Free tools

Spotify video podcast checker

Drop the exported episode to check it against Spotify's video specs before you upload: file size, length, tracks, codec, resolution, frame rate, keyframes, colour and audio.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Your file stays on your device
  • Specs checked November 10, 2026

Drop your video episode

The exported MP4 or MOV. Read on your device in small pieces, so a multi-gigabyte file is checked in seconds and nothing is uploaded.

Spotify video podcast specs in 2026

Spotify's video specs for podcasts (Spotify for Creators, read on November 10, 2026)
SpecRecommendedAlso accepted
File sizeUnder 10 GBUp to 60 GB
LengthUnder 4 hoursUp to 12 hours
ContainerMP4MOV (FLV and AVI discouraged)
TracksOne video, one audio, same duration–
Edit listsUnsupportedUnsupported
Video codecH.264HEVC, others discouraged
Resolution1080p or higher180p or higher
Aspect ratio16:9Any (letterboxed or pillarboxed in some apps)
Bitrate25 Mbps CBR (1080p), 35 Mbps (4K)Any within the size limit
Frame rate24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps–
KeyframesAbout one a secondAt least one every 60 seconds
First frameWithin 50 ms of time 0–
ColourRec.709 SDRRec.2020 and HDR, converted to Rec.709
Bit depth8 or 10-bit, 4:2:0, 4:2:2 or 4:4:4–
ScanProgressive–
Audio codecAAC-LCPCM, FLAC
Audio bitrate128 kbps or higherAny
ChannelsStereoMono (upmixed), 5.1 (downmixed)

Sources: Spotify for Creators: Video specs and Spotify for Creators: Thumbnails, read on November 10, 2026.

Three things an export can get wrong without you noticing

Keyframes. Spotify needs a keyframe at least every 60 seconds and recommends about one a second. Many encoders space them further apart to save space, and a talking-head recording with little motion can go a long time without one. The checker reads where every keyframe sits in the file and reports the longest gap.

The first frame and edit lists. Spotify asks for the first frame within 50 ms of time 0 and lists edit lists as unsupported. An export that uses B-frames usually starts its first frame a frame or two late and hides that with an edit list, which most players follow. At 30 fps two frames is 67 ms. The checker reads the delay without the edit list, and flags any edit list that cuts or delays part of a track.

Audio that runs longer than the video. Spotify says the audio and video tracks must be the same length. A sound bed or a closing sting that runs past the last frame leaves them different, and the checker compares the two tracks' lengths.

Export settings that pass

From Spotify's recommended column: an MP4 with H.264 video at 1080p or 4K in 16:9, a constant 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps, progressive, Rec.709, a keyframe every second (a keyframe interval equal to the frame rate), 25 Mbps for 1080p or 35 Mbps for 4K, and AAC-LC stereo audio at 128 kbps or more. Keep the file under 10 GB and 4 hours. Spotify asks you not to add letterbox or pillarbox bars to a vertical or square video: its apps add them where needed.

Publishing the same episode elsewhere? The video bitrate checker compares a file with YouTube's recommended upload bitrates, the LUFS meter checks the loudness, and the podcast cover art checker checks the show art for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Embed this checker

Teachers, bloggers and course creators can put this spotify video podcast checker on their own page for free. Paste the code below into your page's HTML. It loads from markstudios.com, so it stays current when we update the numbers.

Questions, answered.

Anything else? Message Mark and you'll get a written reply within one business day.

What are Spotify’s video podcast requirements?

Spotify recommends an MP4 with H.264 video at 1080p or higher in 16:9, at 24, 25, 30, 50 or 60 fps, with AAC-LC stereo audio at 128 kbps or more, under 10 GB and 4 hours. It accepts up to 60 GB and 12 hours, MOV, HEVC and resolutions down to 180p. The file needs one video and one audio track of the same length, a keyframe at least every 60 seconds and progressive scan.

What resolution should a Spotify video podcast be?

1080p or higher, in 16:9. Spotify accepts anything from 180p up but encourages the highest resolution you have, and recommends 25 Mbps for a 1080p source and 35 Mbps for 4K.

What is the maximum file size for a Spotify video podcast?

60 GB and 12 hours. Spotify recommends staying under 10 GB and 4 hours.

Can I upload a vertical video podcast to Spotify?

Yes. Spotify accepts any aspect ratio, but some of its apps show the video letterboxed or pillarboxed to fill a 16:9 space. Spotify asks you not to add the borders yourself.

What audio settings does Spotify want for a video podcast?

AAC-LC at 128 kbps or more, in stereo. PCM and FLAC also work. Spotify upmixes mono to stereo and downmixes 5.1 to stereo, and doesn’t support other multi-channel layouts.

What size is a Spotify video podcast thumbnail?

Horizontal 16:9, with a suggested 1920 × 1080. In Spotify for Creators you pick a frame from the video or upload your own image, during or after the upload; the frames it offers come from the beginning, middle and end of the video. Thumbnails show only for video episodes, in the Spotify mobile app; audio episodes show the cover art.

Why does Spotify say edit lists are unsupported?

An edit list tells a player to skip or delay part of a track instead of changing the file. Spotify’s spec lists them as unsupported, so a video that relies on one to cut or line up its tracks can play out of place. Most exports use one only to hide a short delay at the start; the checker measures that delay against Spotify’s 50 ms limit.

Rather have the episodes edited?

Mark Studios edits multi-camera podcast episodes and exports them to Spotify’s and YouTube’s specs, and you work directly with Mark.

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