Video resolution & aspect ratios

YouTube displays videos with different aspect ratios based on the platform and video format. The YouTube video player automatically adapts to the size of each individual video.

How your video will display

The standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a computer is 16:9. If your video has a different aspect ratio, the player will automatically change to the ideal size to match your video and the viewer’s device.

For some video and device aspects ratios like 9:16 vertical videos on computer browsers, YouTube may add more padding for optimal viewing. The padding is white by default, and dark gray when Dark theme is turned on.

For best results, avoid adding padding or black bars directly to your video. Padding interferes with YouTube’s ability to change the player dynamically to your video size and the viewer’s device.

Recommended resolution & aspect ratios

For the default 16:9 aspect ratio, encode at these resolutions:

  • 4320p (8k): 7680x4320
  • 2160p (4K): 3840x2160
  • 1440p (2k): 2560x1440
  • 1080p (HD): 1920x1080
  • 720p (HD): 1280x720
  • 480p (SD): 854x480
  • 360p (SD): 640x360
  • 240p (SD): 426x240
Note: In 2022, we started removing support for playback at resolutions between 4K and 8K. For example, we may no longer support playback at 5K.

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