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YouTube bitrate settings

Follow this guide to optimize your streaming experience with YouTube.

Eli Sidiropoulou avatar
Written by Eli Sidiropoulou
Updated over 4 months ago

Figuring out the best settings for your YouTube streams is key to growing your audience.


Recommended Settings

YouTube supports different data speed settings for live videos based on the video quality. Essentially, the bitrate is the amount of data you send each second.

The better the video quality, the more data you need to send.

Resolution / Frame Rate

Recommended Bitrate

2160p @60fps

35 Mbps

2160p @30fps

30 Mbps

1440p @60fps

24 Mbps

1440p @30fps

15 Mbps

1080p @60fps

12 Mbps

1080p @30fps

10 Mbps

720p @60fps

6 Mbps

720p @30fps

4 Mbps

Keeping your video speed between the suggested bitrate ensures a smooth stream. But remember, faster isn't always better. Going over the top speed for your video quality might add buffering and make it hard for viewers to watch.


Restream Studio

If you're streaming with Restream Studio, the settings are easy.


Our Studio automatically adjusts your bitrate based on the resolution you select for your stream. That way, you stay in line with the requirements of all the platforms you stream to without any extra steps.

Here are Restream Studio settings based on the video quality you pick:

Resolution / Frame Rate

Bitrate

1080p @30fps

6 Mbps

720p @60fps

5 Mbps

720p @30fps

4 Mbps


Streaming software like OBS

You can further customize your settings if you're using Restream with an encoder, like OBS. Once you have landed on the resolution you'll be using for your streams, you can set your video bitrate to any value that aligns with YouTube's ranges.

Restream doesn't change the video quality you set in your streaming software. The settings you choose, even if they are high-quality like 4K, will be sent directly to YouTube without any changes.

For best results, make sure your bitrate matches your internet connection. As a rule of thumb, your bitrate should not exceed half your upload speed.

For example, if your upload speed is 10 Mbps, you can best support a maximum bitrate of 5 Mbps. Restream provides an easy way to determine your upload speed here.


What you stream

Choosing the right streaming setup depends on what you're streaming.

For action-packed content like video games or live sports, use a higher-quality setting for a better experience. This means streaming in Full HD (1080p) or more if your internet is fast enough.

For less dynamic shows like interviews, podcasts, or presentations, a simpler setup works well. You can give viewers a good experience with both HD (720p) and Full HD (1080p). Just adjust your quality based on how fast your internet is and the desired clarity and detail of the image.

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