What is the file size limit for a performance grade video?

2GB. Reelpass reads that as 2,000,000,000 bytes, the smaller of the two common readings, so a file under it is under either reading.

Can I edit the video?

Only the introduction, and only a small edit to add information you missed. Nothing in the performance itself may be edited, and nothing may be changed after the exam.

Which grades show photo ID?

Grades 6, 7 and 8. Grades 1 to 5 do not show photo ID on camera.

Does compressing the file count as editing?

Reelpass re-encodes only the picture at a lower bitrate and copies the sound untouched. It does not cut, join or reorder anything, so every moment of the take is still there in order.

Performance grade exam video requirements, Reelpass

Q: Is the diploma limit the same?

We have not read the diploma page, so we do not state its limit. Forum posts mention a different limit for diplomas; if you are submitting a diploma, check the board's diploma page.

The rules at a glance

These are the ABRSM Performance Grades rules, paraphrased from the board's guidance page. That page is the authority; read it before you upload, because the board can change it.

Size. No more than 2GB. The board writes the limit in GB. Reelpass reads 1 GB as 1,000,000,000 bytes, the smaller reading, so a file under it is under either reading.
Format. MP4, MOV or MPG.
File name. Letters, numbers, underscores and dashes only, and the name must not be blank. The page does not mention the extension, so keep the .mp4, .mov or .mpg ending.
One file, one take. One continuous recording. A small edit to the introduction is allowed only to add missing information; no edit of any kind to the performance, and no editing after the exam.
Introduction. Before the performance: announce your name, the subject and grade, and each piece's title, composer and list number in performance order; show the opening of your own-choice piece to the camera.
Photo ID. Grades 6, 7 and 8: at the start, hold photo ID close to the camera for at least 10 seconds, with the photo in focus, then show your face for 10 seconds.
Upload. The upload function is open for 28 days. You can upload the recording only once, so choose the right file.
Recording. The page advises 720p at 30 frames per second. Higher resolutions make files that may be too large to upload.

The page also says high grade videos are likely to run about 20 to 30 minutes. That is a hint, not a rule: Reelpass shows it as advice and never fails a file for its length.

2GB, not the diploma limit

People sometimes quote a different figure. Forum posts mention a different limit for diploma recordings. We have not read the diploma page, so we do not state that number; the 2GB limit above is the one on the performance grade guidance page. If you are entering a diploma, read the diploma page yourself.

Step by step

Set the camera. Set the phone or camera to 720p at 30 frames per second, fix it on a stand, and frame the candidate, the instrument and the hands.
Start recording. Start the camera before anything is said, and leave it running until the last piece has finished.
Give the introduction. Say the candidate's name, the subject and grade, then each piece's title, composer and list number in the order they will be played.
Show the own-choice music. Hold the opening of the own-choice piece to the camera so the title, clefs, key, time signature, tempo marking and first lines can be read.
Show photo ID at grades 6 to 8. Hold the photo ID close to the camera for at least 10 seconds with the photo in focus, then show the candidate's face for 10 seconds.
Perform without stopping. Play every piece in the order announced. Any retuning or short break stays in the recording.
Check and upload once. Check the size, format and file name, watch the whole file with sound, then upload it once within the 28 day window.

Worked example

A Grade 7 file that is too big and badly named

A candidate records on a phone at 1080p and ends up with a file of 2.30 GB. The limit is 2.00 GB, so the file is 300.0 MB over and cannot be uploaded as it is. Compressing the picture brings it under the limit without cutting anything; the guide to shrinking an exam video shows the arithmetic.

The file is called Maya Chen Grade 7.MOV. It contains spaces. Only letters, numbers, underscores and dashes are allowed. Reelpass suggests Maya_Chen_Grade_7.mov, which keeps the words, swaps the unsafe characters for underscores and writes the extension in lower case.

At Grade 7 the start of the take has three holds before the first piece, as the rehearsal clock times them:

Hold the photo ID close to the camera, in focus: 10 seconds (ABRSM's page).
Show the candidate's face to the camera: 10 seconds (ABRSM's page).
Show the opening of the music to the camera: 10 seconds (a Reelpass suggestion; the board sets no time).

That is 30 seconds of holds, plus the spoken introduction, before the performance begins.

Common mistakes

Recording at 4K or 1080p at 60 frames per second, which makes a file far over 2GB for a long programme.
Stopping the camera between pieces and joining the clips. The whole exam must be one recording.
Holding the photo ID too far away or for too short a time, so it cannot be read.
Forgetting to show the opening of the own-choice piece.
Renaming the file with spaces, dots or accented letters, or changing the extension.
Uploading a trial file first. The board allows one upload, so the first file is the one that counts.

Before you upload, check the video's size, format and file name in your browser. The check reads the file on your device and uploads nothing.

Sources

Checked on 27 September 2026. Every rule here is paraphrased from the page named, read on the date shown. Boards change their guidance; the board's own page is the authority, so check it before you upload.

Performance Grades Guidance. ABRSM Performance Grades, read 27 September 2026. No date is shown on the page. https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/performance-grades/guidance

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Performance grade exam video requirements