YouTube Video Quality Explained: 360p, 720p, 1080p and 4K
When you save a video you are often asked to pick a quality. The numbers can be confusing, so here is a plain explanation of what they mean and which one to choose.
What the numbers mean
The number is the height of the picture in pixels. A higher number means more detail.
- 360p: 640 x 360. Fine for small phone screens, very small files.
- 480p: 854 x 480. Standard definition.
- 720p (HD): 1280 x 720. Sharp on phones and good on laptops.
- 1080p (Full HD): 1920 x 1080. The most popular choice for TVs and editing.
- 1440p (2K) and 2160p (4K): very sharp, but very large files.
How big are the files?
Size depends on length and how detailed the video is, but as a rough guide for a 3 to 4 minute music video: 360p is around 10 to 15 MB, 720p around 25 to 35 MB, 1080p around 80 to 120 MB and 4K several hundred MB.
Why some HD files have no sound
YouTube stores its higher qualities as two separate streams: one with the picture and one with the sound. A plain picture stream has no audio. SocialMate solves this for 1080p, 720p and 480p by combining the picture and sound on our server into a single MP4 file. You will see a short Preparing progress bar, then the download starts. Files marked No audio are picture-only and are meant for editors who want to add their own sound.
Which quality should you choose?
- Watching on a phone: 720p is the sweet spot.
- Watching on a TV or laptop: 1080p.
- Editing your own project: the highest quality you have permission to use.
- Slow internet or limited storage: 360p or 480p.
Can I get 4K?
Only if the uploader published the video in 4K. A downloader can never add detail that was not there, and SocialMate never upscales.
Please note
YouTube terms allow downloading only where YouTube offers a download option or the owner has given permission. Use SocialMate for your own videos or content you have the rights to.
Ready to try it? Open the YouTube downloader, paste your link and choose the quality you want.