Create your first video course
You've recorded and edited your course videos, but now comes a crucial final step: exporting them with the right settings for online delivery. Poor export choices can result in huge file sizes that take forever to upload, terrible quality that frustrates students, or compatibility issues that prevent playback.
Getting export settings right ensures your students have a smooth viewing experience while keeping your upload and hosting costs reasonable. The good news? Once you understand the basics, you can create export presets that work consistently for all your content.
This guide covers everything you need to know about exporting course videos — from technical settings to platform-specific optimizations.
Every video export involves balancing three factors:
Quality: How good the video looks and sounds File Size: How much storage space and bandwidth the video requires Compatibility: How widely the video can be played across devices and platforms
You can optimize two of these factors, but improving all three simultaneously is impossible. Understanding this trade-off helps you make informed decisions for your specific needs.
Resolution determines the sharpness and detail level of your video:
Aspect ratio should match your recording:
Frame rate affects motion smoothness:
For course content, 30fps is usually optimal — smooth enough for any content type without unnecessarily large files.
Bitrate determines quality vs. file size balance:
Sample rate: 48kHz is professional standard, 44.1kHz is acceptable for courses Bit depth: 16-bit is sufficient for course content, 24-bit is professional standard Bitrate: 128kbps is minimum acceptable, 192-256kbps is excellent for courses
Audio often matters more than video quality for educational content — prioritize clear, consistent audio in your export settings.
Teeeach's streamlined platform focuses on reliable playback across all devices, so your export settings should prioritize compatibility and consistent quality:
Recommended Teeeach settings: - Format: MP4 (H.264) - Resolution: 1920x1080 (1080p) - Frame rate: 30fps - Video bitrate: 5-8 Mbps - Audio: AAC, 192 kbps, 48kHz
Why these settings work well: - Universal compatibility: Plays on all devices and browsers - Good quality/size balance: Professional appearance without massive files - Reliable streaming: Smooth playback even on slower connections - Future-proof: Settings that will work well as technology evolves
This combination works everywhere: - MP4 container: Supported by all modern devices and platforms - H.264 codec: Excellent compression with wide compatibility - AAC audio: High quality with universal support
For varied connection speeds, consider multiple versions: - High quality (8-10 Mbps): For users with fast connections - Standard quality (4-6 Mbps): Good balance for most users - Mobile quality (2-3 Mbps): For slower connections and mobile data
Before hitting export: - [ ] Review entire video for audio/video sync issues - [ ] Check for any visual artifacts or encoding problems in your edit - [ ] Verify that graphics and text are readable at target resolution - [ ] Confirm audio levels are consistent throughout - [ ] Test a short clip with your intended export settings
Recommended export settings: 1. Format: H.264 2. Preset: YouTube 1080p Full HD or custom 3. Video tab: - Width: 1920, Height: 1080 - Frame Rate: 29.97 fps (or match source) - Aspect: Square Pixels (1.0) - Bitrate Encoding: VBR, 2 pass - Target Bitrate: 6 Mbps - Maximum Bitrate: 8 Mbps 4. Audio tab: - Codec: AAC - Sample Rate: 48 kHz - Channels: Stereo - Bitrate: 192 kbps
Optimized settings for course content: 1. Share > Master File 2. Settings: - Format: Computer - Video Codec: H.264 - Resolution: 1920x1080 - Quality: Better (or Custom with 85% quality) 3. Audio: - Channels: Stereo - Sample Rate: 48 kHz - Bit Depth: 16 Bit
Professional export settings: 1. Deliver Page > Custom 2. Format: MP4 3. Codec: H.264 4. Resolution: 1920x1080 5. Frame Rate: 30fps 6. Quality: Automatic or Bitrate 6000 kbps 7. Audio Codec: AAC 8. Audio Bitrate: 192 kbps
Simplified course-optimized export: 1. Share > Local File 2. MP4 with Smart Player (HTML5) 3. Options: - Video Dimensions: 1920x1080 - Video Quality: High (or Custom) - Audio Quality: High - Frame Rate: 30 fps
Test your exported video on: - Desktop computer: Full-size viewing experience - Mobile phone: Portrait and landscape viewing - Tablet: Medium-size screen experience - Different browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
What to verify: - Audio clarity: Clear speech, no distortion or background noise - Video sharpness: Text and graphics are readable - Smooth playback: No stuttering or buffering issues - Sync accuracy: Audio and video perfectly aligned - Color accuracy: Consistent with your original footage
Create reusable export presets: - Course Standard: Your most common settings - High Quality: For premium content or detailed demonstrations - Mobile Optimized: Smaller files for mobile-first audiences - Audio Podcast: Audio-only versions for accessibility
For multiple videos: - Queue exports: Set up multiple videos to export overnight - Consistent naming: Use templates for file naming - Batch processing: Export multiple formats simultaneously - Quality control: Automated checks for common issues
Benefits of two-pass encoding: - Better quality: Analyzes entire video before encoding - Efficient compression: Allocates bitrate where needed most - Consistent quality: More even quality throughout video - Slightly longer export: Worth it for important content
When to use custom settings: - Screen recordings: Different optimal settings than camera footage - Animation heavy content: May need higher bitrates - Talking head videos: Can often use lower bitrates - Detailed technical content: May require higher quality settings
