Getting your video to look its best after export is one of the most misunderstood aspects of video production. Many creators put significant effort into editing and color grading, then inadvertently undo that work by exporting with suboptimal settings — resulting in overly compressed, blurry, or incorrectly formatted video on the platforms where it matters most.
This guide gives you the exact settings to use in VEGAS Pro's Render As dialog for the most important publishing destinations: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, and broadcast/archive delivery.
How to Access the Render Dialog in VEGAS Pro
When your project is complete and ready for export, go to File > Render As. The Render As dialog opens, showing you the file format library (left panel) and a summary of your current render settings.
The format you select determines the container and codec. For modern online delivery, you'll most commonly use:
- MAGIX AVC/AAC MP4 — H.264 encoded video in an MP4 container (universal compatibility, good quality-to-size ratio)
- MAGIX HEVC/AAC MP4 — H.265 encoded video (significantly better quality per bitrate than H.264, ideal for 4K; requires a compatible device to play back)
- Windows Media Video (WMV) — legacy format, generally avoid for modern online delivery
- MainConcept MPEG-2 — for broadcast or DVD delivery
- Apple ProRes — lossless/near-lossless for archiving and professional delivery
Workflow tip: Save your most-used render settings as custom templates within VEGAS Pro. Once configured, type a name in the Template tab, and click Save Template in the Custom Settings dialog. Your saved settings will be instantly accessible for future projects.
YouTube — Best Export Settings
YouTube re-encodes all uploaded video through its own compression pipeline. The goal of your export is to give YouTube the highest quality source it can work from — so the re-encode introduces as little additional degradation as possible. Higher bitrate = better starting material for YouTube's encoder.
YouTube — 1080p (Recommended Starting Point)
H.264 · MP4 · Stereo Audio
| Format | MAGIX AVC/AAC MP4 (H.264) |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 (match your project) |
| Frame Rate | Match your project (24, 25, 30, 60 fps) |
| Video Bitrate | 16–20 Mbps (CBR or average) |
| Profile | High · Level 4.2 |
| Encode Mode | 2-pass or best quality CBR |
| Color Space | BT.709 · Full range |
| Audio Format | AAC · 320 kbps · 48 kHz · Stereo |
| Pixel Aspect Ratio | 1.000 (Square pixels) |
YouTube — 4K UHD (H.265 for Best Quality)
H.265 / HEVC · MP4
| Format | MAGIX HEVC/AAC MP4 (H.265) |
| Resolution | 3840 × 2160 |
| Video Bitrate | 50–80 Mbps (YouTube recommends 35–68 Mbps for 4K) |
| Frame Rate | Match project (typically 24 or 30 fps) |
| Color Space | BT.2020 (if HDR source) or BT.709 |
| Audio Format | AAC · 320 kbps · 48 kHz · Stereo |
YouTube trick: YouTube processes 4K videos through a different (higher-quality) codec pipeline than 1080p. If maximum quality matters, some creators upload a 4K export of 1080p-resolution content — causing YouTube to treat it as 4K and use the premium VP9/AV1 codec, producing noticeably better 1080p playback quality.
Instagram (Reels, Feed Posts, Stories)
Instagram applies heavy compression, especially on Reels. Your best defense is uploading the highest-quality file within their format limits. Instagram also has strict aspect ratio requirements depending on where the content appears.
Instagram — Reels & Feed (Vertical & Square)
H.264 · MP4 · Max 60 fps
| Format | MAGIX AVC/AAC MP4 (H.264) |
| Resolution (Vertical/Reels) | 1080 × 1920 (9:16) |
| Resolution (Square) | 1080 × 1080 (1:1) |
| Resolution (Landscape Feed) | 1080 × 608 (1.91:1) |
| Frame Rate | 30 fps (or match your project, max 60) |
| Video Bitrate | 10–15 Mbps |
| Max File Size | 4 GB (Reels: 1 GB recommended) |
| Max Duration | Reels: 90 seconds · Feed: 60 minutes |
| Audio Format | AAC · 192–256 kbps · 48 kHz · Stereo |
Watch your safe zone: Instagram's UI overlays (captions, like buttons, profile info) cover the top and bottom portions of vertical video. Keep important content — faces, titles, key graphics — in the center 70% of the vertical frame to avoid being obscured by the interface.
