proportional calculation, not a number YouTube publishes. If in doubt, use a centered 1235x338 box as the stricter guide, then check the preview on the channel customization page to see what each device shows.
How in-stream, bumper and Shorts ad specs differ
Video ads do not follow exactly the same rules as regular uploads. The main differences are length and aspect ratio, and Google Ads sets them per ad format.
Skippable in-stream ads
Viewers can skip after 5 seconds. Google Ads sets no maximum length but recommends staying under 3 minutes. In practice, the first 5 seconds must establish the brand and the topic, because many viewers skip the moment they can. Opening with a slow logo reveal or a long mood shot wastes the only seconds you are sure to get.
Non-skippable in-stream ads
These run between 15 and 60 seconds depending on the campaign subtype. They are bought on Target CPM, so you pay for impressions. Because viewers have to watch to the end, a longer ad also means a stronger sense of being held captive.
Bumper ads
Bumpers are non-skippable and last between 5 and 6 seconds. They suit a single message: a brand name, one offer, a launch date. Cutting a 30-second spot down to 6 seconds rarely works, because the story no longer resolves. Writing the script for 6 seconds from the start works better.
Shorts and in-feed ads
For ads served in Shorts, Google Ads recommends staying under 60 seconds. In-feed video ads, which appear in search results and feeds, have no maximum length. On the visual side, Google Ads recommends three main aspect ratios: 16:9 horizontal, 9:16 vertical and 1:1 square. It also accepts 4:3, 2:3 and 4:5. The recommended resolution is 1080p: 1920x1080 horizontal, 1080x1920 vertical and 1080x1080 square. The minimum for HD is 720p (1280x720 horizontal); SD down to 640x480 is accepted, but Google advises against it. Files can be up to 256 GB.
If a campaign will run in both in-stream and Shorts placements, prepare two versions, horizontal and vertical, rather than one file. A horizontal video in the Shorts feed shrinks to a small strip in the middle of the screen, and on-screen text and faces shrink with it. To plan ads across every placement, see our YouTube ads service.
Where vertical and horizontal video are used
The short answer: horizontal 16:9 for regular videos watched on desktop, TV and phones held sideways, and vertical 9:16 for Shorts and for ad placements viewed on phones held upright. A Short must be square or vertical and can run up to 3 minutes, so a horizontal video is never classed as a Short.
The table below summarizes the aspect ratio and length to use for each placement.
| Placement | Recommended aspect ratio and resolution | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Regular video | 16:9 at 1920x1080 or higher | Up to 12 hours (unverified accounts are limited to 15 minutes) |
| Shorts | 9:16 at 1080x1920, or 1:1 | Up to 3 minutes |
| Skippable in-stream ad | 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 | Skippable after 5 seconds; under 3 minutes recommended |
| Bumper ad | 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 | 5-6 seconds, non-skippable |
| Shorts ad | 9:16 at 1080x1920 | Under 60 seconds recommended |
If the budget only covers one shoot, plan the framing on set. Shoot horizontal but keep the subject and any text in the center of the frame, so you can crop to vertical without cutting off faces or products. That is cheaper than a reshoot, but a vertical crop from 1920x1080 has a true resolution of only about 608x1080. For a sharp full 1080x1920 vertical, shoot the master in 4K or shoot vertical separately.
Which file formats to upload
YouTube accepts many video formats: .MOV, .MPEG-1, .MPEG-2, .MPEG4, MP4, MPG, AVI, WMV, MPEGPS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm and HEVC (H.265). Accepted is not the same as ideal. YouTube's recommended upload settings are:
- Container: MP4, with the moov atom at the front of the file (Fast Start) and no edit lists
- Video: H.264 High Profile, progressive scan, same frame rate as recorded
- Audio: AAC-LC (or Opus), stereo, 48 kHz
- Color: BT.709 for SDR video
The recommended bitrates for SDR video at standard frame rates (24, 25 or 30) are 8 Mbps for 1080p, 5 Mbps for 720p and 35-45 Mbps for 4K. These are recommendations, not caps. At high frame rates (48, 50, 60), allow a higher bitrate. The maximum upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever comes first.
Whatever export preset you use, check yourself that the frame rate has not been converted by accident, and that the audio is 48 kHz rather than 44.1 kHz carried over from a music file.
Common mistakes and what they cost
- Adding black bars to the file: the picture gets smaller on every device, since the player already pads it.
- Using one horizontal file for every placement: in Shorts it becomes a small strip, and a horizontal video is not counted as a Short.
- Placing the logo outside the banner safe area: it can be cropped off on some devices.
- Pulling a thumbnail from a low-resolution video frame: it looks soft on TVs and large screens.
- Putting key text in the bottom-right of the thumbnail: the duration label covers it.
- Opening a skippable ad with a slow scene: viewers skip before they see the brand.
What this means for brands in Thailand
Thai viewers watch YouTube on phones and on TVs, so the specs that matter change with the screen. On phones, Thai text on thumbnails and in the video must be large enough for vowels and tone marks to be legible. On TVs, thumbnails and banners must be sharp enough not to break up. Burned-in Thai subtitles should sit clear of the app's buttons and labels, especially in vertical video, where like, comment and channel-name elements overlay the bottom and right of the screen.
For brands running video ads on YouTube and other platforms, preparing one set of files in three aspect ratios (16:9, 9:16 and 1:1) makes reuse across platforms simple. To plan ads across several social platforms at once, see our social media ads service. To distribute video across Thai video networks beyond YouTube, see the Thai Video Network.
FAQ about YouTube video size
What is the best YouTube video size?
For regular videos, use 16:9 at 1920x1080 pixels or higher, and for Shorts use 9:16 at 1080x1920 pixels. If you shot in 4K, upload at 3840x2160, but do not upscale low-resolution files to 4K because the picture will not get sharper.
What size should a YouTube thumbnail be, and how large can the file be?
YouTube recommends a 3840x2160 pixel thumbnail at 16:9, at least 640 pixels wide, as a JPG or PNG. The maximum file size is 2 MB when uploading from mobile and 50 MB when uploading from desktop.
Where should the logo go on a YouTube channel banner?
Put the logo and all text inside the central 1235x338 pixel safe area, on a 2560x1440 pixel banner no larger than 6 MB. That box is the area YouTube sets aside for text and logos.
How long can a bumper ad be?
A bumper ad runs between 5 and 6 seconds and cannot be skipped. Skippable in-stream ads can be skipped after 5 seconds, and ads in Shorts are recommended to run under 60 seconds.
Can a horizontal video become a Short?
No, a Short must be square or vertical and no longer than 3 minutes. A horizontal upload is shown as a regular video.
If you want help matching video specs to every ad placement from the planning stage, get in touch through our YouTube advertising page.
