When you paste a link, Shorts Downloader lists every quality YouTube offers for that video. This guide explains what those labels mean so you can pick the right one.
Resolutions
The number before the p is the height of the picture in pixels for a normal widescreen (16:9) video.
| Label | Size (16:9) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K) | 3840×2160 | 4K TVs and monitors, editing with room to crop |
| 1440p (2K) | 2560×1440 | Large high-resolution monitors |
| 1080p (Full HD) | 1920×1080 | Almost everything: laptops, phones, TVs |
| 720p (HD) | 1280×720 | Phones and smaller files |
| 480p and below | 854×480 and smaller | Slow connections or very limited storage |
Shorts are vertical, so their dimensions are flipped: a 1080p Short is 1080×1920. You can only download qualities up to what the creator uploaded; YouTube never upscales.
Frame rate (the "60" in 1080p60)
A label like 1080p60 means 1080p at 60 frames per second. Higher frame rates make fast motion, such as gaming and sports, look smoother. Labels without a number are usually 24, 25 or 30 fps, which is standard for most videos. A 60 fps file is somewhat larger than the same resolution at 30 fps.
Video codecs: H.264, VP9 and AV1
Every video option downloads as an MP4, but the video inside can be compressed in different ways. The codec is shown next to each quality.
| Codec | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| H.264 | Plays on virtually every device, editor and TV | Used for most qualities up to 1080p. Preferred whenever YouTube offers it. |
| VP9 | Browsers, VLC, Android, recent Macs and PCs | Often the only option at 1440p and 4K. Some older devices and editors can't open it. |
| AV1 | Recent browsers, VLC, newer phones and GPUs | The most efficient, so files are smaller, but the least supported on older hardware. |
If a 4K file won't play, open it in VLC, which supports all three codecs, or download 1080p, which is usually H.264.
Audio
Video downloads include sound as AAC audio. The Audio only option saves the same AAC stream as an M4A file, usually around 128 kbps, without re-encoding. See the audio downloader for details and how to convert to MP3 if a device requires it.
Why some sizes start with "~"
Above 360p, YouTube stores picture and sound as two separate streams. Shorts Downloader downloads both and joins them into one MP4 on the server, copying the video without re-encoding so no quality is lost. The listed size adds the two streams together, so it's marked as an estimate (~); the final file is usually within a few percent.
This joining step is also why higher qualities take a little longer to start than audio or 360p.
Which one should you choose?
- Watching on a phone or laptop: 1080p, or 720p to save space.
- Watching on a 4K TV or editing: 2160p if offered, and play it with VLC or a recent device.
- Maximum compatibility (older TVs, car screens, presentation software): the highest H.264 option, usually 1080p.
- Saving data: 480p or 360p.
- Only need the sound: Audio only (M4A).