How to Upload Long Videos on Facebook

You’ve just perfected a long-form video masterpiece - a detailed tutorial, an in-depth interview, or a compelling brand story - only for the Facebook uploader to get stuck at 99%, fail entirely, or degrade your video’s quality. It’s a frustratingly common roadblock for creators and marketers. This guide cuts through the confusion, giving you the exact steps, technical requirements, and optimization strategies to get your long videos uploaded to Facebook reliably and looking their best every time.

Understanding Facebook's Video Requirements (The Unskippable Part)

Most upload issues come down to an ignored spec sheet. Before you even try to upload, making sure your file meets Facebook's rules is the single best thing you can do to avoid problems. While Facebook is flexible, large files push its limits. Sticking to these guidelines gives the platform's processor an easier time, leading to faster, more successful uploads.

Recommended Specs for Long Facebook Feed Videos

Here’s a quick-reference checklist for standard, on-demand videos (not Reels or Stories) that you'd post to your Page's feed. Think of these as the “ideal” settings for a smooth upload.

• Max Length: 240 minutes (4 hours). If your video is longer, you’ll need to trim it down.
• Max File Size: 10 GB. While you can technically upload a file this large, it's not recommended. Massive files take forever to upload and process, increasing the chance of an error. Aim for 2-4 GB for a feature-length video by exporting with web-optimized settings.
• Recommended Format: MP4 or MOV. These are the two most universally accepted and compatible video containers. Using an ".MP4" file with H.264 video codec and AAC audio is the gold standard for web video.
• Recommended Resolution: 1080p (1920x1080 pixels). You can upload in 4K, and sometimes this tricks Facebook’s compression into giving you a higher-quality 1080p output, but 1080p is the sweet spot for quality vs. file size. Don't upload anything lower than 720p.
• Aspect Ratio: Facebook supports nearly everything, but the best performers are typically 1:1 (square), 4:5 (vertical - slightly taller than square), and 9:16 (fully vertical for mobile viewing). Standard 16:9 (horizontal widescreen) is fine but takes up less screen real estate on mobile feeds.

A Quick Note on Reels, Stories, and Live Videos: Keep in mind that "long videos" as we're discussing them apply to the main Facebook feed. Reels have a much shorter time limit (typically up to 90 seconds), and Stories have an even shorter clip limit. Broadcasts on Facebook Live can go up to 8 hours, but that's a streaming process, not an upload of a pre-recorded file.

The Best Upload Method: Meta Business Suite (Forget the Feed Uploader)

If you're managing a Facebook Page, you should avoid uploading directly from your feed (the "What's on your mind?" box). While convenient for quick posts, it's less reliable for large files and offers fewer optimization features. The professional-grade tool for this job is the Meta Business Suite (what used to be called Creator Studio), and it's completely free.

It's designed to handle bigger assets, gives you more control, and provides a much more stable upload experience. Here's how to use it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Uploading with Meta Business Suite

1. Access Meta Business Suite: Go to business.facebook.com and select the account and Page you want to post to. If you haven't used it before, it's pretty straightforward to connect your Facebook Page.
2. Initiate the Post: From the homepage or the "Content" tab, click the "Create post" button. This will open the composer window, which might look familiar but has more power than the standard feed uploader.
3. Upload Your Video: In the "Media" section, click "Add video" and then choose "Upload from desktop." Select your video file from your computer.
4. Fill Out Your Post Details While It Uploads: Here's the magic of Business Suite. As your video is uploading in the background (which could take a while for a large file!), you can get to work on optimizing everything about it. Don't wait for the upload to finish before moving on to the next section.

This process - uploading from a desktop computer, using Meta Business Suite - solves the majority of upload failures right away. The rest of the battle is fought in the optimization settings.

How to Optimize Your Long Video for Clicks and Views

Getting your video uploaded is only half the job. Now you have to make sure people actually stop scrolling and watch it. Business Suite gives you all the tools you need to grab attention and boost the algorithm's favor.

1. Write a Magnetic Title and Description

The "Video details" section is your first impression. Don't neglect it.

• Title: Create a title that is clear, searchable (if it's educational content), and emotionally intriguing. It should tell the viewer exactly what they will get from watching. Instead of "Recap Video," try "Our Complete 20-Minute Marketing Summit Recap."
• Description: The description box is your mini-blog post. Use the first three lines to hook the viewer, since this is what shows before the "See more..." link. Briefly summarize the video's content, add relevant links, and include a clear call-to-action (CTA), like "What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!"

