Best Export Settings for Premiere Pro (2025 Guide) | YouTube, Instagram & More
- Mark Ledbetter
- May 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 29
Whether you're uploading a cinematic short to YouTube, delivering client content to Instagram, or publishing branded videos to TikTok, the wrong export settings can ruin your work. Washed-out colors, awkward aspect ratios, huge file sizes, and compression artifacts are often caused by incorrect delivery formats.
You spent weeks editing the perfect video- don't let a bad export screw it up. Let's walk through how to render like a pro.
We’ll walk through the best export settings for Premiere Pro, plus the exact specs required for YouTube, Instagram Reels, TikTok, Vimeo, and Amazon Prime Video. You’ll also find cheat sheets for video resolution, aspect ratios, bitrate, and file formats—all optimized for 2025.
Use the table of contents below to jump to the platform you need.
Table of Contents
Best Export Settings for Premiere Pro
If you're exporting directly from Premiere Pro, here are the universal best practices:
Format: H.264
Preset: Match Source – High Bitrate
Resolution: Match your sequence (1920x1080 or 3840x2160)
Frame Rate: Match your timeline (23.976, 24, 29.97, etc.)
Field Order: Progressive
Aspect: Square Pixels (1.0)
Render at Maximum Depth: Enabled
Bitrate Encoding: VBR, 2 Pass
Target Bitrate: 10 Mbps (1080p), 16–40 Mbps (4K)
Use Maximum Render Quality: Enabled
Always double-check the aspect ratio, frame rate, and color space before export. Premiere’s default settings aren’t always optimized for every platform.
YouTube Export Settings
YouTube compresses all uploaded videos, so your goal is to feed it a clean, high-bitrate export.
I used to think hitting “YouTube 1080p preset” was enough… until my client’s social media spot came out looking too bright and flat on mobile. Turns out, Premiere’s default export was using a 2.4 gamma curve—YouTube expects 2.2.
Recommended Export Settings:
Resolution: 1920x1080 or 3840x2160 (4K)
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Frame Rate: Native (24, 25, or 30 fps)
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Audio: AAC, 48kHz, 320 kbps
Bitrate:
1080p: 8–12 Mbps
4K: 35–45 Mbps
Common Search Terms Covered:
"YouTube aspect ratio"
"YouTube video sizes"
"video resolution for YouTube"
Pro Tip: Avoid using variable frame rate footage (e.g. from screen recordings or Zoom). YouTube often causes sync issues with VFR.
🎛 My Go-To Export Settings for YouTube (Premiere Pro 2025)
Format: H.264
Preset: Match Source – High Bitrate
Bitrate Encoding: VBR, 2-pass
Target Bitrate: 16 Mbps
Max Bitrate: 40 Mbps
Color Space: Rec.709, Gamma 2.2
Audio: AAC, 320 kbps, 48kHz
💡 These work well for narrative shorts and promo content under 15 minutes. If you're exporting high-action scenes or long interviews, bump up the max bitrate.
Instagram Reels Export Settings
Instagram prioritizes vertical video and short duration.
Recommended Export Settings:
Resolution: 1080x1920
Aspect Ratio: 9:16
Frame Rate: 30 fps (constant)
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Bitrate: 5–8 Mbps
Max File Size: 100 MB for Reels
Length: Up to 90 seconds
Color Tip: Use Rec.709, not Rec.709-A. The latter may cause washed-out results.
TikTok Export Settings
TikTok is similar to Reels but has slightly more compression.
Recommended Export Settings:
Resolution: 1080x1920
Aspect Ratio: 9:16
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Bitrate: 5–10 Mbps
Frame Rate: 24 or 30 fps
Audio: AAC, 44.1 or 48kHz
Note: Don’t use ultra-high bitrates. TikTok will compress aggressively.
Vimeo Export Settings
Vimeo supports higher bitrates and less compression than YouTube.
Recommended Export Settings:
Resolution: 1920x1080 or 4K
Format: MP4 (H.264 or H.265)
Bitrate:
1080p: 10–20 Mbps
4K: 25–50 Mbps
Frame Rate: Match source
Audio: AAC, 320 kbps
Pro Tip: Vimeo also accepts ProRes 422 HQ if you're on a paid account and want archival quality.
Amazon Prime Video Export Settings
Amazon requires strict specs and often rejects videos for small violations.
Required Export Settings:
Format: ProRes 422 HQ (MOV) or XDCAM HD422 (MXF)
Resolution: 1920x1080
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Frame Rate: 23.976 or 29.97 fps
Color Space: Rec.709
Audio: 5.1 Surround + Stereo, 48kHz, PCM
Delivery Tip: Amazon expects closed captions, runtime sheets, and frame-accurate sync.
Video Resolution, Bitrate, and Format Cheat Sheet
Platform | Resolution | Aspect Ratio | Bitrate (1080p) | Format |
YouTube | 1920x1080 / 4K | 16:9 | 8–45 Mbps | MP4 (H.264) |
1080x1920 | 9:16 | 5–8 Mbps | MP4 (H.264) | |
TikTok | 1080x1920 | 9:16 | 5–10 Mbps | MP4 (H.264) |
Vimeo | 1080p / 4K | 16:9 | 10–50 Mbps | MP4 (H.264/H.265) |
Amazon Prime | 1920x1080 | 16:9 | 100+ Mbps | MOV (ProRes) |
Common Export Mistakes to Avoid
Using Rec.709-A instead of Rec.709 → Results in gamma shift
Exporting variable frame rate video → Causes sync issues on YouTube
Incorrect aspect ratios → Causes black bars or cropping
Low bitrates → Compression artifacts on upload
High bitrates on TikTok → Wasted file size; gets re-compressed
Professional Export Control with DaVinci Resolve Studio
While Premiere Pro is widely used, DaVinci Resolve Studio gives you more advanced control over color space conversions, metadata tags, and delivery formats.
If you’re exporting for platforms like YouTube, Netflix, or broadcast, Resolve Studio’s ability to manage color pipelines and use IMF or DCP presets makes it a smart upgrade. Check out DaVinci Resolve Studio if you’re looking to elevate your delivery workflow.
Final Tip
Bookmark this guide and revisit it each time you're exporting to a new platform. These specs are tested, updated for 2025, and optimized for clean delivery across all major platforms.
If you found this helpful, check out our related guides:
This post is part of Testament Productions’ ongoing effort to simplify post-production for modern creators. We’ll update this guide annually to reflect new platform changes and export trends.
About the Author
I'm Mark Ledbetter, a professional editor/colorist and post-production expert based in Los Angeles. I cover editing workflows, cinema gear and how indie filmmakers can stay ahead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Find out About Testament Productions.
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