TikTok
TikTok also applies heavy compression, but it accepts high-quality sources and tends to preserve quality better than Instagram in comparable scenarios. The primary format is vertical (9:16), though landscape is supported.
TikTok — Recommended Export
H.264 · MP4 · 9:16 Vertical
| Format | MAGIX AVC/AAC MP4 (H.264) |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920 (9:16 vertical) |
| Frame Rate | 30 fps or 60 fps |
| Video Bitrate | 10–15 Mbps |
| Max File Size | 4 GB (web) / 287.6 MB (mobile app) |
| Max Duration | Up to 10 minutes |
| Audio Format | AAC · 192 kbps · 44.1 kHz · Stereo |
Vimeo
Vimeo uses a significantly more generous compression algorithm than either Instagram or TikTok, making it the preferred platform for showcasing high-quality work. The recommended approach is to upload the highest-quality file possible within your account's storage and weekly upload limits.
Vimeo — High Quality Upload
H.264 or H.265 · MP4 · No hard bitrate limit
| Format | MAGIX AVC/AAC MP4 (H.264) or H.265 |
| Resolution | Match your project (up to 8K) |
| Frame Rate | Match your project |
| Video Bitrate | As high as possible — Vimeo recommends 5–20 Mbps for 1080p, 20–40 Mbps for 4K |
| Color Space | BT.709 |
| Audio Format | AAC · 320 kbps · 48 kHz · Stereo |
| Alternative for archiving | ProRes 422 or ProRes 4444 |
Broadcast / Archive (Master File)
Every professional project should produce a master archive file — a high-quality reference export that you can re-export from in the future for different platforms or specifications without returning to the original project files.
Archive / Master File
Lossless or near-lossless for future delivery
| Best option (with plugin) | Apple ProRes 422 HQ or ProRes 4444 |
| Built-in high quality | MAGIX AVC, 50–80 Mbps, 4:2:2 chroma if available |
| Resolution | Match project (1080p or 4K) |
| Frame Rate | Match project exactly |
| Audio | Uncompressed PCM or AAC 320 kbps · 48 kHz |
| Color Space | BT.709 (SDR) or BT.2020 (HDR) |
General Rendering Tips for VEGAS Pro
- Always render to your project's native frame rate. If you shot at 30fps, render at 30fps. Frame rate conversion introduces interpolation artifacts that degrade quality.
- Use 2-pass encoding for H.264 when time allows. 2-pass encoding analyzes the video first, then encodes with optimal bit allocation — producing better quality at the same file size than 1-pass at an equivalent bitrate.
- Set audio to 48 kHz, not 44.1 kHz, for video. 44.1 kHz is the standard for music (CD); video production uses 48 kHz. Mismatched audio sample rates can cause subtle sync drift in some playback contexts.
- Render at 100% project scale — never upscale during export. If your project is 1080p, export at 1080p. Scaling up in the render dialog doesn't create real resolution.
- Check "Use Project Settings" before rendering to ensure your export resolution and frame rate match what you've been working in.
- Preview your render settings using the Render As dialog's preview window before committing to a long render — checking for any color space or aspect ratio issues before you commit.
The Universal Rule of Export
For all online platforms: export at the highest quality your file size and upload constraints allow, with H.264 as the universal safe choice. Match your frame rate exactly to your project. Use the highest bitrate that platforms accept without rejection. The platform's encoder will handle compression — your job is to give it the best possible source material to start from.
With your export dialed in, the last ingredient for professional-quality content is strong project templates and motion graphics. Explore our VEGAS Pro templates — professionally built project files that are already export-ready for the platforms that matter most.