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Use the bitrate that matches the resolution, frame rate, and video codec you are sending to YouTube. The chart below shows YouTube’s live-ingest minimum and recommended bitrates in Mbps; choose the recommended value when your upload connection can sustain it reliably. These are YouTube’s live encoder settings verified on October 3, 2026—not its separate recommendations for uploading prerecorded videos.
YouTube Live bitrate chart
Each cell lists minimum / recommended bitrate in Mbps. Select the row for your stream’s ingestion resolution and frame rate, then use the pair of columns for its codec. YouTube groups AV1 and H.265 (HEVC) together in this table; H.264 has its own values.
| Ingestion resolution and frame rate | AV1/H.265 minimum | AV1/H.265 recommended | H.264 minimum | H.264 recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K), 60 fps | 10 Mbps | 35 Mbps | 14 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K), 30 fps | 8 Mbps | 30 Mbps | 11 Mbps | 42 Mbps |
| 1440p, 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 24 Mbps | 8 Mbps | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p, 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 15 Mbps | 7 Mbps | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 4 Mbps | 12 Mbps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p, 60 fps | 2 Mbps | 6 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p, 30 fps | 2 Mbps | 6 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 480p, 30 fps | 0.3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 0.4 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p, 30 fps | 0.3 Mbps | 3 Mbps | 0.4 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
Source: YouTube Help, “Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.” The page reviewed does not display a publication or revision year; the figures here are described as verified October 3, 2026, not as a newly published 2026 table.
How to choose a bitrate from the chart
Match the stream you send, not the quality viewers receive
The chart is for the stream ingested by YouTube. It does not promise that each viewer will receive that same resolution: YouTube transcodes incoming live streams into multiple output formats for different devices and network conditions. Pick the row matching the resolution and frame rate configured in your encoder.
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Use the matching codec column
H.264 has different minimum and recommended figures from the grouped AV1/H.265 figures. Do not take a minimum from one codec column and treat it as the recommended target for another. Confirm which video codec your encoder is actually sending.
Prefer recommended when your connection can sustain it
The minimum is not YouTube’s recommended quality target. YouTube advises choosing a quality that can be delivered reliably on the available connection. For example, the recommended H.264 bitrate for 1080p rises from 14 Mbps at 30 fps to 17 Mbps at 60 fps; for 4K it rises from 42 Mbps at 30 fps to 50 Mbps at 60 fps. Higher frame rate or resolution therefore requires more sustained upload capacity at the recommended setting.
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Other YouTube live encoder settings
The bitrate is only one part of a stable ingest. YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists these settings and supported options:
- Protocol: RTMP or RTMPS; YouTube recommends RTMPS.
- Video codecs: H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1. Frame rates up to 60 fps are listed.
- Bitrate control: CBR, with a 2-second keyframe interval recommended and no more than 4 seconds.
- Picture format: progressive scan and square pixels; two B-frames, one reference frame, and CABAC are among the listed recommendations.
- SDR: Rec. 709; 8-bit video.
- HDR: H.265 over RTMP(S) is recommended; AV1 is not supported for HDR. YouTube lists 10-bit for HDR.
- Audio: AAC or MP3. Stereo is listed at 128 Kbps and 44.1 kHz; 5.1 surround is listed at 384 Kbps and 48 kHz. 5.1 over RTMP/RTMPS is supported only with AAC.
- Latency: at 2160p/4K, the low-latency option is unavailable and streams use normal latency.
Check upload capacity and test before going live
- Run an upload speed test. Compare the result with the bitrate you plan to send. The connection needs enough sustained upload capacity for the stream; a brief peak reading does not establish that it will remain reliable throughout a broadcast.
- Configure the encoder. Set the resolution, frame rate, and codec first, then use their matching chart value. Set CBR and a 2-second keyframe interval, and confirm the configured bitrate is not below the selected target.
- Make a realistic test stream. YouTube advises including audio and movement similar to the planned broadcast. A static test screen may not reveal problems that appear during a moving game scene or louder, more complex audio.
- Monitor stream health and messages. Watch YouTube’s stream-health feedback during the test and event; correct encoder or connection warnings before relying on the setup.
YouTube’s guidance does not prescribe a particular router, Ethernet cable, encoder, camera, or capture device. Choose equipment and connection arrangements based on your setup rather than treating a specific accessory as a requirement.
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Common bitrate and ingest problems
- Stream health reports unstable or insufficient bitrate: test the sustained upload connection, check that other devices or applications are not consuming capacity, and lower the outgoing resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to a setting the connection can maintain.
- The stream looks worse than expected despite a high bitrate: verify the actual outgoing resolution, frame rate, and codec, then compare the encoder’s configured bitrate with the corresponding recommended column. The table is not a guarantee of each viewer’s delivered resolution because YouTube transcodes for playback.
- Encoder settings do not match the chart: recheck the codec and frame-rate selection; switching between H.264 and H.265/AV1 changes which bitrate columns apply, and moving from 30 to 60 fps can change the recommendation.
- Connection appears adequate in a speed test but the live stream still falters: test under conditions resembling the real broadcast, including movement and audio, and monitor stream-health messages. A speed test alone does not test the complete streaming path.
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