PostEaseThe short answer
Upload YouTube videos at 16:9, the standard aspect ratio on a computer, at 1920 × 1080 (1080p) or larger, up to 7680 × 4320 (8K). Make the thumbnail 16:9 as well: YouTube suggests up to 3840 × 2160, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. Shorts are vertical, up to 3 minutes long, at up to 1080p.
A single upload can be up to 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever comes first, but a new account is limited to 15 minutes until it is verified. Titles can be up to 100 characters and descriptions up to 5,000.
Every size, at a glance
These are YouTube’s own numbers, from YouTube Help.
| What | Size or limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Video | 16:9, 1920 × 1080 (1080p) up to 7680 × 4320 (8K) | Other shapes get padding in the player; do not add black bars yourself |
| Short | Vertical, up to 1080p | Up to 3 minutes |
| Video thumbnail | 16:9, up to 3840 × 2160 | At least 640 pixels wide; JPG or PNG |
| Shorts thumbnail | 9:16, up to 2160 × 3840 | At least 640 pixels tall |
| Thumbnail file size | 50 MB on a computer | 2 MB from the mobile app |
| Upload | Up to 256 GB or 12 hours | Whichever is less |
| Length before verifying | 15 minutes | Verify the account to upload longer |
| Title | Up to 100 characters | |
| Description | Up to 5,000 characters | The first lines show before “Show more” |
Every video resolution YouTube lists
For 16:9 video, YouTube lists these resolutions. Upload at the highest you recorded; YouTube makes the lower versions for viewers on slower connections.
| Resolution | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| 4320p (8K) | 7680 × 4320 |
| 2160p (4K) | 3840 × 2160 |
| 1440p (2K) | 2560 × 1440 |
| 1080p (HD) | 1920 × 1080 |
| 720p (HD) | 1280 × 720 |
| 480p (SD) | 854 × 480 |
| 360p (SD) | 640 × 360 |
| 240p (SD) | 426 × 240 |
Vertical and square videos
YouTube’s player adjusts to the video’s shape. A 9:16 vertical video shown on a computer gets padding at the sides, white by default or dark grey in dark theme. YouTube asks you not to add padding or black bars into the video file yourself, because that stops the player resizing it properly.
Vertical videos uploaded from your phone or computer can become Shorts. YouTube’s Shorts camera records up to 3 minutes across several segments, and Shorts uploads have a maximum resolution of 1080p.
Thumbnails
Custom thumbnails need a verified account. Use 16:9 for videos and 9:16 for Shorts, in JPG or PNG. YouTube suggests 3840 × 2160 for video thumbnails and 2160 × 3840 for Shorts, with a minimum of 640 pixels on the short side, and accepts up to 50 MB from a computer or 2 MB from the mobile app.
A thumbnail is seen small, on phones, next to many others. Large faces, a few big words and strong contrast read at that size; fine detail does not.
Titles and descriptions
A title can be up to 100 characters and a description up to 5,000. Viewers see the description in two parts: the first few lines, then the rest after “Show more” on a computer or “more” on a phone. YouTube suggests using those first lines to describe the video, since they are what people read. The description is plain text, but you can make words bold, italic or struck through, and you can mention other channels as long as the names fit within the limit.
Long uploads
By default an account can upload videos up to 15 minutes long. To go longer, verify the account, which YouTube does with a code by text message or voice call. After that, a single upload can be up to 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less.
Questions
What is the best video size for YouTube?
16:9 at 1920 × 1080 (1080p) or higher. YouTube supports up to 7680 × 4320 (8K) and makes lower resolutions from your upload for viewers who need them.
What size is a YouTube thumbnail?
16:9, with YouTube suggesting up to 3840 × 2160 and a minimum width of 640 pixels. 1280 × 720 is a common, safe choice inside that range. Shorts thumbnails are 9:16.
How long can a YouTube Short be?
Up to 3 minutes, according to YouTube Help, recorded with the Shorts camera or uploaded as a vertical video.
Can I upload a Short in 4K?
You can upload the file, but YouTube Help says Shorts uploads have a maximum resolution of 1080p, so a 4K vertical video is shown as a Short at up to 1080p.
Does a vertical video become a Short?
Vertical videos uploaded from your phone or computer can be shared as Shorts, according to YouTube Help. Keep it to 3 minutes or less.
Why can I only upload 15 minutes on YouTube?
Every account starts with a 15-minute limit. Verify the account and you can upload videos up to 256 GB or 12 hours.
How long can a YouTube title be?
Up to 100 characters. Descriptions can be up to 5,000, and viewers see the first few lines before “Show more”, so say what the video is first.
Sources
- YouTube, Video resolution and aspect ratios, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Add video thumbnails on YouTube, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Upload videos longer than 15 minutes, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Get started creating YouTube Shorts, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Edit video settings, checked October 2026.