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For a quality-first gameplay recording in Streamlabs Desktop, match Base (Canvas) Resolution to your display, set Output (Scaled) Resolution to the highest level your computer can sustain, and choose 60 FPS for fast motion or 30 FPS for mostly static scenes. In Settings > Output > Recording, Streamlabs recommends MP4 for ordinary recordings, NVENC with CQP when using an NVIDIA GPU, and CQ 17 as a starting point. These are starting settings, not a guarantee for every computer; make a representative test and adjust if performance suffers.
Recommended settings at a glance
| Setting | Starting point | When to adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Base (Canvas) Resolution | Match your monitor resolution for gameplay. | This is the working canvas, not a requirement that the recorded file use the same resolution. |
| Output (Scaled) Resolution | Use the highest output resolution your system can sustain. | If recording performance is poor, lower this and test again. |
| Downscale Filter | Lanczos when scaling down. | Streamlabs notes that Lanczos uses slightly more CPU. |
| Frame rate | 60 FPS for action-heavy content; 30 FPS can suit static scenes. | Choose a rate the computer can maintain while recording. |
| Recording format | MP4 for most recordings. | Use MP4 or MKV for multiple audio tracks; FLV does not support multiple tracks. |
| Encoder | NVENC if you have an NVIDIA GPU; x264 is CPU-based. | Test the option that best fits your hardware and workload. |
| Rate control | CQP for NVENC-style recording; CRF for x264. | These recording recommendations are not the CBR bitrate settings used for live streaming. |
| CQ level | Start at 17 for CQP. | Lower values mean higher quality and less quantization; higher values mean more compression and lower quality. |
| Keyframe interval | Leave at 0. | Do not substitute live-stream keyframe recommendations without checking the recording workflow. |
| Preset and profile | Max Quality if performance permits; High profile. | If the system struggles, lower the preset. Streamlabs recommends leaving other settings at their defaults. |
| Audio tracks | Separate microphone and desktop audio if you need to edit them independently. | Up to six tracks are described by Streamlabs; set the output track count to match your routing. |
Streamlabs’ official guide recommends choosing the highest-quality output resolution for gameplay, but the practical limit depends on the machine. It does not offer a universal hardware benchmark that guarantees a particular combination will work on every PC. Streamlabs recording settings guide
Set video resolution and frame rate
- Open Settings > Video.
- Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to your display resolution for gameplay capture.
- Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to the best quality your PC can sustain. If you see dropped frames or an overloaded system, reduce this output resolution and test again.
- Choose Lanczos as the downscale filter when output resolution is lower than the canvas. It can improve downscaled image quality, with a small CPU cost according to Streamlabs.
- Select 60 FPS for motion-heavy gameplay if your system can maintain it. For board games, slides, or mostly static scenes, 30 FPS may be sufficient.
Recording at a higher frame rate or resolution is useful only if your computer can capture and encode it consistently. If a recording stutters, change one setting at a time—start by lowering Output (Scaled) Resolution—then make another short test.
Configure recording format, encoder, and quality
- Open Settings > Output > Recording.
- Choose a recording path you can access and have enough disk space for.
- Choose MP4 for ordinary recordings. If you need multiple separate audio tracks, select MP4 or MKV; FLV does not support multiple audio tracks.
- Select an encoder suited to your hardware. Streamlabs recommends NVENC when an NVIDIA graphics card is available; x264 uses the CPU.
- For NVENC recording, choose CQP and start at CQ 17. Lower CQ values preserve more quality and produce less compression; higher values compress more and reduce quality. Treat 17 as a starting point, not a universal optimum.
- For x264 recording, choose CRF.
- Leave Keyframe Interval at 0. Set the preset to Max Quality only if the computer stays responsive, and use the High profile.
Recording and streaming use different rate-control recommendations. Streamlabs recommends CQP or CRF for recording; its live-streaming guidance uses CBR and platform-oriented bitrate configurations. Do not copy a streaming bitrate into a recording rate-control field as if the settings were interchangeable. Recording guide · Streamlabs getting-started guidance
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Record separate microphone and desktop audio
Separate audio tracks are useful when you want to adjust microphone and desktop/game audio independently during editing. Streamlabs describes support for up to six tracks, but you only need to route the sources you plan to use.
- Open Advanced Audio Settings and assign the microphone and desktop audio sources to different tracks.
- In the recording output settings, enable the corresponding track count so the file contains the tracks you assigned.
- Use MP4 or MKV as the recording format for multi-track recording; FLV does not support it.
- Make a short test recording and check that each source appears on the intended track in your editing software.
Streamlabs’ recording functionality guide explains its recording and audio-track options.
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Test before recording a full session
- Record a short, representative clip with the game or application, microphone, and other sources you expect to use.
- Check that the video looks and sounds right and that audio is on the expected tracks.
- Watch for stutter, lag, or an unresponsive system during capture.
- If performance is poor, lower the output resolution first or reduce the preset quality; repeat the test before committing to a long recording.
Streamlabs cautions that recording-only settings may need adjustment when recording and streaming at the same time. If simultaneous use produces an error, its troubleshooting guidance suggests trying a recording encoder different from the streaming encoder or choosing Same as Stream quality. These are possible fixes, not a universal setting for every setup. Streamlabs recording troubleshooting
Fix common recording problems
Recording is laggy or the computer struggles
- Likely issue: The chosen resolution, frame rate, or quality preset is too demanding for the system, or the system is busy with other work.
- Try: Lower Output (Scaled) Resolution, then test again. If needed, reduce the preset from Max Quality. Keep changes incremental so you can identify which setting helps.
No recording file appears, or Streamlabs cannot write to the destination
- Check: Confirm that the selected folder exists, is writable by your user account, and has available disk space.
- Possible troubleshooting steps from Streamlabs: Update GPU drivers or run Streamlabs Desktop as administrator. For some errors, Streamlabs also mentions installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 redistributable. These steps may help, but are not guaranteed fixes.
If you cannot find a saved file, verify the path shown in recording settings; the save location depends on the configured recording path. Streamlabs: Where Does Streamlabs Desktop Save Recordings?
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Audio tracks are missing or combined
- Check: Confirm microphone and desktop sources are assigned to separate tracks in Advanced Audio Settings and that the recording output enables those tracks.
- Check the format: Use MP4 or MKV for multi-track audio; FLV does not support multiple audio tracks.
Recording while live causes an error
- Try: Use a different recording encoder from the one used for streaming, or test Same as Stream quality as Streamlabs suggests for this case.
- Then: Make a short test before relying on the setup for a full broadcast. Streaming resolution, frame rate, and hardware capability also affect performance.
Or let it run in the cloud
Streamlabs Desktop is for capturing and recording on your computer. If your goal is instead to keep uploaded videos playing as a 24/7 YouTube live stream, StreamNeo is a separate cloud service: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It streams your uploaded video, not a live camera feed.
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