Apple Video podcast requirements

Modified on Thu, 20 Aug at 12:13 AM

Apple Podcasts delivers video as an HLS stream and Apple requires that stream at 1080p. Every number on this page comes from that. Your source file has to be good enough for us to build that stream, so a video episode needs to meet four requirements before it can publish as video.

This guide shows you how to check your video file before you upload it, what every number means, and how to fix a file that does not qualify. No video-editing experience needed.

Before you start: video episodes are part of the Max plan, and Apple has to approve your show for video before it appears in Apple Podcasts. How to add video to your podcast episodes covers publishing one, and How to enable Apple Podcasts Video covers the Apple side.

The quick checklist

Check these four things before you upload.

#	What to check	Requirement	Typical file that misses it
1	File format	`.mp4`, `.mov` or `.mkv`	`.avi`, `.wmv`, `.webm`, `.flv`, `.mpg`
2	Resolution	At least 1080 pixels on the shorter side of the frame	`1280 x 720` (shorter side is only 720)
3	File size	5 GB maximum	A 45-minute 4K export can easily be 12 GB
4	Duration	2 hours maximum	A 2h 15m unedited interview

Apple's own recommendation is a standard HD video at 1920 x 1080, H.264, with AAC stereo audio. Export at that spec and you are safe on every point above.

What happens to a file that misses one

The episode still publishes. We keep the audio from your file and publish it as an audio episode, and the video is not included. Nothing you uploaded is lost.

When your browser can read the file, the uploader tells you before you publish: "This file will be published as audio only. Video needs to be an mp4, mkv or mov, at least 1080p, and under 2 hours." That warning cannot appear for every file, because some exports cannot be read in the browser at all. Checking the file yourself is the reliable way to know.

Important: if your file meets all four requirements and the video still did not come through, that is something on our side and not something you need to fix. Contact our support team with the details of your file and we will look into it.

What "1080 on the shorter side" means

This is the requirement that catches most files, so here it is very concretely. Every video has two dimensions, written as width x height (for example 1920 x 1080). Take the smaller of those two numbers. It must be 1080 or higher. It does not matter whether your video is horizontal, vertical or square. Only the shorter side counts.

Your video is	Dimensions	Shorter side	Result
Full HD, horizontal (16:9)	`1920 x 1080`	1080	Accepted
2K / QHD, horizontal	`2560 x 1440`	1440	Accepted
4K / UHD, horizontal	`3840 x 2160`	2160	Accepted
Vertical (9:16, phone-style)	`1080 x 1920`	1080	Accepted
Square (1:1)	`1080 x 1080`	1080	Accepted
HD Ready, horizontal	`1280 x 720`	720	Audio only
Vertical, phone default	`720 x 1280`	720	Audio only
Webcam / Zoom default	`640 x 480`	480	Audio only

In plain English, "720p" is not enough. You need "1080p" or better.

Important: stretching a 720p file to 1920 x 1080 in an editor will pass the check, but the picture stays soft, and Apple's review looks at quality. Where you can, re-export from your original recording at a higher resolution, or record at a higher resolution next time.

Apple Podcasts recommends 1920 x 1080 (16:9 horizontal), which is the format that looks best on TV, iPad and Mac. Vertical and square videos are accepted, and they show with black bars in full-screen players.

How to check your video file

On a Mac

Open Finder, click your video file once, then press Command (⌘) + I.
Read Size (under 5 GB), Dimensions (shorter side 1080 or more), Duration (under 2 hours) and Kind (MPEG-4, QuickTime or Matroska movie).
For the codec, open the file in QuickTime Player and choose Window → Show Movie Inspector. The Format line reads something like H.264, 1920 x 1080, AAC, Stereo (L R), 48000 Hz.

Note: macOS may show 5.2 GB for a file that is technically 4.8 GiB. If you are close to the limit, use MediaInfo below to be sure.

On Windows

Right-click the file in File Explorer and choose Properties.
The General tab shows Size and Type of file.
The Details tab shows Frame width, Frame height, Length and Frame rate. It does not always show the codec, so use MediaInfo for that.

On a phone

On iPhone or iPad, open the video in Photos and tap the info button. On Android, long-press the file in Files or Gallery and tap Details. Both show resolution, duration and size. Phones, webcams and Zoom often default to 720p, so set the camera or the app to 1080p before you record.

The complete check: MediaInfo

MediaInfo is a small free tool for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android that shows everything about a video file, including the codec that the built-in tools hide. Open your file with it and switch the view to Tree or Text.

Line in MediaInfo	What it tells you	What you want to see
General → Format	The container	`MPEG-4`, `QuickTime` or `Matroska`
General → File size	File size	Under `5.00 GiB`
General → Duration	Length	Under `2 h 0 min`
Video → Format	The video codec	`AVC` (this means H.264)
Video → Width / Height	The dimensions	Shorter of the two at least `1080 pixels`
Video → Frame rate	Frames per second	`23.976`, `24`, `25`, `30`, `50` or `60`, Constant
Audio → Format	The audio codec	`AAC`
Audio → Channel(s)	Mono or stereo	`2 channels` (stereo)
Audio → Sampling rate	Audio quality	`44.1 kHz` or `48.0 kHz`

Note: MediaInfo writes AVC where most people say H.264. They are the same thing. HEVC means H.265, which is not blocked, though it does transcode less reliably on our side than H.264.

