Reference page · last verified 2026-05-15

Twitch Live streams — Video Specs

Twitch Live streams accepts 1080p standard; up to 1440p / 4k with enhanced broadcasting (teb) at 16:9, up to 48 hours per broadcast per upload. Use this page as a quick reference before exporting from your editor — every value is sourced from the official platform documentation.

Specs at a glance

Resolution
1080p standard; up to 1440p / 4K with Enhanced Broadcasting (TEB)
Aspect ratio
16:9
Max duration
48 hours per broadcast
Max file size
N/A (live); VODs retained 14 days (60 for Partner / Prime / Turbo)
Framerate
30 or 60 fps (60 recommended for gaming)
Video bitrate
3,000–6,000 kbps standard (6,000 kbps for 1080p60); up to 10,000 kbps with Enhanced Broadcasting
Video codec
H.264 (AVC) only for standard streaming; HEVC and AV1 via Enhanced Broadcasting
Audio codec
AAC-LC
Audio bitrate
160 kbps stereo
Max title chars
140 (stream title)
Max description chars
300 (channel about); 5,000 (panel descriptions)

How it compares

Twitch Live streams side-by-side with the platforms creators most often weigh against it.

PlatformResolutionAspect ratioFrame rateBest for
Twitch Live streams1080p standard; up to 1440p / 4K with Enhanced Broadcasting (TEB)16:930 or 60 fps (60 recommended for gaming)Live broadcast
YouTube Standard videosUp to 7680 × 4320 (8K) supported; 1920 × 1080 recommended (min 1280 × 720 for 16:9)16:9 (standard); other ratios pillar- or letter-boxed by the player24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 fps (encode at the recorded rate; deinterlace first)Long-form
Facebook Feed videos1280 × 720 minimum; 1920 × 1080 recommended16:9 (landscape), 1:1 (square), 4:5 (vertical), 9:16 (Reels)Up to 30 fpsLong-form
LinkedIn Feed videos1080p recommended; vertical 360 × 640 (min) to 1080 × 1920 (max)9:16 to 16:9 accepted (9:16 vertical gets the dedicated video feed; 1:1 / 4:5 maximise in-feed space)30 fps recommended, up to 60 fpsProfessional

How to choose for Twitch Live streams

On standard streaming, cap output at 1080p60 and 6,000 kbps — non-Partners aren't guaranteed transcoding, so going higher just locks out viewers without elite internet. If your GPU has AV1/HEVC (RTX 40/50-series, RX 7000+), enable Enhanced Broadcasting for 1440p/4K at up to ~10,000 kbps. 16:9 is mandatory. 60 fps is essential for fast-paced gameplay; 30 fps frees up bitrate budget for sharper image on slower-paced streams.

Best practices

  • 01On standard ingest, cap bitrate at 6,000 kbps — anything higher is rejected and transcoding is not guaranteed for non-Partners.
  • 02Enable Enhanced Broadcasting (Settings ▸ Stream) if your GPU supports HEVC or AV1 — it lifts the 6,000 kbps cap to ~10,000 kbps and unlocks 1440p/4K with multiple quality options for viewers.
  • 03Use a 2-second keyframe interval (`-g 120` at 60 fps) — Twitch ingest requires it for proper segmentation.
  • 04Set the stream title with the game name + a hook — Twitch's directory listing is title-driven.
  • 05Use a static, high-contrast offline screen and panels — most channel discovery happens while you're offline.

Related platforms

FAQ

Twitch Live streams supports up to 48 hours per broadcast. Anything longer must be split or uploaded to a long-form surface.