For a 1080p, 30 fps YouTube Live stream using H.264, set OBS to output 1920×1080 at 30 fps, use CBR, set a two-second keyframe interval, and start with a video bitrate of 14,000 Kbps if your upload connection can sustain it. YouTube’s current H.264 live-ingest table lists 5,000 Kbps as the minimum and 14,000 Kbps as the recommended bitrate for 1080p at 30 fps. Test your actual setup before relying on those values.
Set OBS to 1080p at 30 fps
- Open Settings → Video.
- Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to 1920×1080.
- Set Common FPS Value to 30.
Choose a Base (Canvas) Resolution that suits your sources and scene composition. It can differ from the output resolution; OBS will scale the scene to the output. If scaling is needed, select a downscale filter appropriate to the material. The OBS interface and available options can vary by version, operating system, and hardware. See the OBS Studio Overview Guide.
Configure H.264 streaming output
- Go to Settings → Output, select the Streaming tab, and choose an H.264 encoder available on your computer.
- Set Rate Control to CBR.
- Set Keyframe Interval to 2 seconds.
- Set the video bitrate to 14,000 Kbps if your connection can reliably sustain it. YouTube’s current English live-ingest guidance lists 5,000 Kbps minimum and 14,000 Kbps recommended for H.264 at 1080p30. The minimum is not a guarantee of good picture quality or a stable stream.
- Set stereo audio to AAC or MP3. YouTube recommends 128 Kbps stereo audio and lists a 44.1 kHz stereo sampling rate.
These bitrate figures apply to YouTube’s H.264 live ingestion, not prerecorded-video uploads or other codecs. YouTube’s same live table lists different 1080p30 figures for AV1/H.265: 4 Mbps minimum and 10 Mbps recommended. Do not apply one codec’s bitrate guidance to another.
Check the remaining YouTube ingest settings
YouTube recommends RTMPS for ingest. In OBS, you can select YouTube as the service or enter the server URL and stream key supplied by YouTube. Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it or share it with anyone who should not be able to broadcast to your channel.
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For SDR, YouTube’s advanced recommendations include square pixels, progressive scan, Rec. 709 color, and 8-bit color. It also lists CABAC, two B-frames, and one reference frame; use those only if your selected encoder supports them. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Its standard setup detects resolution and frame rate automatically; selecting these manually in Live Control Room uses a custom stream key and manual settings.
See YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the current ingest guidance. The bitrate is the rate of the source feed sent to YouTube; YouTube can transcode the stream into different playback formats for viewers.
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Test the stream and adjust bitrate to your connection
A recommended bitrate is a starting point, not a promise that your particular network or computer will handle it. Run an upload-speed test, then test the stream with audio and movement similar to what you plan to broadcast. Check YouTube’s stream-health messages and OBS for dropped frames. YouTube specifically advises testing with representative audio and motion before going live.
If the connection cannot sustain the configured bitrate, lower it and test again. A lower bitrate may reduce image quality, but a stable stream is generally preferable to repeatedly dropping frames. No encoder setting can make an unstable upload connection reliable; the practical setting is the highest bitrate your connection can sustain consistently during the test.
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Troubleshooting common 1080p30 problems
- Dropped frames in OBS: The connection may be unstable or unable to sustain the configured bitrate. Lower the bitrate and retest; consult the OBS stream connection troubleshooting guide.
- The stream is not actually 1080p or 30 fps: Check Settings → Video → Output (Scaled) Resolution and Common FPS Value. Also confirm that the selected YouTube stream settings are not relying on a different manual configuration.
- Keyframe warning or playback issues: Set the keyframe interval to two seconds and keep it at or below YouTube’s four-second maximum.
- Encoder options are missing: Available encoders and advanced controls depend on the OBS version, operating system, and hardware. Choose an available H.264 encoder and retain advanced recommendations only when supported.
- Stream key or connection error: Verify the service or ingest URL and key against YouTube’s live setup, and replace a key if it may have been exposed.
For repeatable setups, OBS profiles can save stream settings separately from other configurations; see the OBS Profiles guide. The figures above are platform guidance, not results from testing a specific computer, encoder, OBS build, or network.
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