DaVinci Resolve export settings for YouTube Shorts.

Resolution

1080 x 1920

Frame rate

30 fps, constant

Codec

H.264, profile High, level 4.0

Bitrate

Restrict to (max data rate): target 8 Mbps (8000 kbps), max 12 Mbps

Keyframes

Every 0.5 s = 15 frames, 2 B-frames, closed GOP

Audio

AAC-LC, 384 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)

YouTube's published upload bitrate for this resolution and frame rate.

Estimated size: 47.6 MB for 0:45.

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 1080 x 1920, Frame rate 30.
5. 5Quality: choose Restrict to and type 8000 Kb/s (Resolve takes kilobits, so 8 Mbps = 8000).
6. 6Encoding Profile: High. Key Frames: choose Every and type 15 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 384 kb/s, Sample Rate 48000.
9. 9Click Add to Render Queue, then Render All.

YouTube Shorts upload limits

Each value links to where it was published.

Common mistakes

• Exporting a 16:9 timeline for YouTube Shorts. Build the edit at 1080 x 1920 (9:16) from the start, or YouTube Shorts adds bars or crops your edges.
• Typing 0.5 into DaVinci Resolve's keyframe field. It counts frames, not seconds: at 30 fps that is 15.
• Entering 8 in a Kbps field. DaVinci Resolve takes kilobits: 8 Mbps is 8000.
• Exporting "HDR" from an SDR grade. Only pick HDR when the timeline was graded in Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG; otherwise YouTube Shorts shows flat or over-bright colour.
• Leaving phone footage at a variable frame rate. Export at a constant 30 fps, or audio drifts and motion stutters after YouTube Shorts re-encodes it.
• Going over the length limit. YouTube Shorts: Up to 3 minutes (for standard channels, uploads on or after 15 Oct 2024).
• 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 YouTube Shorts-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.