Plan storage from the recording’s combined audio-and-video bitrate and the number of days you want to keep—not from resolution alone. As a useful estimate, storage in decimal GB ≈ bitrate in Mbps × recording hours × 0.45. At 24 hours, that is about 10.8 GB per Mbps. A 24/7 stream at 4 Mbps video, for example, uses about 43.2 GB per day before audio and overhead.
Estimate storage from bitrate and recording time
Use the local recording encoder’s actual combined audio-and-video bitrate for the best estimate. YouTube’s recommended video bitrate can help illustrate likely sizes, but it does not determine the size of your local recording by itself.
The calculation uses decimal gigabytes: bitrate in bits per second × seconds recorded ÷ 8 ÷ 1,000,000,000. For a steady bitrate, this simplifies to:
Storage in decimal GB ≈ combined bitrate in Mbps × recording hours × 0.45
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For a full 24-hour day, multiply the combined bitrate by 10.8. To estimate multiple days, multiply the daily amount by the number of recording days.
Daily estimates using YouTube video bitrate examples
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists 4 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps, 6 Mbps for 1440p at 60 fps, and 12 Mbps for 2160p at 60 fps. The table applies the storage calculation to those video-only values; they are estimates, not YouTube storage guarantees. See YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrate guidance.
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| Video bitrate used | Approximate storage for 24 hours, video only | Example or note |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Mbps | 43.2 GB | YouTube example: 1080p at 60 fps |
| 6 Mbps | 64.8 GB | YouTube example: 1440p at 60 fps |
| 10 Mbps | 108 GB | Calculation example; check your encoder’s actual setting |
| 12 Mbps | 129.6 GB | YouTube example: 2160p at 60 fps |
These figures exclude audio and file or filesystem overhead. If you know the local recording’s combined bitrate, use that instead of the video-only figure. Variable bitrate can also make actual file size differ from the estimate. Leave free space rather than planning to fill a drive to its rated capacity.
Scale the estimate to your retention window
- One day: daily GB × 1.
- One week: daily GB × 7.
- A month: daily GB × the actual number of recording days you plan to retain.
- Two copies: double the capacity if you intend to keep a second full copy.
For example, at 4 Mbps video alone, seven days is about 302.4 GB before audio and overhead. Add the audio bitrate before treating that as a planning figure for a real recording.
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Why India does not change the calculation
The storage requirement depends on the file’s bitrate and duration, not the country where the channel is based. No India-specific storage rule or price is established here. When choosing a drive in India, compare usable capacity, sustained write performance for your recording workflow, connection type, portability, durability, warranty, and price per usable terabyte. Select capacity from your bitrate and retention plan first; there is no single drive size that suits every 24/7 stream.
Can YouTube save a complete 24-hour live stream?
YouTube says, “If your live stream is less than 12 hours long, YouTube can automatically archive it for you,” and recommends recording a local archive as a backup. It also warns that “If your stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all.” Therefore, do not rely on YouTube’s automatic archive as a guaranteed complete replay of a continuous 24-hour broadcast. See YouTube’s archive live streams guidance.
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If you need a complete replay, plan a local recording and size storage for the full retention period. A separate backup copy requires additional capacity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is to keep a pre-recorded video playing on YouTube around the clock, StreamNeo runs the loop from the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; the uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K at 60 fps, at one flat price per slot. StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, and the monthly option is $9.99 per month. Storage is 10 GB per slot, pooled across active slots, so this is not a substitute for a large local archive when you need to retain days of high-bitrate recordings. StreamNeo is for YouTube and uploaded videos, not a live camera feed. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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