Use ffprobe to inspect the video file’s stream and container metadata, then compare the result with YouTube’s guidance for your workflow. A prerecorded upload and a live encoder feed use different bitrate recommendations, so first decide which one you’re preparing.
First, tell an upload apart from a live stream
If you’re sending a prerecorded file to YouTube, use its upload encoding recommendations. If you’re broadcasting a live encoder feed, use the live ingestion settings for the codec, resolution, and frame rate you intend to send. Those tables are not interchangeable: upload guidance describes a file to encode and upload; live guidance describes a real-time feed entering YouTube.
Before comparing settings, identify the video’s resolution, frame rate, codec, and whether it is SDR or HDR. Preserve fractional frame rates as reported—for example, don’t silently round 29.97 to 30. YouTube’s upload guidance recommends using the frame rate at which the material was recorded and accepts less-common rates including 23.98, 29.97, and 59.94.
Inspect the file with FFmpeg’s ffprobe
ffprobe, included with FFmpeg, reads information about media streams and the container. Run this command in a terminal or command prompt, replacing input.mp4 with your file’s path:
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ffprobe -hide_banner -show_format -show_streams input.mp4The output includes a section for each stream and a separate format section. Find the video stream and inspect its codec, frame-rate fields, dimensions, and bitrate if reported. The format section describes the container and may show an overall bitrate. Don’t mistake an audio stream’s bitrate or the container’s overall bitrate for the video stream’s bitrate. Field availability and formatting can differ by file and container; report what the tool actually shows rather than treating one value as a universal quality score. See the FFprobe documentation for the available output options.
Fields to read
- Codec: identifies how the video stream is encoded. YouTube’s upload page recommends H.264; live ingestion guidance also lists H.265/HEVC and AV1.
- Frame rate: inspect the reported rate and retain fractional precision, such as 29.97 or 59.94, where present.
- Resolution: read the video stream’s width and height, then identify the matching YouTube recommendation.
- Bitrate: check whether the value belongs to the video stream or the overall container. It may be absent or represented differently.
- SDR or HDR: determine which applies before using YouTube’s upload bitrate table; HDR recommendations differ from SDR.
A reported bitrate describes metadata about the file; it does not reliably reveal every detail of how the file was encoded. YouTube’s recommended bitrates are configuration guidance, not universal pass/fail thresholds for a valid file or good-looking video.
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Compare prerecorded uploads with YouTube’s recommendations
YouTube’s current Help page recommends encoding at the frame rate used during recording, progressive scan, and H.264 video. The figures below are YouTube’s upload bitrate recommendations on the page accessed October 3, 2026. The page does not state a publication year.
SDR upload bitrate recommendations
| Resolution | 24, 25, or 30 fps | 48, 50, or 60 fps |
|---|---|---|
| 720p | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
| 1080p | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K) | 35–45 Mbps | 53–68 Mbps |
HDR upload bitrate recommendations
| Resolution | Standard frame rates (24, 25, or 30 fps) | High frame rates (48, 50, or 60 fps) |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 10 Mbps | 15 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K) | 44–56 Mbps | 66–85 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommendations for uploads, not a requirement that every source file have an exact matching bitrate. Read the YouTube recommended upload encoding settings for the full guidance and other configurations.
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Compare live encoder settings with live ingestion guidance
For a live broadcast, choose settings for the encoder feed you plan to send—not the bitrate of a previously recorded source file. YouTube’s current live guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1, supports up to 60 fps, recommends constant bitrate (CBR), and recommends a two-second keyframe frequency that does not exceed four seconds.
Selected H.264, AV1, and H.265 examples
| Live configuration | H.264 recommendation | AV1 or H.265 recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
These are the listed recommendations for the configurations shown, not values to extrapolate to other resolutions, frame rates, or codecs. Consult YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the complete table and configuration guidance. YouTube Help says, “YouTube will automatically detect which encoder settings you chose.”
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Check the connection and test the actual feed
- Run an upload-speed test on the connection you’ll use for the broadcast.
- Leave about 20% bandwidth headroom, as YouTube advises in its streaming tips.
- Test with audio and motion representative of the planned stream; a static or silent test may not expose problems that occur during the real event.
- Monitor stream health while live, and use YouTube’s live recommendations for the codec, resolution, and frame rate you selected.
Troubleshoot confusing or missing inspection results
The output shows several bitrate values
Identify which section and stream each value belongs to. Use the video stream’s bitrate when available; don’t substitute an audio bitrate or overall format bitrate. If a video bitrate is not reported, note that it is unavailable in the file’s metadata rather than inferring it from the container total.
The frame rate is fractional
Keep the reported fractional value, such as 23.98, 29.97, or 59.94, when checking the recording and upload settings. YouTube identifies these as acceptable less-common upload frame rates; don’t round them silently.
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The file’s bitrate differs from YouTube’s recommendation
First confirm that you’re comparing the same workflow, resolution, frame-rate range, and SDR/HDR case. Upload recommendations apply to prerecorded uploads; live bitrate guidance applies to the encoder feed. The recommendations do not establish a universal minimum for a valid or good-looking file.
A live stream stutters or loses quality
Check the selected live codec and bitrate against YouTube’s full table, verify the connection’s upload capacity, and leave the recommended bandwidth headroom. Test again with representative motion and audio, then monitor stream health during the broadcast.
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