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This guide covers standard SDR video; 4K output settings do not turn a lower-resolution source into native 4K. Reliable 4K60 encoding depends on your PC, encoder and scene, so test your actual setup rather than relying on a universal hardware specification.
What you need before setting up OBS
- A local video file that will remain accessible for the whole broadcast. OBS Media Source supports formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM. OBS Media Sources
- OBS Studio on Windows 11. Windows 11 is supported, but compatibility by itself does not guarantee that a PC can encode 4K60 reliably. OBS system requirements
- A YouTube channel able to create a live stream, plus its stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room.
- Enough stable upload capacity for the selected video bitrate, with additional headroom for connection variation and other upload traffic.
A capture card is not established as necessary for a video file already stored on the PC: OBS can play the file directly as a Media Source. Whether your PC can encode the resulting 4K60 stream is a separate question.
Set up the prerecorded video in OBS
- Create a scene: In OBS, use the Scenes panel to create or select a scene for the broadcast.
- Add the file: In the Sources panel, select + → Media Source. Choose Local File, browse to the video, and confirm. Keep the file at a stable location until the stream ends. OBS Media Sources
- Choose playback behavior: Leave Loop off for a one-time playback. Enable it if the video should repeat. The restart-on-activation option restarts playback when the source becomes visible in the active scene; account for that if you switch scenes during the broadcast.
- Check the preview: Match the OBS canvas and output to 3840Ă—2160 if the source and PC can support that output. Inspect framing and scaling in the preview. Setting 4K output does not make a lower-resolution file natively 4K.
- Check audio: Make sure the Media Source’s audio is reaching OBS’s mixer and is not muted. YouTube lists AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS ingest. For stereo, its guidance lists 128 kbps and a 44.1 kHz sample rate; AAC is required for 5.1 surround over these protocols. YouTube Live encoder settings
OBS also offers Use hardware decoding when available for supported formats. Its documentation does not establish that this option is best for every PC, so confirm playback and audio during a test. OBS Media Sources
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Set 4K60 output and choose a codec
In OBS, open Settings → Video. Set the output resolution to 3840×2160 and the frame rate to 60 fps. In Settings → Output, select the streaming encoder and configure its bitrate and keyframe interval. The exact encoder labels available depend on your OBS build and hardware.
YouTube’s live encoder guidance for 3840×2160 at 60 fps gives these video bitrate recommendations and minimums: YouTube Live encoder settings
| Ingest codec | YouTube-listed minimum | Recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| AV1 | 10 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
| H.265 / HEVC | 10 Mbps | 35 Mbps |
| H.264 | 14 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
These are YouTube live-ingest settings, not recommended upload-file bitrates. Choose a codec only if it is available in your OBS installation and supported by the selected encoder. YouTube lists CBR and a two-second keyframe interval, with a maximum interval of four seconds. Its advanced recommendations also include progressive scan, square pixels, two B-frames, one reference frame and CABAC. Use settings your encoder exposes and validate the resulting stream in a test rather than forcing unavailable options.
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OBS generally recommends hardware encoding to reduce CPU load, but encoder capabilities and quality vary by hardware generation. A GPU supporting an encoder on paper does not prove that it can sustain your specific 4K60 scene in real time. OBS encoding performance troubleshooting
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YouTube recommends keeping the stream’s total bitrate within available upload bandwidth and leaving 20% headroom. YouTube Live encoder settings YouTube streaming tips
Applying that headroom to the recommended video bitrates gives rough capacity examples: a 35 Mbps video stream implies about 42 Mbps of upload capacity, and a 50 Mbps stream implies about 60 Mbps. These are arithmetic estimates based on YouTube’s 20% recommendation, not separate YouTube thresholds; allow for audio and other traffic as well.
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- Test upload performance at the location and time you plan to broadcast.
- Close or pause other activities that consume upload bandwidth.
