Facebook Live’s recommended settings
| Output | Resolution | Frame rate | Video bitrate | Upload to plan for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 60 fps | 1920 × 1080 | 60 fps | 4,500 to 9,000 kbps | 5.8 Mbps to 11.5 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 1920 × 1080 | 30 fps | 3,000 to 6,000 kbps | 4.0 Mbps to 7.7 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 1280 × 720 | 60 fps | 2,250 to 6,000 kbps | 3.0 Mbps to 7.7 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 1280 × 720 | 30 fps | 1,500 to 4,000 kbps | 2.1 Mbps to 5.2 Mbps |
| 480p at 30 fps | 854 × 480 | 30 fps | 600 to 2,000 kbps | 1.0 Mbps to 2.7 Mbps |
| 360p | 640 × 360 | not stated | 400 to 1,000 kbps | 0.7 Mbps to 1.5 Mbps |
Upload to plan for is our arithmetic: the video bitrate plus 128 kbps of audio, with room left free. Facebook Live publishes no headroom figure, so this column keeps the 20% YouTube recommends. Add whatever else your home uploads at the same time.
Codec, keyframes and limits
- Video codec
- H.264
- Codec level
- H.264, Level 4.1 for up to 1080p at 30 fps; H.264, Level 4.2 for 1080p at 60 fps
- Rate control
- CBR
- Keyframe interval
- 2 seconds, never more than 4
- Highest recommended bitrate
- 15,000 kbps
- Picture shape
- 16:9
- Longest broadcast
- 8 hours
Audio
- Codec
- AAC low complexity
- Channels
- Stereo
- Preferred bitrate
- 128 kbps
- Highest bitrate
- 256 kbps
- Sample rate
- 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
A range for every output
Meta publishes a minimum and maximum video bitrate for each resolution rather than one figure. Stay inside the range for your output and use CBR. Meta notes a maximum recommended bitrate of 15 Mbps overall.
Keep the picture 16:9
Meta asks for a 16:9 pixel aspect ratio and says a stream too far from it may not be supported. A vertical or square canvas is a different format.
Audio and length
Use AAC low complexity in stereo at 44.1 or 48 kHz, 128 kbps preferred and never above 256 kbps. A Facebook Live video can run for up to 8 hours.
Check your own setup
- How to go live on Facebook for the first time: who can go live, the stream key, the preview before Go Live Now and what happens after.
- Bitrate calculator: the video bitrate to type into OBS for your resolution, frame rate and kind of content, inside Facebook Live’s figures.
- Upload calculator: whether your measured upload carries the stream, with a backup stream and household traffic.
- OBS output settings: where each of these values goes in OBS.
Other platforms: Twitch, YouTube Live, Kick, TikTok LIVE. Compare all five side by side.
Sources
- Meta Business Help Center: Requirements for Facebook Live videos, checked September 26, 2026
The figures are Meta’s own.
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