Consider multiple exports for different use cases: - Master quality: High bitrate version for archives - Standard delivery: Optimized for platform hosting - Mobile version: Smaller files for slower connections - Audio-only: For accessibility and podcast-style listening
Serve different quality based on user capability: - Auto-detection: Platform automatically serves best quality for user's connection - User choice: Allow students to select preferred quality - Adaptive streaming: Quality adjusts in real-time based on connection speed
Possible causes and solutions: - Too low bitrate: Increase target bitrate (try 8-10 Mbps) - Incorrect resolution: Ensure export resolution matches source - Poor source material: Quality problems in original footage - Over-compression: Use less aggressive compression settings
Common audio export problems: - Low bitrate: Increase audio bitrate to 192-256 kbps - Sample rate conversion: Match audio sample rate to source - Compression artifacts: Use less aggressive audio compression - Channel mixing issues: Verify stereo vs. mono settings
Strategies to reduce file size: - Lower video bitrate: Gradually reduce until quality is acceptable - Reduce frame rate: 24fps instead of 30fps for talking head content - Optimize audio: 128kbps audio for simple speech content - Trim unnecessary content: Remove long pauses and mistakes
Ensuring broad compatibility: - Use H.264 baseline profile: Most compatible encoding option - Standard frame rates: Stick to 24, 30, or 60fps - Common resolutions: Use standard resolutions like 1080p or 720p - Conservative settings: Avoid cutting-edge encoding options
Optimizing for faster uploads: - Upload during off-peak hours: Less internet congestion - Use ethernet connection: More stable than WiFi - Compress files appropriately: Balance quality with upload time - Batch upload scheduling: Upload multiple files overnight
Ensuring smooth streaming: - Optimize for bitrate: Target 4-6 Mbps for reliable streaming - Use progressive download: Allow playback to start before full download - Test on slower connections: Verify performance across connection speeds - Consider CDN delivery: Faster global content delivery
YouTube-specific recommendations: - Resolution: 1080p minimum, 4K for high-value content - Frame rate: Match source (30fps most common) - Bitrate: 8-12 Mbps for 1080p content - Audio: 192 kbps AAC or higher
Vimeo's high-quality focus: - Higher bitrates accepted: 10-20 Mbps for professional content - Color space: Rec. 709 for accurate colors - Frame rates: 24fps for cinematic feel, 30fps for standard content
For course promotion and clips: - Square (1:1): Instagram, Facebook posts - Vertical (9:16): Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts - Horizontal (16:9): Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook video
Tools and techniques for QA: - MediaInfo: Verify technical specifications - VLC Player: Test playback across different systems - Browser testing: Ensure web compatibility - Mobile device testing: Verify mobile playback quality
Human quality control: 1. Watch entire video: Check for visual or audio issues 2. Test on different devices: Verify consistent experience 3. Check file properties: Confirm export settings were applied correctly 4. Compare to source: Ensure quality meets expectations
Consistent file naming structure: - CourseModuleLesson_Version: EmailMarketingM02L03v1.mp4 - Include date: EmailMarketingM02L0320241201.mp4 - Quality indicator: EmailMarketingM02L03_HD.mp4
Organized file management:
Course Project/
├── 01_Source_Files/
├── 02_Exported_Videos/
│ ├── HD_Quality/
│ ├── Standard_Quality/
│ └── Mobile_Quality/
├── 03_Archive/
└── 04_Delivery_Ready/
Protecting your work: - Multiple backup locations: Cloud and local storage - Version tracking: Keep previous versions until new ones are verified - Master archive: High-quality versions for future re-encoding - Access logs: Track who accessed what files when
Staying current with encoding technology: - H.265/HEVC: Better compression, growing compatibility - AV1: Open-source future codec with excellent efficiency - VP9: Google's codec with good quality and compatibility
Preparing for quality expectations: - 4K adoption: Gradually becoming more common - HDR content: High dynamic range for premium courses - Variable resolution: Adaptive quality based on content complexity
Future delivery methods: - Adaptive bitrate streaming: Multiple quality levels served automatically - Edge computing: Faster content delivery globally - AI-assisted compression: Smarter encoding based on content analysis
Growing importance of inclusive content: - Automatic captions: AI-generated subtitles becoming standard - Audio descriptions: For visually impaired learners - Multiple language tracks: International audience considerations
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Resolution: 1920x1080
Frame Rate: 30fps
Video Bitrate: 6 Mbps (VBR, 2-pass)
Audio: AAC, 192 kbps, 48kHz, Stereo
Profile: High
Level: 4.0
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Resolution: 1920x1080
Frame Rate: 30fps
Video Bitrate: 10 Mbps (VBR, 2-pass)
Audio: AAC, 256 kbps, 48kHz, Stereo
Profile: High
Level: 4.2
Format: MP4 (H.264)
Resolution: 1280x720
Frame Rate: 30fps
Video Bitrate: 3 Mbps (VBR, 2-pass)
Audio: AAC, 128 kbps, 44.1kHz, Stereo
Profile: Main
Level: 3.1
Remember: The goal is creating the best possible viewing experience for your students while maintaining reasonable file sizes and upload times. Perfect technical specs mean nothing if students can't easily watch and learn from your content.
Next up: Design Course Materials and Worksheets
This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Creating and Selling Online Video Courses. Explore other parts of the guide:
- How to Get Ideas for Your Video Course
- How to Validate Your Course Idea
- How to Turn Ideas Into a Lesson Plan