DaVinci Resolve export settings for WhatsApp Status.

Resolution

720 x 1280

Frame rate

30 fps, constant

Codec

H.264, profile High, level 3.1

Bitrate

Restrict to (max data rate): target 5 Mbps (5000 kbps), max 7.5 Mbps

Keyframes

Every 2 s = 60 frames, 2 B-frames, closed GOP

Audio

AAC-LC, 128 kbps, 48 kHz, stereo

Colour

Rec. 709 (BT.709), 8-bit 4:2:0, limited (TV) range

Container

MP4 with Fast Start (moov atom at the front)

WhatsApp Status publishes no bitrate. This follows YouTube's published table for the resolution, which every major platform handles well.

Estimated size: 38.8 MB for 1:00.

• 1080p is above what WhatsApp Status supports here, so this uses 720p.

Step by step in DaVinci Resolve

1. 1Open the Deliver page (rocket icon at the bottom of the window).
2. 2In Render Settings choose Custom Export, then set Filename and Location, and choose Single clip.
3. 3Video: Format MP4, Codec H.264. Pick the hardware encoder if your GPU offers one, else Native.
4. 4Resolution 720 x 1280, Frame rate 30.
5. 5Quality: choose Restrict to and type 5000 Kb/s (Resolve takes kilobits, so 5 Mbps = 5000).
6. 6Encoding Profile: High. Key Frames: choose Every and type 60 frames.
7. 7Advanced Settings: Data Levels Auto, Color Space Tag and Gamma Tag Same as Project (Rec. 709 (BT.709), 8-bit 4:2:0, limited (TV) range).
8. 8Audio: Codec AAC, Data Rate 128 kb/s, Sample Rate 48000.
9. 9Click Add to Render Queue, then Render All.

WhatsApp Status upload limits

Each value links to where it was published.

Common mistakes

• Exporting a 16:9 timeline for WhatsApp Status. Build the edit at 720 x 1280 (9:16) from the start, or WhatsApp Status adds bars or crops your edges.
• Typing 2 into DaVinci Resolve's keyframe field. It counts frames, not seconds: at 30 fps that is 60.
• Entering 5 in a Kbps field. DaVinci Resolve takes kilobits: 5 Mbps is 5000.
• Uploading HDR (10-bit PQ/HLG) to WhatsApp Status. There is no published HDR path, so colours can look washed out; export SDR Rec. 709.
• Leaving phone footage at a variable frame rate. Export at a constant 30 fps, or audio drifts and motion stutters after WhatsApp Status re-encodes it.
• Going over the length limit. WhatsApp Status: 90 seconds (help).
• Restrict to is in Kb/s, not Mb/s: 20 Mbps is 20000.
• Key Frames are counted in frames, not seconds: multiply seconds by the frame rate.

Shinel Studios

Rather send the footage and get WhatsApp Status-ready edits back?

Our editors cut, caption, colour and export to each platform's spec, with 2 revision rounds. Shorts come back in 48-72 hours, long videos in 5-10 days.