For YouTube live ingest, the recommended bitrate is lower for the AV1/H.265 setting than for H.264 at the same resolution and frame rate. At 1080p60, YouTube recommends 12 Mbps for AV1/H.265 and 17 Mbps for H.264; at 1080p30, it recommends 10 Mbps and 14 Mbps, respectively. These are platform ingest recommendations—not a controlled test proving equal picture quality at those rates. Choose a rate your encoder supports and your upload connection can sustain, leave bandwidth headroom, then test with representative motion before going live.
Recommended YouTube Live bitrates by resolution
YouTube’s live encoder settings page groups AV1 with H.265/HEVC in its bitrate table. The figures below are YouTube’s minimum and recommended video ingest bitrates, in Mbps; minimums are not recommended targets. The page was accessed on October 3, 2026, and displays no publication date.
| Resolution and frame rate | AV1/H.265 minimum | AV1/H.265 recommended | H.264 minimum | H.264 recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K) at 60 fps | 10 | 35 | 14 | 50 |
| 2160p (4K) at 30 fps | 8 | 30 | 11 | 42 |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 6 | 24 | 8 | 34 |
| 1440p at 30 fps | 5 | 15 | 7 | 21 |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 4 | 12 | 6 | 17 |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 4 | 10 | 5 | 14 |
| 720p at 60 fps | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
| 720p at 30 fps | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
| 480p at 30 fps | 0.3 | 3 | 0.4 | 4 |
| 360p at 30 fps | 0.3 | 3 | 0.4 | 4 |
Source: YouTube Help’s live encoder settings. YouTube’s lower AV1/H.265 recommendations describe its ingest guidance; they do not establish a universal bitrate conversion or guarantee that two encodes will look equally good. The table is not a controlled AV1-versus-H.264 quality comparison.
How to choose between AV1 and H.264
Start with your resolution and frame rate
Pick the intended stream resolution and frame rate, then use that exact row in the table. For example, the 1080p60 recommended rates are 12 Mbps for AV1/H.265 and 17 Mbps for H.264; the minimums are 4 and 6 Mbps. At 1080p30, recommendations are 10 and 14 Mbps, while minimums are 4 and 5 Mbps. Do not treat a minimum as a quality target just because it is listed.
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Check codec and ingest compatibility
YouTube lists AV1 and H.264 as supported video codecs over RTMP/RTMPS. Your encoder and chosen ingest workflow must also support the codec you select. If you stream HDR, YouTube’s settings page lists H.265/HEVC for HDR and says AV1 is not supported for HDR. At 3840×2160 and above, YouTube calls for at least two tile columns for AV1 streams. Check the current YouTube encoder settings alongside your encoder’s documentation before configuring those options.
Do not infer a universal quality or performance winner
The bitrate table alone cannot tell you which codec will look better for your footage, use less computing power on your machine, or behave more reliably on your network. The result depends on your encoder, settings, content, and upload conditions; YouTube’s recommendations are not a matched-quality benchmark. Test the actual workflow instead of assuming that changing codecs will fix a weak connection or an overloaded encoder.
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Configure the stream and check upload bandwidth
Use the important encoder settings
- Protocol: RTMP or RTMPS.
- Rate control: CBR (constant bitrate).
- Keyframe interval: two seconds recommended; do not exceed four seconds.
- Frame rate: up to 60 fps, using the rate and resolution you selected for the bitrate row.
- Video format: progressive scan and square pixels; Rec. 709 for SDR. YouTube lists 8-bit for SDR and 10-bit for HDR.
- Audio: AAC or MP3. YouTube supports 5.1 surround over RTMP/RTMPS only with AAC.
YouTube detects the encoder settings and transcodes live streams into different playback formats. Your selected codec and bitrate are the feed sent to YouTube; they are not a promise that viewers receive that same codec or bitrate. For 4K/2160p streams, YouTube says low-latency optimization is unavailable and the stream is set to normal latency.
Measure outbound upload, not download
YouTube says the total stream bitrate must fit within available upload bandwidth and recommends leaving 20% headroom. Download speeds are often higher than outbound upload, so check the upload side specifically. If you configure a backup stream, include its capacity as well as the primary stream in the bandwidth calculation. Other people or devices using the same connection can reduce what remains available to the encoder. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
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Test before the event
- Choose the resolution and frame rate, then set the matching YouTube-recommended bitrate as your starting point.
- Confirm that your encoder supports the codec, RTMP/RTMPS ingest, and any HDR or AV1 options you need.
- Check sustained outbound upload capacity, including any backup stream, and preserve the recommended headroom.
- Run a test with audio and movement similar to the real stream. YouTube Help advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream. Tests should include audio and movement in the video similar to what you’ll be doing in the stream.”
- Watch stream health and messages during the test. If the connection or encoder cannot hold the recommended setting, lower the resolution or frame rate, or choose another supported setting, then test again.
Common bitrate and codec problems
- The stream buffers or drops frames: The upload connection may not sustain the total stream bitrate, especially if bandwidth is shared or a backup stream is also active. Verify outbound capacity and leave headroom; if needed, reduce resolution or frame rate and retest.
- The encoder will not offer AV1: The encoder, hardware, or selected ingest path may not support it. Confirm compatibility in the encoder documentation and use a supported codec rather than assuming every encoder can send AV1.
- AV1 is unavailable with HDR: YouTube’s listed HDR settings do not support AV1. Its page lists H.265/HEVC for HDR; check encoder and stream settings before switching.
- Image quality disappoints despite meeting a minimum: A minimum ingest rate is not YouTube’s recommended target. Recheck the recommended row for your resolution and frame rate, then test with the motion and detail in your actual content.
- 4K has more delay than expected: YouTube sets 4K/2160p streams to normal latency rather than offering its low-latency optimization.
Choose an encoder workflow that fits the production
YouTube describes encoder workflows as useful for gameplay, external audio/video equipment, and productions using multiple cameras and microphones. An encoder may be software or standalone hardware; a paid hardware encoder is not a universal requirement. If your workflow needs to bring an HDMI camera or console into a computer, a capture card may be relevant, but it is not a codec requirement. YouTube’s encoder setup guide covers creating a live stream with an encoder.
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