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For an OBS stream to YouTube Live, start with CBR rate control and a 2-second keyframe interval. Choose a bitrate from YouTube’s current recommendation for your codec, resolution and frame rate, then confirm your internet connection can sustain it for the entire broadcast. YouTube recommends RTMPS for the connection. These settings help configure the feed; they cannot guarantee an uninterrupted stream or a complete YouTube archive.
Recommended OBS settings for YouTube Live
Use these as a starting point for an OBS feed sent to YouTube over RTMPS. YouTube’s encoder guidance gives the ingest targets; your source material, encoder and sustained connection determine which combination is practical.
| Setting | Recommended choice | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | RTMPS | YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the stream to and through Google’s servers. Choose the RTMPS stream URL supplied for your event. |
| Rate control | CBR | YouTube recommends constant bitrate for RTMP/RTMPS ingest. |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds | YouTube recommends 2 seconds and says not to exceed 4 seconds. |
| Video codec | H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 | YouTube lists all three for RTMP/RTMPS. Use a codec supported by both your selected OBS encoder and the YouTube stream configuration. |
| Resolution and frame rate | Match the source and stable upload capacity; up to 60 fps | Use the matching bitrate guidance for your codec, resolution and frame rate. Higher resolution or frame rate needs more upload capacity. |
| SDR picture guidance | Progressive scan, square pixels, Rec. 709 | YouTube also lists 2 B-frames, 1 reference frame and CABAC. Exact controls and availability vary by encoder. |
| Stereo audio | 44.1 kHz, 128 kbps | YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS. |
Source: YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions. Its source page does not state a publication year; guidance was accessed in 2026. Unless you have a specific reason to change encoder options, OBS advises leaving defaults alone.
Choose a bitrate your connection can sustain
For H.264, YouTube’s current recommendations include the following example modes. These are recommendations for incoming streams, not a guarantee that your computer or internet connection can maintain them.
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| H.264 mode | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
YouTube’s bitrate table distinguishes minimums from recommendations; do not treat the figures above as minimums. Check the current table for the exact codec and mode you intend to send: YouTube encoder settings and bitrate recommendations.
- Run an upload-speed test and leave about 20% of available upload capacity unused, as YouTube advises. The connection must carry the total stream bitrate, including audio, with room for variation.
- Choose the highest resolution and frame rate your source and sustained connection can support reliably—not simply the highest OBS offers.
- Test with audio and movement resembling the actual loop. A quiet static screen may not reveal problems that appear in a more demanding section.
YouTube recommends watching stream health during the event and testing before going live. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
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Choose an OBS encoder for a long-running loop
Hardware encoding can reduce CPU work. OBS notes that modern hardware encoders can encode efficiently with minimal performance impact, while earlier-generation hardware may deliver lower image quality at the same bitrate. That does not make hardware encoding automatically better: the practical choice is the encoder that stays stable on your actual machine, scene and target settings.
- Check that the selected encoder supports your chosen codec and settings.
- During a representative test, watch OBS for rendering or encoding lag and YouTube for stream-health warnings.
- Compare stability at the intended resolution and frame rate, CPU versus GPU workload, and image quality at the chosen bitrate. No single encoder is best for every computer.
For background, see OBS Project’s hardware encoding guidance and OBS Studio overview.
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Connect OBS to the YouTube event
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the live event and locate its stream URL and stream key. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service, and enter the event’s stream URL and key if OBS does not populate them through its service setup.
- Keep the stream key private: it functions as a credential. If it is exposed, reset it through YouTube Studio before streaming again.
- Set the encoder options, start the OBS stream and check the event preview and stream health in Live Control Room before making the event public or starting its scheduled broadcast.
- Test the complete loop, including its return to the beginning, audio behavior and any scene or source transitions. Confirm the feed remains healthy over time, not only during a brief opening test.
Plan separately for continuous viewing and replay
A continuously sent feed does not guarantee a complete YouTube replay. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. YouTube also warns that DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. As a result, viewers may not be able to rewind the whole duration, and the platform may not save a complete archive.
If retaining the program matters, keep a local recording backup. If viewers need separately accessible replays, consider whether shorter, separate sessions better fit that goal; this is a planning approach, not a guarantee of YouTube event behavior. See YouTube’s archive guidance and DVR guidance.
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Troubleshoot common loop-stream problems
| Symptom | Likely cause to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube reports unstable or poor stream health | The outgoing bitrate is too close to or above sustained upload capacity, or the connection varies. | Check upload capacity, leave the recommended headroom, and test at a lower bitrate, resolution or frame rate. Monitor health during a representative test. |
| Video looks poor despite a high bitrate | The selected encoder, source quality or hardware generation may constrain quality. | Confirm the source and output mode; compare supported encoders on the actual system rather than assuming hardware encoding always produces better quality. |
| OBS cannot connect to the event | The stream URL or key may be incorrect, or the event configuration may not match. | Recheck the URL and key in Live Control Room and OBS. Treat the key as a credential and replace it in YouTube Studio if it may have been exposed. |
| Playback or audio changes at the loop point | The source’s return to the beginning or a scene/source transition may not behave as intended. | Test a complete cycle before the broadcast, including the audio at the transition and any OBS scene changes. |
| The broadcast continues but no full replay is available | The stream exceeded 12 hours, where archive capture is not assured and DVR may be limited or unavailable. | Use a local recording if retention matters; plan replay needs separately from continuous live delivery. |
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