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There is no single best OBS bitrate for every 24/7 YouTube stream. Match the bitrate to your ingest resolution, frame rate, and codec, then make sure your upload connection can sustain the stream with spare capacity. For a common H.264 setup, YouTube recommends 14 Mbps for 1080p30 or 17 Mbps for 1080p60. Those figures are starting points—not guarantees of continuous operation.
Recommended YouTube ingest bitrates
The encoder bitrate is the feed sent to YouTube. YouTube transcodes live streams into multiple formats for viewers, so your OBS bitrate does not mean every viewer receives that same bitrate. The following are YouTube Help’s recommended live ingest settings, accessed October 3, 2026; select the column for the codec you actually use.
| Ingest resolution and frame rate | AV1 or H.265 | H.264 |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p (4K), 60 fps | 35 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K), 30 fps | 30 Mbps | 42 Mbps |
| 1440p, 60 fps | 24 Mbps | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p, 30 fps | 15 Mbps | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 12 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p, 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p, 30 fps | 6 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 480p, 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p, 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
YouTube publishes minimum rates as well as recommended rates. Treat the minimums as thresholds in its table, not as the target when your connection can reliably sustain the recommended setting. YouTube’s live encoder guidance supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 over RTMP/RTMPS, and its recommended bitrate varies by codec, resolution, and frame rate. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
What bitrate should I use for a 24/7 YouTube stream?
Choose the resolution and frame rate your content needs and your connection can sustain; do not select a higher mode just because it is available. For H.264, use 14 Mbps as YouTube’s recommended starting point for 1080p30 and 17 Mbps for 1080p60. For AV1 or H.265, the corresponding recommendations are 10 Mbps and 12 Mbps. If you use 720p, the H.264 recommendations are 8 Mbps at either 30 or 60 fps; AV1 and H.265 are recommended at 6 Mbps.
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Compare candidate modes by their detail, motion smoothness, codec support, and your sustained upload headroom. Higher frame rates can help content with frequent motion; a static or slowly changing image may not benefit as much. The bitrate table is a starting point, not a decision about which resolution suits your content.
How much upload speed does a continuous stream need?
Use sustained upload capacity, not download speed, to judge whether the connection can carry the stream. YouTube Help’s streaming tips say: “The total bitrate you’re streaming cannot exceed the amount of upload bandwidth available. Leave a bit of room (20% recommended).” That 20% is YouTube’s recommended bandwidth room, not a promise that the stream will never drop.
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For example, a 17 Mbps H.264 video bitrate needs more upload capacity than 17 Mbps once other stream output and network use are considered. Make sure the connection has capacity beyond the stream’s total bitrate and remains stable over time; a brief speed-test peak does not establish sustained capacity for a 24/7 run.
OBS and YouTube settings that matter
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- Transport: YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport. Use a supported codec—H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1—and a frame rate up to 60 fps.
- Stream key: Send the encoder feed to the YouTube stream associated with the correct stream key. Keep the key private; anyone with access may be able to send video to that stream.
- Latency: YouTube notes that lower latency may mean more playback buffering. If viewers do not need to interact with the stream in real time, low latency is less important.
OBS labels and menu locations can vary by version and encoder. Set the values by function in your installed version rather than relying on an unverified menu path. YouTube’s encoder settings and live settings guidance describe the ingest requirements.
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Test before relying on a 24/7 configuration
- Choose the resolution and frame rate that fit the content and the connection.
- Select the recommended bitrate for that exact mode and codec from the table above.
- Check sustained upload capacity and leave YouTube’s recommended 20% room for the total stream bitrate.
- Test with representative audio and movement, then inspect YouTube’s stream health and messages before relying on the configuration.
- Monitor the stream during operation. A recommended bitrate cannot establish that the computer, encoder, power supply, or internet connection will remain available continuously.
YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the planned stream and monitoring stream health before and during the event. Its guidance does not establish one universal configuration that guarantees 24/7 uptime.
Common bitrate and reliability problems
- Unstable stream or dropped frames: The upload link may not sustain the total output, especially if it has little spare capacity. Reduce the mode or bitrate to a level the connection can carry reliably, and leave the recommended bandwidth room.
- Settings do not match the intended stream: Confirm the selected encoder codec, resolution, and frame rate, then use the corresponding YouTube recommendation. A bitrate intended for a different codec or mode is not the same recommendation.
- Viewers report buffering: The ingest bitrate is not the bitrate every viewer receives because YouTube transcodes live streams. Check stream health and consider whether lower latency is worth the potential for more playback buffering.
- Stream stops after a local interruption: A bitrate setting cannot keep a computer, power supply, encoder, or home internet connection running. Diagnose the interruption separately; do not treat a higher bitrate as a recovery measure.
Copyright and continuous live content
Bitrate affects delivery quality and stability, not permission to stream the content. Before running a 24/7 loop, confirm you have the rights needed for the video, music, and other material, and review YouTube’s applicable copyright rules. A technically healthy stream can still face copyright or other policy issues.
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