Codec and frame rate

Codec is how the video inside the file is compressed. A file can end in .mp4 and hold any of several codecs. We do not require a particular one, and H.264 with AAC audio is the combination we transcode most reliably. It is also what Apple Podcasts streams to listeners.

Frame rate is how many images per second. Anything from 24 to 60 fps is fine. Keep it constant rather than variable. Screen recorders, Zoom and OBS often produce variable frame rate files, which MediaInfo shows as Frame rate mode: Variable, and those can drift out of sync. HandBrake converts them to constant frame rate for you.

Will my file fit under 5 GB?

File size is duration multiplied by bitrate. These are safe targets.

Resolution	Recommended video bitrate	Approximate size for 1 hour
1920 x 1080 (Full HD)	6–8 Mbps	2.7 – 3.6 GB
2560 x 1440 (2K)	10–12 Mbps	4.5 – 5.4 GB (risky)
3840 x 2160 (4K)	20–35 Mbps	9 – 15 GB (over the limit)

For episodes longer than about 45 minutes, export at 1920 x 1080 with a bitrate of 6 to 8 Mbps. That gives excellent quality, matches Apple's recommendation and stays well under 5 GB. There is no benefit to uploading 4K, because Apple Podcasts streams up to 1080p. To estimate: size in GB = (bitrate in Mbps x minutes x 60) / 8000.

How to fix a file

Best option: re-export from your editor

If you still have the project, re-export it. This always gives the best quality.

Setting	Choose
Format / Container	MP4
Video codec	H.264
Resolution	1920 x 1080
Frame rate	Same as your source (constant)
Video bitrate	6–8 Mbps, VBR 2-pass or CBR
Audio codec	AAC, stereo, 48 kHz, 192–256 kbps

Where to find those settings:

Adobe Premiere Pro: File → Export → Media → Format H.264, preset Match Source – High bitrate, then set the bitrate to 8 Mbps.
DaVinci Resolve (free): Deliver page → preset YouTube 1080p, which is exactly the right spec.
Final Cut Pro: File → Share → Master File → Settings → Format Computer, video codec H.264 Faster Encode.
CapCut, Canva or iMovie: Export, then choose 1080p and 30 fps.

If you no longer have the project: HandBrake

HandBrake is free for Windows, macOS and Linux, and it converts almost anything.

Drag your video into the HandBrake window.
In Presets, choose General → Fast 1080p30. That preset already produces MP4 with H.264 and AAC at 1080p.
In the Video tab, set Framerate to Same as source and tick Constant Framerate. Move Quality to RF 20 to 22, where a lower number means better quality and a bigger file.
In the Dimensions tab, confirm the output width and height. The shorter side needs to be at least 1080. If your source is 720p, go back to the original recording instead of upscaling here.
In the Audio tab, check the codec is AAC, the mixdown is Stereo and the bitrate is 192 or higher.
Click Browse to pick where to save, then Start Encode.

If you are comfortable with a terminal, FFmpeg does the same job in one command:

ffmpeg -i input.mov -c:v libx264 -preset medium -b:v 7M -maxrate 8M -bufsize 14M -vf "scale=1920:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2" -r 30 -c:a aac -b:a 192k -ar 48000 -ac 2 -movflags +faststart output.mp4

If your episode published as audio

What you saw	What it usually means	What to do
The uploader warned you before you published	The file misses one of the four requirements	Check the file, then re-export or convert it
No warning, and the video is missing	Either the file misses a requirement your browser could not read, or the video was dropped on our side	Check the file. If it meets all four, contact us
The file was a `.mov` or an HEVC export	These transcode less reliably on our side than `.mp4` with H.264	Re-export as `.mp4` with H.264 if you still can. If you cannot, send us the file
The video plays but the audio is out of sync	A variable frame rate source, common with screen recorders, Zoom and OBS	Re-encode with HandBrake and tick Constant Framerate
The upload itself stopped partway	Usually the connection dropping on a large file	Use a wired connection where you can, compress the file, and keep the tab open
It published with video, but it is not in Apple Podcasts yet	Apple reviews and approves shows for video separately	Allow time for Apple's review. See How to enable Apple Podcasts Video

Frequently asked questions

Can I upload a 4K video?
Yes, as long as it is under 5 GB and 2 hours. Apple Podcasts streams up to 1080p, so a 4K file mostly costs you upload time and brings you closer to the size limit. 1920 x 1080 is the sweet spot.

Can I upload a vertical video?
Yes, as long as the shorter side is at least 1080 pixels, so 1080 x 1920 rather than 720 x 1280. Apple Podcasts is built around horizontal 16:9 video, so a vertical episode shows black bars on TV, iPad and Mac.

My video is 1080p and it still published as audio. Why?
Check the actual pixel dimensions rather than the label. Some editors export "1080p" as 1920 x 810 or another cinematic crop, which makes the shorter side 810. MediaInfo shows the real numbers. If the dimensions are fine and all four requirements are met, contact us with the file details, because at that point it is ours to sort out.

Do I need to upload a separate audio file too?
No. The audio track of your video file is what listeners in audio-only apps get. One upload covers both.

Still not working? Contact our support team with the MediaInfo report of your file and we will tell you what needs to change, or take it from there if the problem is on our side.