CRF Basics: Picking the Right Quality Level
Updated: 4/29/2026
CRF Basics
Featured Videos
- FFmpeg in 100 Seconds
- YouTube 1080p CRF Quality Comparison
What CRF means
Lower CRF = higher quality, larger size
Typical range 18–28
Visual quality vs file size trade‑off
Practical choices
Social: CRF ~23
Email: CRF ~28
Archive: CRF ~20
Tips
Preview short segments
Avoid extremely low CRF for web delivery
Combine with proper presets
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