2. Design a Custom Thumbnail That Pops

Never leave your thumbnail to chance. The auto-generated thumbnail Facebook suggests will almost certainly be a blurry, awkward frame that does nothing to attract viewers. Instead, upload a custom one.

• Best Practices for Thumbnails:
  • Use Bold Text: A few words in a clear, bold font can tell the story instantly.
  • Show a Face: Human faces, especially with expressive emotions, draw the eye.
  • High Contrast: Use bright colors and strong contrast to stand out in a crowded feed.
  • Keep it Clean: Don't cram too much text or too many images into a tiny space.

3. Don't Skip on Tags

Tags are keywords that help Facebook understand your video's topic. This enables the algorithm to categorize your content and recommend it to users who have shown interest in those topics. In the optimization panel, click on "Show more" and find the "Tags" section. Add 5-8 relevant tags that describe your video's main subject, themes, and niche.

4. Add Captions (SRT Files) for Silent Watchers

This is arguably the most important optimization step. Statistics consistently show that upwards of 85% of Facebook videos are viewed with the sound off. If your video doesn't have captions, you’re losing a massive portion of your potential audience.

• While Facebook's auto-captioning feature has improved, it's still prone to errors.
• For the most professional result, upload your own .SRT caption file. You can create these easily using free online tools or services like Rev. In Business Suite, go to the "Captions" section and simply upload your file. It ensures 100% accuracy and makes your content accessible.

5. Choose Your Publishing Options Wisely

Finally, decide how and when your video will go live.

• Publish Now: Pushes it live immediately after processing.
• Schedule: This is a powerful feature for brands. Schedule your video to go live at a time when your audience is most active. You can find your peak times in your Page's analytics.
• Save as Draft: Lets you come back and finish later if you're not ready.
• Premiere: This creates an event-like feel around your video launch. It publishes a post announcing the upcoming video, and when it goes live, viewers can watch it together in real-time. This is excellent for building anticipation for major announcements or important content pieces.

Common Upload Problems and How to Fix Them

Even when following the rules, things can go wrong. Here are some common issues and their solutions.

Problem: My upload is incredibly slow or keeps failing.

Fix: This is almost always an internet connection issue. An unstable Wi-Fi connection can interrupt the data stream for a large file. Try switching to a wired Ethernet connection for far greater stability. Also, consider lightly compressing your video using a free tool like HandBrake. You can often reduce the file size by 30-50% with minimal noticeable loss in quality.

Problem: I get the error "Your video could not be processed."

Fix: This means Facebook doesn't like something about the file itself. Double-check that it’s an MP4 or MOV file with the H.264 codec. If you're unsure, run the video through HandBrake and export it using one of its "Fast 1080p30" presets. This process "cleans" the file, packaging it into a perfectly standard format that Facebook can easily digest.

Problem: The video quality looks terrible after uploading.

Fix: Facebook will always compress your video, but you can minimize the damage. Always start with a high-quality source file - exporting your video at 1080p is the baseline. Also, in your Page's settings, look for video settings and make sure there's an option ticked for uploading in HD by default. If it exists for your page, this tells Facebook to use a gentler compression algorithm for your uploads.

Problem: It won't let me upload a large video from my phone.

Fix: Don't do it. Mobile uploads are optimized for small clips like Reels and Stories. Relying on a cellular or residential Wi-Fi network to transfer a multi-gigabyte file from your phone through the Facebook app is a recipe for failure. For long videos, always make the switch to a desktop or laptop computer.

Final Thoughts

Successfully uploading a long video to Facebook boils down to a simple formula: get your file specs right before you start, use the robust tools within Meta Business Suite, and meticulously optimize the details before you schedule or publish. Taking these extra few minutes moves your video from just another piece of content to a polished, professional asset positioned for maximum reach.

Of course, once you’ve nailed your upload workflow, staying consistent across all your platforms is what truly drives growth. To help with that, we built Postbase from the ground up for today's video-centric social world. We were tired of old tools that struggled with video formats, so we created a platform where you can plan all your content - from long-form Facebook videos to your Instagram Reels and TikToks - on a single, beautiful calendar. It removes the friction of scheduling and lets you focus on creating more great content.