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OBS export settings, per platform.

Where every export setting lives in OBS Studio, what it can and cannot control, and a guide for each platform.

What OBS lets you set

Bitrate control
Yes, in Kbps
2-pass encoding
Yes
Profile / level
Profile only
Keyframe interval
Yes, in seconds
HEVC (H.265)
Yes
HDR export
Yes
Frame rate
Choose on export

Official export help Release notesLabels checked 2026-10-25

The export, step by step (example: YouTube Live, 1080p, 60 fps)

  1. 1Settings > Stream: choose YouTube Live and connect your account or paste the stream key.
  2. 2Settings > Video: Output (Scaled) Resolution 1920x1080, Common FPS Values 60.
  3. 3Settings > Output: Output Mode Advanced, Streaming tab.
  4. 4Video Encoder: NVIDIA NVENC H.264 (or x264). Rate Control CBR, Bitrate 17000 Kbps.
  5. 5Keyframe Interval 2 s (never 0 for streaming). Profile High, B-Frames 2.
  6. 6Audio tab: Audio Bitrate 128, Sample Rate 44100 Hz. Apply, then Start Streaming.

For HDR

  • Settings > Advanced > Video: Color Format P010 (10-bit), Color Space Rec. 2100 (PQ) or Rec. 2100 (HLG), Color Range Limited.
  • Recording tab: Video Encoder NVENC HEVC or AV1 (or AMD / QuickSync / Apple VT HEVC), Profile main10. x264 cannot record HDR.

OBS pitfalls

  • Keyframe Interval in OBS is in seconds, not frames. 0 means automatic, which is too long for platforms that want 2 s.
  • Plain MP4 recordings are unreadable after a crash; Hybrid MP4 or MKV is safe.
  • Simple output mode hides Rate Control and Keyframe settings; switch to Advanced.
  • For recordings you will edit later, a high bitrate or CQP 18-20 keeps more detail than the upload settings.

OBS export settings by platform

Frequently asked questions

What are the best OBS export settings?

For a 1080p upload: H.264 High profile, your recorded frame rate, 8-12 Mbps (higher for 4K), AAC audio at 48 kHz, MP4. The exact numbers depend on the platform; pick one below.

Can OBS set a bitrate?

Yes, in kilobits per second (8 Mbps = 8000). It also offers 2-pass encoding.

Can OBS export HDR?

Yes. Settings > Advanced > Video: Color Format P010 (10-bit), Color Space Rec. 2100 (PQ) or Rec. 2100 (HLG), Color Range Limited.

Shinel Studios

Rather send the footage and get upload-ready edits back?

Our editors cut, caption, colour and export to each platform's spec, with 2 revision rounds. Shorts come back in 48-72 hours, long videos in 5-10 days.

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