Help Center / Video Compression Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to create video files that will upload successfully and look beautiful on Vimeo. Still confused? Check out the Video Compression Basics lesson at Vimeo Video School.

Video

Codec: H.264

A codec is the format in which your video will be encoded. Vimeo accepts most major video codecs, but for best results we recommend using H.264. If you’re uploading High Definition (HD) video, choose the High Profile H.264 setting instead of Main Profile.

Frame rate

When preparing your video for upload, it’s best to maintain the video’s native frame rate when compressing your video. If your footage exceeds 60 FPS, we will automatically reduce the frame rate. If there is an option for keyframes, choose the same value you used for frame rate. Important: Always choose “constant” frame rate instead of “variable” frame rate.

Bit rate

Bit rate (also known as data rate) controls the visual quality of the video and its file size. If your video editing software gives you the option, choose a “variable” bit rate and select a value from the ranges below. You can experiment with different rates if your file is too large or you’re not happy with the quality of your source file.

Quality Bit rate (kbit/s)
SD 2,000 – 5,000
720p 5,000 – 10,000
1080p 10,000 – 20,000
2K 20,000 – 30,000
4K 30,000 – 60,000

Resolution

Videos come in all shapes and sizes but these are some of the most common formats.

Format Resolution (px)
Standard Definition (SD)
4:3 aspect ratio 		640 × 480
Standard Definition (SD)
16:9 aspect ratio 		640 × 360
720p HD
16:9 aspect ratio 		1280 × 720
1080p HD
16:9 aspect ratio 		1920 × 1080
2K
16:9 aspect ratio 		2560 × 1440
4K
16:9 aspect ratio 		3840 × 2160

Audio

Codec: AAC-LC (Advanced Audio Codec)

For best results, we recommend using AAC-LC (low complexity) for the audio codec.

Data rate: 320 kbit/s

For best results, encode your audio at constant rate of 320 kbit/s.

Sample rate: 48 kHz

For best results, set your audio sample rate to 48 kHz. If your working setting is already less than or equal to 48 kHz, leave it as is.

Tutorials

Get tips for using a wide range of popular video editing programs.