In OBS Studio, open Settings > Video. Set Base (Canvas) Resolution for arranging your scenes, then set Output (Scaled) Resolution for the video OBS sends to YouTube Live. For example, a 1920×1080 canvas can feed a 1280×720 stream without changing the canvas layout.
Set the canvas and output resolution in OBS
- In OBS Studio, open Settings, then select Video.
- Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to the workspace you want for composing scenes. OBS describes this as the space in which sources are fitted; it usually matches your monitor display or game resolution. Choose the resolution that suits your source and layout.
- Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to the dimensions you want OBS to send to YouTube, such as 1280×720 or 1920×1080. OBS scales the canvas output using the selected downscale filter.
- Set Common FPS Value to your desired frame rate. OBS cautions that 60 fps can demand substantially more resources than 30 fps, so test your system before relying on it.
- Apply the settings, then run a test with representative motion and audio. Check YouTube’s stream health and messages before and during the broadcast.
What the two resolution settings control
Base (Canvas) Resolution: the scene workspace
The canvas is the layout surface where you place and size sources. Keep it aligned with the scene composition you want to maintain. Changing the base resolution later may mean resizing or realigning sources.
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Output (Scaled) Resolution: the transmitted video dimensions
This setting determines the dimensions OBS sends for the stream or recording. It can be lower than the canvas—for example, a 1920×1080 working canvas scaled to a 1280×720 output. The OBS Project’s OBS Studio Overview Guide says: “Output (Scaled) Resolution should be the Stream Output Resolution (720p, 480p, etc)”. Changing only output resolution does not have the documented source-realignment effect of changing the canvas.
Choose a YouTube Live output that your setup can sustain
Balance detail, motion smoothness, upload capacity, and your computer’s ability to render and encode reliably. YouTube says to run a speed test and choose a quality your connection can sustain. Its current live encoder guidance, accessed in 2026, lists these recommended H.264 ingestion bitrates:
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| Output | YouTube recommended H.264 bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s recommended ingestion bitrates for H.264, not guarantees that a particular connection or encoder will remain stable. The recommendations vary by codec, resolution, and frame rate; consult YouTube’s live encoder settings for the combination you use. YouTube’s documented RTMP/RTMPS settings specify CBR, up to 60 fps, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that must not exceed four seconds; the page recommends RTMPS. OBS or another encoder may manage advanced settings, so you do not necessarily need to configure every field manually.
YouTube normally detects resolution and frame rate from the encoder. Manual selection is available with a custom stream key when manual settings are enabled in Live Control Room. Test before going live and monitor stream health during the event.
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Troubleshoot stuttering or encoding overload
- OBS reports encoding overload or the stream stutters: Lower Output (Scaled) Resolution and/or the frame rate first. OBS lists both as ways to reduce rendering and encoding work.
- 60 fps is unstable: Try 30 fps, then test again with the same scene and representative motion.
- Lowering output is not enough: Reduce Base (Canvas) Resolution only when resources are severely constrained. This can complicate capture and asset management, and you may need to reposition or resize sources.
- The YouTube stream is not receiving the size you expected: Confirm the intended dimensions are entered in Output (Scaled) Resolution, not just in Base (Canvas) Resolution. Verify the encoder’s output in a test stream.
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