Social Media Specs
YouTube Image Sizes and Video Specs (2026)
The YouTube specs that matter when you post: title up to Up to 100 characters, no < or >, media per post 1 video, and a 1920 x 1080 (16:9) landscape video (1080p) as a safe size. Every figure below comes from YouTube's own documentation, checked September 2026.
Updated
YouTube Image and Video Sizes
| Format | Size (px) | Ratio | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape video (1080p) | 1920 x 1080 | 16:9 | Published by YouTube. 16:9 is YouTube's standard aspect ratio, and 1080p is one of its listed upload resolutions. |
| Landscape video (4K) | 3840 x 2160 | 16:9 | Published by YouTube. 2160p (4K) is in YouTube's recommended upload settings. |
| Short (vertical) | 1080 x 1920 | 9:16 | Markaestro suggestion within the limits. Suggested size for a Short. YouTube requires a square or vertical video of 3 minutes or less. |
| Short (square) | 1080 x 1080 | 1:1 | Markaestro suggestion within the limits. Suggested square size for a Short. |
YouTube Text Limits
| Spec | Limit |
|---|---|
| Title | Up to 100 characters, no < or > |
| Description | Up to 5,000 bytes, no < or > |
YouTube Video Requirements
| Spec | Limit |
|---|---|
| Container | MP4 recommended |
| Codecs | H.264 video; AAC-LC or Opus audio recommended |
| Frame rate | The rate it was recorded at; 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60 FPS are common |
| Length | Up to 15 minutes by default; up to 12 hours with a verified Google account |
| Max file size | 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less |
| Shorts | Up to 3 minutes, square or vertical aspect ratio |
Media Per Post
| Spec | Limit |
|---|---|
| Media per post | 1 video |
How Markaestro Handles These Limits
The Markaestro composer checks YouTube posts against a 5,000-character caption limit and up to 1 media items while you write, and the media library accepts images up to 10 MB and video up to 250 MB. See scheduling YouTube posts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should YouTube videos be?
1920 x 1080 pixels (16:9) for a landscape video (1080p). 16:9 is YouTube's standard aspect ratio, and 1080p is one of its listed upload resolutions.
What is the YouTube character limit?
Title: Up to 100 characters, no < or >. Description: Up to 5,000 bytes, no < or >.
How long can a YouTube video be?
Up to 15 minutes by default; up to 12 hours with a verified Google account.
What is the YouTube file size limit?
256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less.