# Manage Camera Video Quality

You can change the image quality when viewing camera footage based on your streaming needs. Verkada cameras support standard-quality (SQ) and high-quality (HQ) streams.

* SQ - reduced image quality and uses less bandwidth.
* HQ - better image quality and uses more bandwidth.

***

## Set global default video quality

Set the video quality your cameras will default to for live and recorded data.

#### Live stream

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**In the left navigation, click Settings.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select the video quality from the Default Cloud Live Stream Quality dropdown.**
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

#### Historical footage

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**In the left navigation, click Settings.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select the video quality from the Default History Playback Quality dropdown.**
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Change a camera’s video quality

Temporarily change a camera’s video quality to best suit your streaming needs.

#### Live stream

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select the camera you want to view.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**In the bottom left of the live stream, click the SQ/HQ dropdown and select the video quality needed.**
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

#### Historical footage

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select the camera you want to view.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Under the video player, select History.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select the date and time of the footage you want to view.**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Click Options .**
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Under Video, select the video quality needed.**
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Compare live feed bitrates

Bitrates vary by camera model and whether you are streaming in SQ or HQ. See [Bandwidth Consumption & Uplink Requirements for Video](/verkada-cameras/installation/bandwidth-consumption-uplink-requirements-for-video.md) for the bitrate value per model and video quality.

***

## Camera framerates

The default framerate for most cameras is 24 FPS. If the camera location is set to one of the following countries, the framerate will default to 25 FPS.

```
United Kingdom
Ireland
Germany
France
Russia
Italy
Spain
Switzerland
Netherlands
Belgium
Poland
Portugal
Finland
Turkey
Israel
Australia
New Zealand
Argentina
Jamaica
Argentina
South Africa
Egypt
India
Malaysia
Thailand
Vietnam
Japan*
```

{% hint style="success" %}
\*Japan has two different power grids. We will set the framerate to 25 if the camera is located in a zip code on the power grid compatible with 25 FPS. Otherwise, the framerate will remain 24 FPS.
{% endhint %}


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```
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