To stream from OBS Studio to YouTube, verify that your channel can go live, create or select a YouTube Live event, connect OBS with its stream key, build a scene, set audio and output, then test the complete stream in YouTube Studio before your audience arrives. OBS is free; the best settings depend on your computer, scene and measured upload speed.
Check that your YouTube channel can livestream
Before setting up OBS, confirm live streaming is available for your channel. YouTube’s current eligibility guidance says the channel must be verified, have had no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days, and the streamer must be at least 16. Check YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility requirements for the rules that apply to your account; availability and interface details can change.
Create a YouTube event and connect OBS
- In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or select an event that uses an encoder. The Live Control Room provides the stream details OBS needs.
- In Live Control Room, copy the event’s stream key. YouTube treats this key like a password: do not share it or show it in a screenshot.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose YouTube from the service list, and enter the stream key. Use the service connection or current server details provided by YouTube rather than assuming a fixed stream URL.
- Save the settings. If the key is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace the old value in OBS.
See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions and the OBS streaming overview for current connection details.
Build a scene in OBS
A scene is the arrangement viewers see; sources are the elements inside it. Start simply, adding only what the broadcast needs.
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- Run Tools → Auto-Configuration Wizard if it did not appear when OBS first opened. It recommends a starting configuration for your use and hardware, not a guarantee that a live setup will be stable.
- Create a scene, then add sources using the Sources panel. For a presentation, use display or window capture; for supported games, use game capture. Add a webcam or capture device with Video Capture Source. Images and text can be added as overlays.
- Arrange sources in the preview. Check visibility and layer order: a source higher in the list can cover one below it. Resize and position each element so important content remains visible.
- For a webcam, choose the right device in its Video Capture Source properties, then position and resize the image. A Chroma Key filter is optional if you use a green screen.
OBS’s Quick Start Guide, overview and webcam FAQ explain these controls.
Set video, bitrate and audio
Pick resolution and frame rate your setup can sustain
In Settings → Video, Base (Canvas) Resolution is the workspace for arranging your scene; Output (Scaled) Resolution is the resolution encoded for the stream. Choose an output and frame rate the computer can maintain. Higher resolution and 60 fps can demand more from the encoder and connection than lower settings; 1080p60 is not a safe assumption for every computer.
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Use YouTube’s encoder guidance as a range, not a preset
YouTube’s current live encoder settings guidance for general RTMP/RTMPS streaming recommends H.264, CBR and a two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds). Its H.264 bitrate ranges are:
| Output | YouTube-recommended bitrate range |
|---|---|
| 720p30 | 3–8 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 3–8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 5–14 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 6–17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s ingestion recommendations, not a single best OBS setting. Match the choice to your content’s motion, the computer’s performance and upload capacity. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport. In OBS, configure streaming output under Settings → Output; use the wizard as a starting point and confirm the relevant encoder controls are set as intended.
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Leave room in your upload bandwidth
Run a speed test under conditions similar to your planned stream. YouTube recommends upload capacity with 20% headroom beyond the stream’s total bitrate. Account for other people or devices using the connection and any additional stream output. If the available upload varies, reduce bitrate or output resolution rather than aiming at the connection’s best-case speed. See YouTube’s live streaming tips.
Verify microphone and desktop audio
Speak into the intended microphone and play any desktop audio the audience should hear while watching the OBS Audio Mixer. The meters should move. If not, open Settings → Audio and choose the intended devices. Check that the relevant mixer source is not muted before testing.
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Test the complete stream before going live
- Create a test event or use an unlisted or private event where appropriate, then start streaming from OBS.
- Show representative movement—not just a static screen—and speak or play the audio expected in the real broadcast.
- Check that OBS meters respond and that the Live Control Room preview shows the correct scene and sound. Review YouTube’s stream-health messages.
- If the preview, audio or health indicators show a problem, fix it and repeat the test before promoting or starting the public event.
OBS strongly encourages a short test instead of jumping straight into a first broadcast. YouTube also advises testing and monitoring stream health. See the OBS Quick Start Guide and YouTube’s live tips.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common OBS-to-YouTube problems
- YouTube does not receive the stream: Confirm the channel is eligible, the intended event is active, OBS is set to YouTube, and the key belongs to that event. Check the current server details in Live Control Room. If the key may have been exposed, reset it there and update OBS.
- No webcam image: Confirm the scene includes an enabled Video Capture Source, the correct device is selected, and the source is visible and not covered by another layer. Adjust its position and size in the preview.
- No microphone or desktop audio: Watch the mixer while making sound, select the correct device in Settings → Audio, and check the relevant source’s mute control.
- Dropped frames or unstable playback: Compare the chosen bitrate with a measured upload speed and preserve YouTube’s recommended headroom. Try a lower bitrate or output resolution if the connection cannot sustain the setting.
- High CPU or GPU load: Reduce output resolution or frame rate, or simplify the scene. Hardware encoding can shift work away from the CPU, but its availability and quality depend on the hardware generation and drivers; switching encoders blindly may not help.
OBS’s system requirements and hardware encoding guidance can help diagnose performance limits.
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Quick Recap
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