Start with the right output settings

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) works by capturing what's on your screen or camera, encoding it into a video stream, and sending it to your streaming platform. Before you go live, you need to tell OBS where to send that stream and how to compress it so it doesn't use all your internet bandwidth.

Open OBS and go to Settings, then Stream. Choose your service from the dropdown — Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or Custom if you're using something else. Paste your stream key (a long code your platform gives you) into the Stream Key field. This key is what connects OBS to your account, so treat it like a password and don't share it in screenshots or recordings.

Next, go to the Output tab. Set your bitrate — the amount of data OBS sends per second. For 1080p at 60 frames per second, use 6000 to 8500 kbps. For 720p at 60 fps, use 4500 to 6000 kbps. For 1080p at 30 fps, use 4500 to 6000 kbps. If your internet upload speed is below 10 Mbps, drop to 720p or lower bitrate to avoid buffering on your viewers' end. You can check your upload speed at speedtest.net.

Key Takeaways

  • Your stream key connects OBS to your streaming platform account — keep it private and paste it into Settings > Stream before going live.
  • Bitrate (measured in kbps) controls video quality and how much internet bandwidth you use; match it to your upload speed and desired resolution.
  • Add sources like your game window, webcam, or desktop to the Scenes panel so OBS knows what to broadcast.
  • Test your audio levels before streaming so your voice and game sound come through clearly without distortion or being too quiet.
  • Run a test stream to a private YouTube video or Twitch channel to check video quality and catch problems before going live publicly.

Build your scene with sources

A scene is the layout OBS shows to your viewers. It contains sources — the things you want to broadcast, like your game window, webcam, or desktop. You can have multiple scenes and switch between them during a stream.

In the Scenes panel on the left, click the plus icon to create a new scene. Name it something clear like "Gameplay" or "Intro". Then in the Sources panel below it, click the plus icon and choose what to add. If you're streaming a game, select Window Capture and choose your game's window from the list. If you want your webcam, select Video Capture Device and pick your camera. If you want to show your whole desktop, select Display Capture.

Resize and position each source by clicking and dragging its corners in the preview window. You can layer sources on top of each other — for example, put your game window behind a smaller webcam feed in the corner. Right-click a source to crop it, scale it, or rotate it. Create a second scene for breaks or transitions, like a static image with your social media handles or a "Be Right Back" message.

Set up audio inputs and levels

Audio is often what makes or breaks a stream. Viewers will forgive lower video quality, but they'll leave if they can't hear you clearly. OBS lets you control separate audio tracks for your microphone, game sound, and other sources.

Go to Settings > Audio. Under Devices, set your Microphone to your actual microphone (not Disabled). Set Desktop Audio to your speakers or audio interface if you want game sound in the stream. If you don't want game sound, leave it as Disabled.

During a stream, watch the audio mixer at the bottom of OBS. The green bars show volume levels in real time. Aim for the bars to peak around -6 dB (the yellow zone) when you're talking or when game sound is loudest. If the bars go into the red zone, your audio will distort. If they barely move, viewers won't hear you. Adjust the slider next to each source to control its volume. You can also right-click a source and select Filters to add noise suppression or compression if your microphone picks up background noise.

Choose video resolution and frame rate

Resolution is how many pixels wide and tall your stream is. Frame rate is how many images per second OBS sends. Together they affect video quality and how much bandwidth you need.

Go to Settings > Video. Set Base Canvas Resolution to match your monitor — usually 1920x1080 (1080p) or 1280x720 (720p). Set Output Scaled Resolution to what you want to broadcast. If your monitor is 1920x1080 but your internet is slow, you can scale down to 1280x720 for streaming while still seeing your full monitor. Set Common FPS Values to 60 if your internet can handle it, or 30 if you need to save bandwidth. Higher frame rate makes motion smoother but uses more data.

If you're streaming a fast-paced game like a shooter, 60 fps looks noticeably smoother. If you're streaming a turn-based game or just talking to a camera, 30 fps is fine and uses less bandwidth. Test both and see what your internet can handle without dropping frames.

Configure encoder settings for your hardware

The encoder is the part of OBS that compresses your video so it's small enough to send over the internet. Different encoders use different amounts of CPU or GPU power.

Go to Settings > Output and look for Encoder. If you see NVIDIA NVENC, AMD VCE, or Intel Quick Sync, your graphics card can handle encoding and your CPU will stay free for your game. This is the best option if your card supports it. If you only see x264, your CPU is doing the encoding — it's slower but works on any computer.

If you're using x264, go to Settings > Output > Encoding and set CPU Usage Preset to Fast or Medium. Fast uses less CPU but lower quality. Medium balances quality and CPU load. If your stream is stuttering or your game is lagging, switch to Fast. If your stream looks blurry, switch to Medium or upgrade your internet.

Test your stream before going live

Before you stream to your audience, run a test to catch problems. Create a private YouTube video or a hidden Twitch channel, start streaming there, and watch it on another device or browser tab to see what your viewers will see.

Check that your scene layout looks right, your audio levels are clear, and your video isn't pixelated or buffering. Watch the OBS Stats panel (View > Stats) during the test. If you see red numbers next to "Dropped Frames", your bitrate is too high for your internet or your encoder is overloaded. Lower your bitrate or resolution and test again.

Pay attention to how your game performs while OBS is running. If your frame rate drops significantly, lower OBS's bitrate or resolution, or switch to a faster encoder. You want your game to run smoothly — viewers notice lag more than they notice slightly lower stream quality.

Manage your stream during broadcast

Once you're live, OBS gives you control over what your viewers see without stopping the stream. Use the Scene list to switch between your gameplay scene, a break screen, or a camera-only scene. Click a scene to switch to it when ready.

Watch the audio mixer to make sure levels stay in the green. If your microphone gets too quiet, bump the slider up. If game sound drowns you out, lower the Desktop Audio slider. You can mute any source by clicking the speaker icon next to it.

Keep an eye on the Stats panel. If dropped frames start climbing, your internet connection is struggling. Tell viewers you're having connection issues and lower your bitrate by 500 to 1000 kbps. Restart the stream if frames keep dropping — sometimes your connection recovers after a restart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between bitrate and resolution?

Resolution is the size of the image (like 1920x1080). Bitrate is how much data OBS sends per second to create that image. Higher resolution and higher bitrate both improve quality, but they also use more internet. You have to balance them based on your upload speed.

Why does my stream look blurry or pixelated?

Blurriness usually means your bitrate is too low for your resolution. Try raising bitrate by 1000 kbps, or lower your resolution to 720p. Pixelation (blocky squares) also points to low bitrate. If raising bitrate doesn't help, your internet may not be stable enough for that quality level.

Can I stream my game and talk on a microphone at the same time?

Yes. Add your game window as one source and your microphone as an audio input. OBS will broadcast both. Use the audio mixer to balance the volume so viewers can hear both your voice and the game.

What should I do if OBS keeps crashing?

Lower your resolution or bitrate to reduce the load on your computer. Update your graphics drivers. Close other programs that use a lot of CPU or GPU. If crashes continue, try switching to a different encoder in Settings > Output.

How do I know if my internet is fast enough to stream?

Check your upload speed at speedtest.net. For 1080p 60fps streaming, you need at least 10 Mbps upload. For 720p 60fps, you need 6 Mbps. For 720p 30fps, you need 4 Mbps. If your speed is lower, lower your bitrate or resolution accordingly.