---
title: 'Best OBS Settings for STREAMING in 2026 (Complete Guide)'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=na-azYSjL2Y'
video_id: 'na-azYSjL2Y'
date: 2026-06-14
duration_sec: 275
---

# Best OBS Settings for STREAMING in 2026 (Complete Guide)

> Source: [Best OBS Settings for STREAMING in 2026 (Complete Guide)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=na-azYSjL2Y)

## Summary

This video provides a quick guide to improving live stream video quality using OBS Studio, covering settings for canvas resolution, capture devices, and encoder configuration to achieve crystal-clear output.

### Key Points

- **Goal: Improve Stream Quality** [0:00] — The video aims to fix blurry, blotchy, and choppy live streams using OBS Studio best practices.
- **Set Base and Output Resolution** [0:16] — In Settings > Video, set base and output canvas to 1920x1080 (1080p) and FPS to 60 for standard quality on YouTube/Twitch.
- **Add Gameplay Source** [0:52] — Add a Video Capture Device source, select your capture card (e.g., AverMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1), set resolution/FPS type to custom, choose 4K or 1080p, FPS 60, color range full.
- **Modify Stream Settings (Advanced)** [2:12] — In Settings > Output, switch to Advanced mode. Select video encoder: x264 (CPU) or NVENC H.264 (Nvidia GPU) or Apple VT (M1/M2/M3/M4 Mac).
- **Encoder Settings** [3:18] — Rate control: CBR. Bitrate: 6000 for Twitch, 10000 for YouTube. Keyframe interval: 2. Multipass mode: full resolution. Profile: high. Check look ahead, adaptive quantization, B frames.
- **Bonus: Network Troubleshooting** [4:15] — If network issues occur, reduce bitrate by 500 intervals. Run an internet speed test to adjust precisely.

### Conclusion

By applying these OBS settings—1080p 60fps, proper encoder selection, and optimal bitrate—you can significantly enhance your live stream's visual quality for viewers.

## Transcript

Today I'm going to be quickly showing
you guys how you can take the video
quality of your live streams from
looking blurry, blotchy, and choppy to
crystal clear, thus improving the
viewing experience for your audience.
And to do this, we're going to be using
OBS Studio to implement these best
practice settings. So, the first thing
we're going to want to do is head over
to the right hand side and access our
settings. Go to the video tab. And
within here, you're going to want to set
the base and output canvas resolutions.
The standard quality that you'll
typically see on platforms such as
YouTube and Twitch is going to be 1080p
60. So, right now, my base canvas is
1920x 1080, but our output is at 720p,
and we want to adjust this to be at
1080p quality. As for the common FPS
value, the standard is 60 fps. So, we're
going to want to change that from 30 to
60. Once that's good to go, let's select
apply and okay. And then the next thing
we're going to want to do is add our
gameplay source. So I'm going to do that
within my sources by going to the plus
button here, then adding a video capture
device source. I'm just going to call it
capture card. Select okay. And within
here, we're going to select the device
dropdown and choose the capture card
connected to our computer. For me, I'm
using the Aver Media Live Gamer 4K 2.1.
Since I have everything connected
correctly, it just popped right up. And
then the next thing we're going to want
to do is head over down here to the
resolution FPS type. Let's select this
dropdown and instead of using the device
default, let's change that to custom.
And then under that you're going to see
the resolution dropdown. So we're going
to choose that as well. Now if you
happen to be playing your game in 4K
quality and you are passing that through
your capture card, I would go ahead and
select the 4K option here. And the
reason for this is because you'll get a
better image quality if you set it to 4K
rather than 1080p. But let's say your
computer can't handle processing 4K,
then instead I would just knock it down
to 1920 by 1080, which will still look
great. After that, you're going to want
to set your FPS value to 60. OBS, why is
this showing up over here? What?
Whatever. Video format, you can keep at
any color space, you can do Rex 709. And
then color range, you want to have that
to be full. Once that's done, go ahead
and select okay. And now the next thing
we're going to want to do is modify our
actual stream settings. So to do that,
we're going to want to go back over to
our settings, then go to the output tab.
And from here, instead of being in the
simple output mode, we're going to want
to select that drop down and choose the
advanced option. Now, staying within the
streaming tab here, audio track, you can
keep that as is. Audio encoder is fine.
VOD track is fine. The video encoder is
one of the most important parts you're
going to want to pay attention to. So,
right now, mine is set to x264, which
means it's leveraging the CPU or also
known as the processor on my computer.
You'll want to keep this option selected
if you don't have a dedicated graphics
card such as one from Nvidia or AMD. In
my case, I do have an Nvidia RTX 5070
series graphics card. So, in my case,
I'm going to want to select the Nvidia
Invect H.264 for my video encoder. For
those of you guys that are using an M1,
M2, M3, M4 silicon base chip Mac, then
you're going to want to select the Apple
VT hardware encoder. From there, we can
head over down to our encoder settings.
The rate control, we're going to want to
have that at CBR or constant bit rate.
The bit rate itself, you're going to
want to set that to 6,000 if you're on
Twitch. But if you're streaming to a
platform like YouTube that doesn't have
a cap on how much bit rate you can push
out, then I would put this up to 10,000
kilobits per second as your video
quality will look much nicer compared to
using a lower bit rate. As for the key
frame interval, you're going to want to
set this to two so that your viewers
have a better playback experience.
Presets, you can keep those as is with
the exception of the multipass mode drop
down. I would set that to full
resolution. Profile can remain high.
Look ahead and adaptive quantization
should be checked off and B frame should
be too. Once you have that complete, go
ahead and select apply and okay. Go
ahead and launch your stream with your
new updated settings and let me know in
the comment section below how your
quality is looking. Now, as a bonus tip,
if you are running to any network issues
with your stream, then go back to your
bit rate setting and keep reducing it by
intervals of 500 until your issue is
gone. It would even help to do a
internet speed test to see where you're
coming in at that will help you to
adjust this number more precisely. All
right, that's it. Told you it was going
to be a quick one. Peace.