- Use a reliable connection. Ethernet is a possible option if Wi-Fi proves unstable; a new cable is not automatically required.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Studio and enter Live Control Room. Create or select the stream and copy its stream URL and stream key.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream. Select YouTube if available, or use the custom server option to enter the YouTube stream URL and key. Prefer RTMPS when offered. YouTube says RTMPS encrypts the connection using TLS/SSL. YouTube’s RTMPS guidance
- Treat the stream key as a credential. Do not share it or display it in a recording or screenshot; it tells YouTube where to receive the feed.
- Start streaming in OBS. Wait for the feed to appear in Live Control Room, then inspect video, audio and stream-health messages before selecting Go live. YouTube Live encoder settings
- When finished, end the broadcast in YouTube and stop streaming in OBS. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived. YouTube live stream archives
Run a test before the broadcast
Where practical, make a private or unlisted test using the same file, scene, encoder, bitrate and network you plan to use. Include representative movement and audio; a static or silent segment may not reveal the problems that occur during the actual program.
- Confirm the Live Control Room preview appears and plays correctly.
- Listen for the file’s audio and check that its level is appropriate.
- Watch stream health and read any warnings from YouTube.
- Check OBS’s rendering and encoding performance while the test runs.
- Verify that playback stops or loops as intended, including after any scene change.
YouTube recommends testing upload speed and monitoring stream health. YouTube streaming tips
Use SDR settings unless you are actually producing HDR
For an ordinary SDR 4K60 stream, use YouTube’s SDR color guidance: Rec. 709 and 8-bit. Do not enable HDR settings simply because the resolution is 4K. YouTube Live encoder settings
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HDR is a separate workflow requiring an HDR source and compatible encoding. YouTube’s guidance specifies OBS 30.1 or later, a hardware HEVC encoder, Main 10 profile, P010 color format, and Rec. 2100 PQ or HLG color space for HDR streaming. Those are HDR-specific requirements, not prerequisites for SDR 4K60. YouTube Live encoder settings
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common 4K60 problems
YouTube does not receive the OBS feed
- Check the URL and key: Recopy both from the correct Live Control Room stream. A key from another event or a mistyped value will send the feed to the wrong destination or prevent connection.
- Check the connection mode: Confirm OBS is using the server URL and stream key for the selected YouTube ingest, preferably RTMPS where available.
- Check connectivity: Verify that the PC has internet access and that no firewall or network restriction is blocking the connection.
The stream buffers, drops frames or reports poor health
- Check actual upload capacity and leave YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom above the total stream bitrate.
- Stop competing uploads and test again on a reliable connection.
- If upload capacity cannot sustain the chosen codec’s recommended bitrate, adjust the stream settings and retest; do not assume the minimum bitrate will produce the same quality.
OBS reports encoding overload or the stream is not smooth
- Check OBS performance statistics and whether the encoder is overloaded. Hardware encoding can reduce CPU load, but the installed encoder still has to sustain the chosen resolution, frame rate and scene.
- Test a supported hardware encoder and codec, and avoid assuming that a particular PC specification guarantees success.
- Reduce scene complexity or use a lower output workload if testing shows the PC cannot sustain 4K60.
The file does not repeat or restarts unexpectedly
- For continuous playback, reopen the Media Source properties and confirm Loop is enabled.
- If playback restarts when changing scenes, review the source’s restart-on-activation behavior; it restarts when the source becomes visible in the active scene.
- Confirm the file remains at the selected local path and is readable throughout the broadcast.
The output is 4K but the picture is soft or badly framed
Inspect the source resolution, aspect ratio and scaling in the OBS preview. Setting a 3840×2160 output does not increase the source file’s actual detail; adjust framing or use a suitable source file if the preview does not look right.
Audio is missing or in the wrong format
Check the OBS mixer and Media Source audio routing, then verify that the selected output is compatible with YouTube’s ingest guidance. YouTube lists AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS and requires AAC for 5.1 surround. YouTube Live encoder settings
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Copyright and suitability of prerecorded material
Live delivery does not remove the need to have rights to the video, music and other material in the program. Before scheduling a stream, check that you can use the full recording on YouTube and that it complies with YouTube’s applicable copyright and monetization policies. Rights or claims can affect whether a broadcast remains available, regardless of whether OBS is playing a local file.
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