Premiere Pro · Exporting and delivery
What are the best export settings for YouTube in Premiere Pro
Short answer
Export H.264 with the Match Source - High bitrate preset, or the YouTube 1080p or 4K preset. Keep the sequence's frame rate, use a high bitrate (VBR, around 16 to 24 Mbps for 1080p and 45 to 68 Mbps for 4K), and AAC audio at 320 kbps.
In Premiere Pro
01
Use H.264
In Export mode, set Format to H.264. YouTube re-encodes everything, so give it a high-quality file.
02
Pick the preset
Choose Match Source - High bitrate or a YouTube preset matching your resolution.
03
Keep the frame rate
Leave the frame rate at the sequence's rate. Don't convert 24 fps to 30.
04
Raise the bitrate
Under Video > Bitrate Settings, choose VBR, 2 pass, and a target near YouTube's recommendations for your resolution.
05
Check the sound
Mix to about -14 LUFS so YouTube doesn't turn it down, and set Audio to AAC, 48 kHz, 320 kbps.
- Uploading in 4K, even from HD, gets the video a higher-quality YouTube encode.
Eddie AI
Do it in Eddie
Eddie's MP4 renders are set up for the web by default.
Cloud MP4s get final loudness of -14 LUFS by default. Choose 1080p, 4K or source resolution for the same cost. Captions are burned in, and a free SRT is there to upload to YouTube instead if you prefer closed captions.
From the help center
Questions
- Should I export for YouTube in HEVC?
- H.264 is safest. YouTube accepts HEVC, but H.264 encodes faster and plays everywhere.
- Why does my YouTube video look worse than the export?
- YouTube processes the HD version first. Wait for the higher-quality versions to finish, or upload in 4K.