The short answer is: it depends.
The longer answer is: it depends on a lot of things, including the type of video and the size of the video file.
In general, uploading a video takes less time than downloading it. In fact, some videos take almost no time at all to upload! And if you’re using Google Drive or another cloud-based storage solution, your uploads can be completed in mere seconds.
However, uploading larger files can take longer because they require more bandwidth—and if your internet connection isn’t very fast, it can add up quickly.
If you’d like to know how long it takes for your particular situation, here are some factors that affect upload speed:
1. The length of the video
The first step in uploading to YouTube is deciding how long your video should be. This will affect how much time it takes to upload to your channel, so it’s important to think about this in advance.
If you’re uploading a regular-length video (1-3 minutes), you can expect it to take anywhere from 10-15 minutes. If you’re uploading something longer than that, however, you’ll want to plan on 20-30 minutes.
It’s also important to note that if you’re shooting in 4K or shooting at high frame rates (60fps or higher), your upload time will increase significantly because these options require more processing power and therefore take longer for YouTube servers to process and upload.
Read more: How To Watch Private YouTube Videos?
2. The type of computer you’re using
The speed at which your video uploads depends on the type of computer you’re using, as well as how much other data is currently being uploaded and downloaded from that same computer. The more data you’re uploading or downloading at any given time, the longer it will take for your video to be processed by YouTube.
If you’re working on a laptop, desktop, or tablet with an average-speed internet connection, then your video should upload within a few seconds. If you’re working on a smartphone with a slower internet connection or limited storage space, then your video may take up to several minutes to upload.
3. How much RAM do you have
If you have 4GB of RAM or less, it is recommended that you wait at least 2 hours after recording before uploading. This gives time for the video to be processed and compressed by Google’s servers. If you have 8GB or more, then uploading should be instantaneous.
4. The speed of your Internet connection
If you have a slow connection, uploading a video to YouTube can take hours. That’s because the Internet connection is shared among all the devices in your home, and all of them are trying to send data through it at the same time. You might even find that when you try to upload a video on your phone, and then later open it on your computer, it takes much longer than expected because there are other people using those devices at the same time.
If you have a fast Internet connection—like gigabit fiber or cable—you’ll be able to upload videos more quickly than someone with slower speeds.
5. The size of your video file
The size of your video file is one of the biggest factors that will determine how long it takes to upload a video to YouTube. If you have a high-quality video that’s over 2GB in size, it could take up to an hour or more to upload! If you have a smaller file, such as one under 1GB, it might only take a few minutes.
6. The amount of traffic that YouTube is currently experiencing
If you’re uploading a video on a Friday night at 10 pm, chances are you’ll be able to get it up and ready for viewing within 15 minutes. However, if you’re trying to get your video up during peak hours—like between 3 pm and 6 pm on any weekday—then you might have a bit more of a wait ahead of you. This is because YouTube’s servers are receiving so many requests at once that they can’t handle them all quickly enough.
So when it comes to uploading a video, make sure that you do it during off-hours (or at least avoid peak hours).
Additional tips to speed up the process:
- Ensure that your video is no longer than 15 minutes. If it is greater than that, you’ll have to split it into multiple videos—and that will take more time!
- Make sure your video has a resolution of 720p or higher. This will ensure that it plays smoothly and looks great on different devices.
- Don’t use copyrighted music or images in your video unless you own them yourself or have permission from the owners to use them in your video (and are allowed by law).
- Check that your computer is free of viruses and malware, as this can cause problems with uploading files.
- Be sure that nothing is being stored on your computer that could be slowing down the process (e.g., large files, temporary files, etc.).