Podcast video specs for YouTube and Spotify
What a podcast video has to be for YouTube and Spotify: sizes, frame rates and length limits, why an audio file alone will not upload, and what a static-image episode really is.
Podcast video is the least documented corner of this whole subject, and the two platforms that matter disagree about several things. Here is what each one actually asks for.
Can you upload an audio file to YouTube?
Not directly. YouTube's uploader takes video files, so an MP3 on its own will be refused. There are two ways round it, and knowing which you want saves a lot of confusion.
- Make a video from the audio, which is what Podcast, the video podcast studio, does, and upload that. You control what it looks like
- Connect your podcast's RSS feed to YouTube, and YouTube builds a static-image video from your show art automatically. You control nothing about how it looks
What is a static-image podcast video?
A video where nothing moves: your cover art held on screen for the whole episode, with the audio underneath. It is the cheapest way to get a show onto YouTube and it works, but it gives a viewer nothing to look at and nothing to clip. A video where the speakers move is not a cosmetic upgrade; it is the difference between a file that sits there and one that can travel.
Spotify video podcast requirements
| Requirement | Spotify's specification |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p or higher recommended, 180p minimum |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 recommended; other ratios are letterboxed |
| Frame rate | 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps |
| Codec and container | H.264 or H.265, MP4 recommended |
| Length | Under 4 hours recommended, up to 12 hours |
LimePulse exports podcast episodes at 1920 x 1080 and 50 frames a second, which is inside Spotify's permitted frame rates and inside YouTube's, so the same file serves both.
What size should a podcast video be for YouTube?
16:9, at 1920 x 1080 or larger. Do not upload a podcast episode vertically unless you want it treated as a Short: YouTube classifies vertical and square uploads as Shorts automatically, and a Short can only be 3 minutes.
Common questions
Does a video podcast need to be filmed?
No. An episode with animated speaker artwork counts as a video episode on both YouTube and Spotify. Nobody has to be on camera.
How long can a podcast video be?
Spotify recommends under 4 hours and accepts up to 12. YouTube's limit is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less. LimePulse handles episodes up to 3 hours.
Will my episode be video on other platforms too?
No. A video episode delivered to Spotify stays audio-only everywhere else it is distributed, so the video version lives on Spotify and on whatever you upload to YouTube yourself.
Can I cut clips from a podcast video?
Yes, and it is the main reason to make one. A vertical clip of a moving speaker performs where a still image does not. Export a vertical version and cut from that.
Related reading
Last updated 2026-09-15
LimePulse is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Spotify AB or Apple Inc. Product names are used only to describe what the software makes files for.