Delivery: export settings that just work
H.264 export settings by destination
| Destination | Resolution | Frame rate | Bitrate (VBR target) | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube 4K | 3840×2160 | as shot | 35–45 Mbps (24–30 fps), 53–68 Mbps (50–60 fps) | AAC 320 kbps, 48 kHz |
| YouTube 1080p | 1920×1080 | as shot | 8 Mbps (24–30 fps), 12 Mbps (50–60 fps) — more is fine | AAC 320 kbps |
| Instagram Reels / TikTok / Shorts | 1080×1920 (9:16) | 25 or 30 | 10–16 Mbps | AAC 256–320 kbps |
| Instagram feed | 1080×1350 (4:5) | 25 or 30 | 8–12 Mbps | AAC 256 kbps |
| Client file (wedding film) | timeline resolution | timeline | 1080p: 20 Mbps · 4K: 60–80 Mbps | AAC 320 kbps |
| Archive master | timeline | timeline | ProRes 422 HQ | PCM 24-bit |
| YouTube’s own numbers are minimums; uploading a higher bitrate gives YouTube a cleaner source to re-encode. |
Premiere checklist before you hit Export
- Run DAEDAL Timeline Doctor: no offline media, no black gaps, no flash frames, no leftover TODO markers.
- Sequence In/Out cleared (or set on purpose).
- Render at Maximum Bit Depth + Use Maximum Render Quality only if you scaled/graded heavily (slower).
- Loudness normalized to the destination target (see the Audio sheet).
- Captions burned in or exported as .srt if needed.
- File name with version and date:
ClientName_Film_v03_2026-10-27.mp4.
After export
- Watch the whole file once, at least skimming — on a different device.
- Check the sound on headphones and on a phone speaker.
- Deliver with a short note: duration, resolution, how to play it, how long the download link stays valid.
- Back up the project, the master and the media (DAEDAL Backup Guard can verify the copies).