OBS Settings Generator
Select your GPU to get exact OBS encoder settings — bitrate, preset, look-ahead, multipass, AV1 — tailored to your hardware and streaming platform.
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Your OBS settings
Settings → Output → Streaming
Settings → Video
Settings → Audio
10th-gen NVENC (Blackwell) — the best streaming encoder available in 2026. Excellent quality at any bitrate.
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How the calculation works
Your GPU determines which encoder OBS should use (NVENC for NVIDIA, AMF for AMD, QuickSync for Intel) and which settings are available for that encoder. The tool maps your GPU generation to the correct preset, profile, and advanced options (look-ahead, multipass, psycho visual tuning) that are actually supported.
Bitrate is calculated from resolution, FPS, motion type, and an encoder efficiency factor based on your hardware generation. The result is capped at the platform's maximum and at 75% of your upload speed — leaving headroom for other network activity and preventing dropped frames.
If your GPU supports AV1 hardware encoding (RTX 4000+, RX 7000+, Intel Arc), the tool will flag it — AV1 delivers ~25% better quality at the same bitrate on platforms that accept it.
Frequently asked questions
Which OBS encoder should I use — NVENC, AMF, QuickSync, or x264?
Use your GPU's hardware encoder. NVENC for NVIDIA (RTX/GTX), AMF for AMD (RX series), QuickSync for Intel (Arc or integrated). Hardware encoders use dedicated silicon, leaving your CPU free for gaming. x264 only makes sense if you have no dedicated GPU, or if you have significant CPU headroom on an older GPU with weak NVENC quality (Pascal-era GTX 1060 and older).
What NVENC preset should I use in OBS in 2026?
For RTX 4000 and 5000 series, use P6 (Slowest) with Multipass Mode on. For RTX 3000 series, P5 (Slower) with Multipass Quarter Resolution. For RTX 2000 and GTX 1660, the 'Quality' preset. Always enable Look-ahead and Psycho Visual Tuning on RTX cards — these settings use NVENC hardware features that have no CPU cost.
Does my GPU support AV1 encoding in OBS?
AV1 hardware encoding is available on RTX 4000 and 5000 series (NVIDIA NVENC AV1), RX 7000 and 9000 series AMD GPUs (AMD HW AV1), and Intel Arc A/B series (Intel QuickSync AV1). AV1 gives about 25% better quality at the same bitrate — ideal for YouTube Live or Kick where AV1 is accepted.
What bitrate does Twitch allow in 2026?
Standard Twitch streamers are capped at 6,000 kbps, which is enough for solid 1080p60. Partners with Enhanced Broadcasting can stream up to 8,500 kbps and use 1440p60. Set your OBS output resolution to 1920×1080 unless you have Partner Enhanced Broadcasting.
Should I use CBR or VBR in OBS for streaming?
Always use CBR (Constant Bitrate) for streaming. Platforms expect a steady bitrate for their CDN and transcode pipeline. VBR is fine for local recordings but causes buffering and quality issues when streaming.
What keyframe interval should I set in OBS?
Set keyframe interval to 2 seconds. All major streaming platforms (Twitch, YouTube, Kick, Facebook) require this for their CDN, viewer reconnection, and VOD encoding to work correctly. Don't change it.
Should I record and stream simultaneously in OBS?
Yes — OBS can record locally while streaming with minimal performance impact. Set your recording output to a separate higher-quality profile (MKV format, CQP/CRF quality-based rate control) rather than recording the same stream copy. This gives you archive-quality footage for editing while the stream bitrate stays optimized for upload.
What's the best OBS output format for local recordings?
MKV (Matroska) is the safest recording format — if OBS crashes, the partial MKV file is still recoverable whereas MP4 files become unplayable. After recording, use OBS's built-in 'Remux Recordings' tool to convert to MP4 without re-encoding. Use CQP (NVENC) or CRF (x264) quality-based control for recordings rather than CBR.
What OBS settings should I use when recording for YouTube upload?
Select 'YouTube (Upload / Recording)' in this tool to get the right settings. OBS should use quality-based rate control — CQP 18 for NVENC (RTX) and AMD, ICQ 18 for Intel QuickSync, or CRF 18 for x264. Set keyframe interval to 0 (Auto), record to MKV format, and use 320 kbps audio. YouTube accepts H.264, AV1, and HEVC up to 8K, so there's no reason to compress the recording the way you would a live stream.
What bitrate should I record at for YouTube upload in 2026?
Don't set a fixed bitrate for recordings — use CQP or CRF instead (quality value 18 is a solid default). YouTube's own recommended upload bitrates are roughly 12 Mbps for 1080p60, 24 Mbps for 1440p60, and 53–68 Mbps for 4K60. Quality-based encoding at CQP/CRF 18 will naturally land near these numbers for most content. Lower the quality value (e.g. 16) for higher quality and larger files; raise it (e.g. 20) for smaller files.