YouTube Gaming Montage Export Settings

Good montage export settings preserve the movement you recorded without wasting space on detail that was never in the source. YouTube will process the upload again, so inspect your local export before judging the version that appears online.

Start with your recorded frame rate

Export at the frame rate of the edited footage where possible. For a typical 60 fps gameplay recording, choose 60 fps. If the recording is 30 fps, exporting at 60 does not create new motion detail. A 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor setting is not, by itself, the frame rate of the recorded video. Check the actual recording file and timeline before picking an export preset.

Keep the source resolution when it makes sense. If the clips are 1080p, a 1080p export is a straightforward starting point. Upscaling does not restore detail that the recorder missed. For mixed sources, use one timeline size and check how each clip is cropped; a sharp 1440p clip can still look poor if the edit cuts off the kill feed.

Choose a sensible bitrate and codec

YouTube’s upload encoding guidance recommends MP4 with H.264 video and variable bitrate. For standard-dynamic-range video, its reference rates are about 12 Mbps for 1080p at 48–60 fps, 24 Mbps for 1440p at 48–60 fps, and 53–68 Mbps for 4K at 48–60 fps. These are starting points, not strict limits. High-motion gameplay may justify comparing two short test exports before committing to a whole montage.

Use progressive scan rather than interlaced output. Avoid repeated exports through multiple editors, because each lossy encode can soften fine details such as HUD text and distant players. If your editor offers a quality-based setting instead of a fixed bitrate, test it on a fast pan and a dark scene; file size alone is not proof of quality.

Keep audio clean

Use AAC-LC audio at 48 kHz for a conventional MP4 export. Listen to the result with headphones. Check that gunshots do not clip, speech remains intelligible, and one loud transition does not drown out the next clip. YouTube recommends 384 kbps for stereo uploads, though your editor may offer different presets. Audio exported louder is not automatically clearer.

Review the file before upload

Watch the exported MP4 from beginning to end, including the first and last seconds. Pause on fast motion, text, and transitions. Check the aspect ratio and confirm that the video matches the title and thumbnail you plan to use. After upload, wait for YouTube’s higher-resolution processing before comparing the online result with your local file.

If the hard part is finding your own plays, GamingCap can scan match recordings already on your Windows PC, identify knocks and eliminations where your in-game name is confirmed, and export the clips you keep as one MP4 with original game audio. It does not record gameplay or choose export settings for your editor; you still review the moments and make the final montage.