How Long Does it Take to Upload a Video to YouTube – (And Why)?

How Long Does it Take to Upload a Video to YouTube – (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 15 minutes

YouTube is a video sharing platform where people of all ages can share videos. These videos can also be commented on, rated, uploaded, reported, etc.

YouTube is used for many purposes. Some use YouTube for entertainment by watching music videos and movies.

Others use YouTube as a marketing venue by sharing videos on products and services. While others use YouTube as a means of revenue by sharing videos that they hope others will watch and they can obtain ad money from them based on the viewers.

YouTube has videos for people of all ages however they try to make sure that inappropriate videos are not on the platform and if they are available, that they are not viewed by minors. No matter how YouTube is used, it is open to millions of people daily.

How Long Does it Take to Upload a Video to YouTube

How Long Does It Take to Upload a YouTube Video?

Internet SpeedVideo Size (MB)Time to Upload
1MBps1GB15 minutes
10MBps1GB2 minutes
100MBps1GB20 seconds
1GBps1GB1 second

Regardless of how YouTube is being used, there are those who view videos and those who provide videos for others to view. Those who view the videos basically play the video they want to watch.

selective focus photography of person using tablet computer

Those who provide videos for others to view must upload those videos to the YouTube system so that they are available for the world to see. Uploading a YouTube video can take minutes or even hours.

Why Does It Take This Long to Upload a YouTube Video?

Uploading a YouTube video seems simple. You create the video, direct the YouTube system to the location of the video, and then tell YouTube to upload it. But even though the process is simple, the time it takes depends on many factors, those include but are not limited to:

  1. Format of the video
  2. File Size
  3. Upload Traffic
  4. Internet Connection
  5. Type of Computer you use

The format of the video is important because different there are many different formats that a video can use. There are some that are common and those a little less common.

Depending on the format, YouTube’s system might have to do extra work to get those videos uploaded. The file size also plays a major role in how long it takes the video to upload.

A small file may take minutes, but a larger file may take hours. YouTube videos can be almost any length of time depending on the type of account the uploader has available.

The longer the video, the bigger the file, and the longer it can take for the video to upload. The upload traffic is based on the number of people who are uploading files at the time.

Imagine this upload traffic as if it is vehicle traffic. The more vehicles that are moving in the same direction, the more time it will take to get to your destination.

Upload traffic is very similar. Your internet connection can be fast or slow and this can also determine if your upload is fast or slow. If you have a slower computer, then it processes things a bit slower than a faster computer, therefore your video may upload slow because of this delayed processing time.

upload speedtest

References

  1. https://arxiv.org/abs/0707.3670
  2. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1227&context=ijahsp/
dot 1
One request?

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Avatar of Nidhi

AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

16 Comments

  1. The post offers valuable insights into the technical aspects that affect video upload speeds on YouTube.

  2. I never realized there were so many factors that affected upload time, the traffic analogy really helped to understand.

  3. I appreciate the detailed breakdown of upload time factors and the comparison to vehicle traffic made it more comprehensible.

  4. This is a really good explanation for why it takes so long to upload videos on YouTube. I appreciate the detailed breakdown.

  5. I often find that it takes a lot longer to upload videos than I think it should. It’s great to have a clear explanation as to why this might happen.

  6. This article presents a logical and structured explanation of the factors influencing upload times on YouTube.

  7. A well-researched and informative article that provides a clear understanding of the video upload process.

  8. This article adds clarity to an issue that many content creators face. The details provided help in understanding the upload process.

  9. This article provides a comprehensive look at the factors affecting upload time on YouTube, which is useful for content creators.

    1. Absolutely, it’s important for content creators to have realistic expectations when it comes to upload times.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *