Uploading 4K videos to Facebook is possible, but there are some requirements and limitations to be aware of. 4K refers to a video resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which is four times the pixel resolution of 1080p full HD video. 4K videos provide incredibly high quality and detail, but also require more bandwidth and storage space.
Facebook’s Video Resolution Requirements
Facebook does allow users to upload and share 4K videos, but Facebook compresses and downscales any videos uploaded to optimize bandwidth usage and storage. This means the 4K video you upload won’t actually be playable in 4K quality on Facebook.
Here are Facebook’s current requirements for uploaded video resolutions:
- Minimum resolution: 720p HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
- Maximum resolution: 2048px on the longest side
- Aspect ratio: Between 1.91:1 – 4:5
- Landscape video preferred over portrait
So while you can technically upload a native 4K video file to Facebook, it will be compressed down to 2048px maximum resolution during processing. The 4K information will be discarded and it won’t be viewable as true 4K on Facebook.
Steps for Uploading 4K Videos to Facebook
If you want to upload a 4K video to Facebook, follow these steps:
- Export your 4K video file from your video editing software at the full 3840 x 2160 resolution.
- Open the Facebook app on your phone, or go to Facebook.com on your computer.
- Go to your profile page and click “Photo/Video” to create a new post.
- Select the 4K video from your device to upload it.
- Facebook will now compress and process the video to meet their requirements.
- Type a caption and post the video to your timeline.
The 4K source file will allow Facebook’s compression algorithms to retain more detail and quality vs. uploading a lower resolution file, even though it won’t be playable in true 4K. So it can still be beneficial to upload the highest resolution footage you have access to.
Video Compression on Facebook
It’s important to understand that Facebook aggressively compresses all uploaded video in order to optimize for streaming and storage. The exact compression algorithm is proprietary and may change over time as encoding technology improves.
In general, Facebook’s video compression does the following:
- Reduces the resolution to a maximum of 2048px on the longest edge.
- Encodes videos using H.264 compression for efficient streaming.
- Adjusts the bitrate / quality level based on resolution and frame rate.
- May further compress or degrade quality if video length exceeds recommended durations.
Higher resolution source files will retain more quality after compression, but there will be a substantial reduction in quality compared to the original. Expect your 4K video to look closer to 1080p after Facebook processing.
Maximum Length of Facebook Videos
In addition to resolution limits, Facebook also imposes maximum lengths for different video types:
- Regular videos up to 120 minutes
- Live videos up to 4 hours
- Stories up to 15 seconds
- Reels up to 60 seconds
Longer videos may be re-encoded by Facebook to lower quality settings in order to meet storage and bandwidth limits. For best quality, keep regular videos under 120 minutes in length.
Tips for Best Quality Video on Facebook
To ensure your videos retain the highest possible quality after Facebook compression and processing, keep these tips in mind:
- Record or export video at the highest resolution available to you (up to 4K).
- Use a clean video signal with sharp focus and sufficient lighting.
- Choose efficient codecs like H.264 or H.265 for master files.
- Use a moderate constant bitrate around 8-12 Mbps at 1080p.
- Limit video lengths to 2-3 minutes for regular videos.
- Add text or logos cleanly to avoid quality loss around edges.
Facebook Video Specs Summary
In summary, here are the key specs to keep in mind for Facebook video:
| Maximum resolution | 2048px (longest edge) |
| Aspect ratio | 1.91:1 to 4:5 |
| Video codec | H.264 |
| Bitrate | Varies based on resolution and frame rate |
| Max length | 120 minutes |
Conclusion
You can upload 4K resolution video files to Facebook, but the videos will be compressed down to lower resolutions during processing. Maximum video resolution is currently 2048px, so true 4K playback is not possible. However, starting with higher resolution 4K source files can still provide improved visual quality compared to 1080p uploads after Facebook compression. Use the highest resolution available to you along with optimal encoding settings for the best final results.