Video file size and bitrate calculator
Enter the length, resolution, frame rate and bitrate of your video. See the file size in MB or GB, and whether it fits the official upload limits for Shorts, TikTok and Reels.
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File size
Sample footage: Mixkit
Quick answer: file size in MB = (video Mbps + audio Mbps) × seconds ÷ 8. A 60-second 1080p video at YouTube's recommended 8 Mbps, with 384 kbps stereo audio, is about 63 MB. A 3-minute Short at the same settings is about 189 MB.
How the calculator works
Bitrate is how much data each second of video uses, in megabits per second (Mbps). Eight bits make a byte, so the calculator multiplies the bitrate by the length in seconds and divides by 8. It adds the audio track on top.
The presets use the bitrates YouTube recommends for uploads. Pick "Custom" if your editor shows a different bitrate. Results are estimates, because the bitrate in a variable-bitrate file changes from scene to scene.
Official upload limits
| Platform | Max length | Max file size | Resolution and frame rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts YouTube app and YouTube Studio | 3 minutes, square or vertical video YouTube Help: Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts | 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less (all YouTube uploads) YouTube Help: Upload videos longer than 15 minutes | No Shorts resolution is stated. Square or vertical aspect ratio. The upload guide lists 1080p at 8 Mbps (24 to 30 fps) or 12 Mbps (48 to 60 fps). YouTube Help: Recommended upload encoding settings |
| TikTok Content Posting API (used by scheduling tools) | 10 minutes for videos sent through the Content Posting API TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API, media transfer guide | 4 GB (API uploads) TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API, media transfer guide | 360 to 4096 pixels on each side, 23 to 60 fps. MP4 and H.264 recommended. TikTok for Developers: Content Posting API, media transfer guide |
| Instagram Reels Instagram API (used by scheduling tools) | 15 minutes (3 seconds minimum) for Reels published through the Instagram API Meta for Developers: Instagram API, IG User Media (Reel specifications) | 300 MB (API uploads) Meta for Developers: Instagram API, IG User Media (Reel specifications) | Up to 1920 pixels wide, 23 to 60 fps. 9:16 recommended to avoid cropping or blank space. Meta for Developers: Instagram API, IG User Media (Reel specifications) |
Only official pages from YouTube, TikTok and Meta are used. The TikTok and Instagram help pages for in-app uploads did not load for us, so for those two we use each company's official developer documentation, which states the limits for videos posted through their APIs (the route scheduling tools use). In-app limits can differ. Checked on October 28, 2026.
YouTube recommended upload bitrates
| Resolution | 24 to 30 fps | 48 to 60 fps |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p | 35 to 45 Mbps | 53 to 68 Mbps |
| 1440p | 16 Mbps | 24 Mbps |
| 1080p | 8 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
| 720p | 5 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps |
| 480p | 2.5 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p | 1 Mbps | 1.5 Mbps |
Source: YouTube Help: Recommended upload encoding settings (SDR), standard dynamic range (SDR) video. Audio: 128 kbps mono, 384 kbps stereo, 512 kbps 5.1. Checked on October 28, 2026.
Need a smaller file?
FreeConvert Video Compressor works in the browser with no account needed to start, for files up to 1GB on the free plan. In our test it took a 91 MB video down to 51 MB. Other free options: Mastershot (in-browser compress tool; our 5.51 MB test file came out at 3.80 MB), and the desktop apps HandBrake and Shutter Encoder. Or export again at a lower bitrate from your video editor. Converting a wide video to vertical? The aspect ratio calculator shows the exact crop and export size. We ran one 10-minute file through FreeConvert, Mastershot, FlexClip and HandBrake: see free video compressors, tested.
Questions
How do you calculate video file size from bitrate?
Add the video and audio bitrates in megabits per second, multiply by the length in seconds and divide by 8 to get megabytes. A 60-second 1080p video at 8 Mbps with 384 kbps stereo audio is about 63 MB.
What bitrate should I use for YouTube Shorts?
YouTube does not list a Shorts-only bitrate. Its upload guide recommends 8 Mbps for 1080p at 24 to 30 fps and 12 Mbps at 48 to 60 fps, and says no bitrate limit is required.
What is the maximum file size for TikTok and Instagram Reels?
TikTok's developer docs list 4 GB for videos posted through its Content Posting API, and Meta's docs list 300 MB for Reels posted through the Instagram API. Those are the limits scheduling tools work with. Uploads in each app can have different limits.
How long can a YouTube Short be?
Up to 3 minutes, with a square or vertical aspect ratio, according to YouTube Help. Wider videos, such as 16:9, count as regular long-form videos.
Why is my exported file a different size?
Many editors use variable bitrate (YouTube recommends it for uploads), so the real bitrate rises and falls with the content. Your computer may also count 1 MB as 1,048,576 bytes, while this calculator uses 1,000,000 bytes, so the number on your screen can look about 5% smaller.
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