YouTube’s loudness: what is published, and what is only reported
YouTube publishes no loudness target. −14 LUFS with a true peak of −1 dBTP is the figure the field repeats, and it is the one RefBooth reads a master against for YouTube, marked as reported, not published.
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The figures
| Loudness target | −14 LUFS (reported, not published) |
|---|---|
| True-peak ceiling | −1 dBTP |
| A master quieter than the target | A quieter master is reported not to be turned up. |
| Albums | Each track on its own. |
| Where the figure comes from | Reported, not published |
YouTube publishes no loudness target. −14 is the figure the field repeats, and it is reported to turn loud masters down and never quiet ones up. "Stable volume" is on by default for other videos and also compresses dynamics; YouTube says it is off for YouTube Music and official music videos.
What happens to a louder master
It is turned down by the difference. A master made at −8 LUFS for club systems plays about 6 dB quieter on YouTube than it left the studio, next to tracks that reached the same level without being pushed as hard. The level is given back; the density it took to get there stays.
What happens to a quieter master
A quieter master is reported not to be turned up. So mastering quieter than −14 LUFS for YouTube costs you level next to the videos around it.
Check your master against YouTube
Drop the file you are about to deliver: the report reads its loudness against YouTube’s figure, its true peak against the ceiling, and says what to fix first. In DJ and Studio, each with a 3-day trial.
What LUFS should I master to for YouTube?
YouTube does not say. The figure the field repeats is −14 LUFS, with a true peak of −1 dBTP; a master in that region is neither turned down much nor left quieter than its neighbours.
Does YouTube turn quiet videos up?
A quieter master is reported not to be turned up.
Where do these figures come from?
−14 LUFS is the figure the field repeats. YouTube’s own help page, the source below, describes its volume features without stating a target; the day it was last re-read is beside it.
Every platform side by side: loudness targets; the choice itself: the guide to mastering loudness. The other two pages people ask about: Spotify and Apple Music.
Sources
- YouTube: support.google.com, checked on 1 November 2026.