OFFICIAL SPECS · CHECKED SEPTEMBER 19, 2026
YouTube video dimensions.
The standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a computer is 16:9. For the default 16:9 aspect ratio, YouTube's encode tiers are 3840 × 2160 (4K), 2560 × 1440 (2K), 1920 × 1080 (HD), 1280 × 720 (HD), and SD tiers down to 426 × 240. The maximum upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. If your video has a different aspect ratio, the player scales it automatically. YouTube Help and upload limits, checked .
Check your video's ratio ↓Check your width and height
Type the pixel size of your video file. The tool simplifies the ratio, checks it against the official 16:9 tiers, and tells you what to export so the player does not add padding or crop. Landscape and portrait (9:16, Shorts-style) are both judged. All math runs locally.
Nothing is uploaded. The ratio math runs in your browser.
Upload scenarios and official limits
Checked 2026-09-19 against the cited official pages. Where YouTube does not state a value, the cell says so; nothing is inferred or filled in.
| Upload scenario | Recommended resolution | Aspect ratio | File size & duration limit | Official source | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape video (16:9) | Encode tiers: 4320p 7680×4320; 2160p 3840×2160; 1440p 2560×1440; 1080p 1920×1080; 720p 1280×720; 480p 854×480; 360p 640×360; 240p 426×240. | 16:9 — standard aspect ratio on a computer. | Max upload 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. | YouTube Help; upload limits | 2026-09-19 |
| Vertical video / Shorts (9:16) | Pixel sizes not stated by YouTube on the cited page; 9:16 is the supported vertical shape and the player may add padding on computer browsers. | 9:16. | Max upload 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less (upload file constraint). | YouTube Help | 2026-09-19 |
| Square (1:1) | Not stated by YouTube. | 1:1 (player scales automatically). | Max upload 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less (upload file constraint). | YouTube Help | 2026-09-19 |
| Vertical (4:5) | Not stated by YouTube. | 4:5 (player scales automatically). | Max upload 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less (upload file constraint). | YouTube Help | 2026-09-19 |
Work out the dimensions
The tier names are the video's height in the 16:9 ladder. The following values are our worked example of that arithmetic; they are not new platform requirements.
1080p
1080 is the height; the width follows the 16:9 ratio.
1080 × 16 ÷ 9 = 1920
→ 1920 × 1080
1440p (2K)
1440 × 16 ÷ 9 = 2560
→ 2560 × 1440
2160p (4K)
2160 × 16 ÷ 9 = 3840
→ 3840 × 2160
Vertical 9:16
Swap the sides: height becomes the larger number.
1080 × 9 ÷ 16 = 607.5 (width)
→ a 1080-wide vertical video is 1080 × 1920
These conversions are our examples, not official requirements.
Before you export
Only what the official quote supports: keep the 16:9 ratio for standard videos; for 9:16 vertical videos, expect extra padding on computer browsers; and avoid adding padding or black bars directly to your video — the official page states padding interferes with the player's ability to adjust. Also keep the file within 256 GB or 12 hours. Note that since 2022 YouTube started removing support for playback at resolutions between 4K and 8K, such as 5K.