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1080p

Best Bitrate for 1080p Pre-Recorded Videos on YouTube Live

For 1080p pre-recorded video on YouTube Live, choose the bitrate for the outgoing codec and frame rate: H.264 recommendations are 14 Mbps at 30 fps and 17 Mbps at 60 fps.

By VGSources Team 3 min read
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For a pre-recorded 1080p video streamed to YouTube Live using H.264, target 14 Mbps at 30 fps or 17 Mbps at 60 fps. If your encoder sends AV1 or H.265, YouTube’s recommended targets are 10 Mbps at 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 60 fps. These are live-ingest recommendations; the right setting depends on the format your encoder sends, not just the video file’s resolution.

Recommended 1080p live bitrates

YouTube’s live encoder table gives different recommended bitrates by codec and frame rate. Its minimums are lower, but they are not the recommended targets or a guarantee of visual quality.

Outgoing live format YouTube minimum YouTube recommended
H.264, 1080p30 5 Mbps 14 Mbps
H.264, 1080p60 6 Mbps 17 Mbps
AV1 or H.265, 1080p30 4 Mbps 10 Mbps
AV1 or H.265, 1080p60 4 Mbps 12 Mbps

These are YouTube’s recommended live ingest settings, not measured quality results. See YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrate guidance.

Choose the row that matches your outgoing stream

Match the frame rate

Use the 30 fps row if the encoder output is 30 fps and the 60 fps row if it is 60 fps. A 1080p label specifies resolution, not frame rate. For pre-recorded material, preserve the source frame rate where practical rather than converting it to 60 fps without a reason.

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Match the ingest codec

Use the row for the codec your encoder sends to YouTube. H.264 is common, but YouTube’s live guidance also lists H.265 (HEVC) and AV1. Don’t select a lower target simply because the stored file uses a different codec: the relevant setting is the outgoing live encoder feed.

Set the encoder and connection up reliably

  • Rate control: Use constant bitrate (CBR), as YouTube recommends.
  • Keyframes: Set a two-second keyframe interval. YouTube says the interval should not exceed four seconds.
  • Protocol: YouTube lists RTMP and RTMPS and recommends RTMPS.
  • Frame rate: YouTube’s live guidance supports frame rates up to 60 fps.
  • Outbound capacity: Make sure the connection can sustain the selected bitrate reliably. The encoder’s target is useful only if the upload connection can deliver it.

For current requirements and any additional encoder settings, consult YouTube’s live encoder guidance.

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Test before going live

  1. Confirm the outgoing format. Check the encoder’s resolution, frame rate and codec, then choose the matching row in the table.
  2. Test the connection. Verify that your outbound connection can sustain the chosen bitrate, rather than relying on its advertised or peak speed.
  3. Run a representative pre-stream test. Use similar audio and movement to the material you plan to stream. YouTube advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.”
  4. Watch stream health during the event. If YouTube reports problems, check the connection and encoder output instead of assuming the recommended bitrate guarantees a stable stream.

Live bitrate is not upload-file bitrate

A pre-recorded video sent through YouTube Live is still an encoder feed, so use YouTube’s live-ingest recommendations above. For a normal video-file upload, YouTube separately recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p at standard frame rates and 12 Mbps for 1080p at high frame rates. Those upload recommendations answer a different question and should not be substituted for the live bitrate target. See YouTube’s recommended upload encoding settings.

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