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OBS settings

How to Set OBS Output Resolution Separately From Base Canvas for YouTube Live

Learn which OBS resolution setting controls your scene workspace and which controls the size sent to YouTube Live, plus how to troubleshoot performance.

By DocumentaryTube Team 4 min read
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In OBS Studio, open Settings > Video. Set Base (Canvas) Resolution for arranging your scenes and sources, then set Output (Scaled) Resolution for the dimensions OBS sends to YouTube Live. For example, a 1920Ă—1080 canvas can be scaled to a 1280Ă—720 stream without changing the canvas layout.

Set the two resolutions separately in OBS

  1. In OBS Studio, open Settings, then select Video.
  2. Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to the workspace that suits your scene layout. OBS describes this as the space used to fit sources; it usually matches your monitor display or game resolution. OBS Studio Overview Guide
  3. Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to the dimensions you want sent to YouTube, such as 1280×720 or 1920×1080. OBS scales the scene to this output size using the selected downscale filter. The OBS Project guide says, “Output (Scaled) Resolution should be the Stream Output Resolution (720p, 480p, etc).”
  4. Choose Common FPS Value for the stream’s frame rate. Higher frame rates, especially 60 fps, can demand substantially more system resources than 30 fps.
  5. Apply the settings and test with representative video motion and audio before the live event. Check OBS and YouTube’s stream-health messages during the test.

What each resolution setting controls

OBS setting What it controls When to change it
Base (Canvas) Resolution The scene-composition space where sources are positioned and sized. Set it to suit your source and layout. Changing it later may require you to resize or realign sources.
Output (Scaled) Resolution The pixel dimensions OBS produces for the stream or recording. Set it to the size you want YouTube to receive. Lowering it can reduce output size and may help ease encoding or rendering demands.

For instance, keep a 1920Ă—1080 canvas if your scenes are designed around that workspace, and set output to 1280Ă—720 if you want to stream at 720p. Changing only the output resolution does not have the documented source-realignment effect of changing the canvas.

Choose a YouTube resolution, frame rate, and bitrate

Pick a combination your computer can render and encode reliably and your upload connection can sustain. YouTube recommends testing your upload speed; its suggested live bitrates vary by codec, ingestion resolution, and frame rate. The following are YouTube’s H.264 recommended ingestion bitrates in guidance accessed in 2026. They are recommendations, not guarantees of a stable stream.

Output YouTube recommended H.264 bitrate
720p at 30 fps 8 Mbps
720p at 60 fps 8 Mbps
1080p at 30 fps 14 Mbps
1080p at 60 fps 17 Mbps

These values apply to YouTube’s live H.264 encoder guidance, not to uploading a finished video. Consult YouTube’s live encoder settings for the codec and resolution you plan to use; the guidance page does not state a publication year.

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When to use 720p or 1080p

1080p preserves more image detail when the source contains it, while 720p sends fewer pixels. Choose based on the detail viewers need, your available upload capacity, and whether OBS can encode reliably—not on resolution alone.

When to use 30 fps or 60 fps

60 fps can make fast motion look smoother, but it is more demanding on the machine. If the stream struggles, test 30 fps and check whether that resolves the load before changing the scene workspace.

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Keyframes and rate control

YouTube’s documented RTMP/RTMPS live settings specify constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe interval of two seconds (not exceeding four seconds), and support for up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends RTMPS. OBS or another encoder may manage advanced settings for you; do not change fields blindly. If configuring them manually, use YouTube’s current live encoder guidance and confirm the selected stream key and settings in Live Control Room. YouTube normally detects resolution and frame rate from the encoder; manual selection is available with a custom stream key and manual settings enabled in Live Control Room.

Keep the canvas layout intact when changing stream size

Use Output (Scaled) Resolution when you want a different outgoing size but want to retain the current scene workspace. Lowering the canvas is a separate change: it can complicate capture and asset management, and OBS recommends doing it only when resources are severely constrained. If you do reduce the canvas, expect to adjust source positions and sizes.

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Troubleshoot stuttering or encoding overload

  • OBS reports encoding overload or the stream stutters: lower Output (Scaled) Resolution and test again. OBS lists output resolution and frame rate as ways to reduce rendering or encoding work.
  • Problems persist at 60 fps: try 30 fps. A lower frame rate can reduce the workload.
  • Output changes are not enough: consider reducing Base (Canvas) Resolution only if performance is severely constrained. Recheck and realign sources after changing it.
  • YouTube reports unstable stream health: test the upload connection, choose a quality it can sustain, and verify the bitrate against YouTube’s recommendation for the selected codec, resolution, and frame rate.
  • The stream arrives at an unexpected size or frame rate: confirm the values in OBS’s Settings > Video, then check YouTube’s Live Control Room. If you use manual settings, verify that the custom stream key and manual selection are enabled as intended.
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