Vertical video export settings

Aspect ratio and resolution are different

Aspect ratio describes the shape of the picture. Resolution describes the number of pixels in that picture. A 9:16 frame is portrait-shaped; 1080 × 1920 is one resolution with that shape.

Choose the shape for the destination and the content. A vertical feed commonly uses 9:16, while a wide screen recording may need a different presentation to keep its text readable. Do not force tiny interface text into a portrait crop and expect the viewer to zoom.

Use the source as your quality limit

A sharp original gives you room to crop. A low-resolution source can become visibly soft after a tight crop. Exporting it at a larger resolution does not recreate missing detail.

For a common 1080p portrait workflow, 1080 × 1920 is a reasonable starting point. It is not a universal mandate from every platform. Use the destination’s documentation for its current supported dimensions and upload limits.

Setting	Practical starting point	What to check
Shape	9:16 for a portrait-feed edit	Whether the subject and captions fit
Resolution	1080 × 1920 if the source supports it	Sharpness after cropping
Frame rate	Match the relevant source workflow	Motion and audio synchronization
Container	MP4 in a supported encoding	The destination’s actual upload rules

These are workflow defaults, not maximum limits or guaranteed best settings for every platform.

Keep frame rate deliberate

A recording made at 30 frames per second generally does not gain real detail simply by exporting at 60. A high-frame-rate gaming recording may benefit from preserving its motion where the destination supports it.

If sources use different frame rates, set the project deliberately and inspect motion at edit points. Look for duplicated frames, uneven movement, or a lip-sync problem. Higher frame rate and higher bitrate also increase file size.

Understand bitrate without chasing a magic number

Bitrate controls how much data the encoding allocates over time. A busy scene with particles or fast motion can require more data than a static talking head. Too little can create blockiness; extremely high settings can create a larger file without a useful visible improvement.

Start from your editor’s appropriate quality preset and consult the platform’s official encoding guidance when setting it manually. Compare two short exports if you are unsure. Judge the picture at normal viewing size rather than assuming the larger file is always better.

Check the export on the destination

Watch the exported file locally before uploading. Confirm the picture shape, audio, first and last frames, caption timing, and crop changes. Then inspect the processed upload, because the destination may recompress it.

YouTube’s official guidance currently supports Shorts up to three minutes under its classification rules. Check the linked page for the conditions and current handling of copyrighted music. Do not assume a duration that worked in an old tutorial is the platform’s present limit.

Troubleshoot the visible problem

If the picture is soft, inspect the original quality and crop before raising the bitrate. If captions are fuzzy, confirm they were generated at the project resolution and not enlarged from a small graphic. If audio drifts, compare the source and exported frame-rate workflow.

Keep a short note with settings that work for your editor and destination. Recheck it when a platform changes its requirements or you change the kind of footage you use.