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YouTube compression: How to upload videos to YouTube

Edited by Ben Jacklin

November 23, 2024

7,536

YouTube is a great platform for creativity: you can not only watch amazing videos but also upload your own. If you’re a beginner vlogger, you may encounter problems when you upload your video to YouTube, such as getting an «Invalid file format» error. This means the video format is not supported by YouTube.

The best YouTube video format is MP4, but it’s not the only one. Make sure you’re using one of the following supported formats.

Supported formats

Unsupported formats

MOV

DVD files (such as VOB, IFO, and BUP files)

MPEG-4

MKV

MP4

M4V

AVI

MXF

WMV

OGV

FLV

VEG

3GP

VEP

WebM

VPJ

HEVC

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Another possible problem is large file size. Although the size and length of video are not limited, a large video file will take a while to upload. Worst-case scenario – the upload is interrupted when the internet connection fails. So if your video is larger than 2GB, you may want to compress it before uploading to YouTube.

Read this guide to learn how to compress videos for YouTube using Movavi Video Converter – a simple yet powerful media compressor that works on both Mac and Windows. Download the program and follow the instructions below.

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Step 1. Install and launch the program

To install the YouTube compressor, open the downloaded file and follow the onscreen instructions. When the installation process is complete, double-click the desktop icon.

Step 2. Add your video files

Click Add Media in the top left corner of the program window and choose Add Video. Select the files you want to convert and click Open. Alternatively, you can just drag and drop the files onto the program interface.

Step 3. Choose the output format

Go to the Video tab and choose the MP4 group of presets, as it’s one of the most widely supported video formats. From the drop-down list, choose the Original Size preset.

Step 4. Set the size and quality for the output video

In the video section, click the Output File Size and use the slider to select the desired file size. The compressor will make the file smaller by applying a lower bitrate while keeping the same resolution. When you’re satisfied with the estimated size of the output file, click Convert sample to quickly check the quality of your file after conversion before going ahead with the full conversion.

Step 5. Convert and save your videos

Click the Folder icon to specify the destination for the output video. When everything is ready, click Convert. After the conversion is complete, the folder with your videos will open automatically.

Now you know that compressing videos for YouTube with Movavi Video Converter is easy. You can use this software to change YouTube video format and size even if you have no experience! Download the program and see how well it can convert files without losing quality.

Movavi Video Converter

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