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For a 4K (3840 × 2160), 60 fps YouTube Live stream from a GeForce RTX 4060, start with NVIDIA NVENC, AV1, CBR at 35 Mbps, a 2-second keyframe interval, and RTMPS. If you use H.264 instead, YouTube’s recommended video bitrate is 50 Mbps; H.265/HEVC shares AV1’s 35 Mbps recommendation. Treat these as YouTube ingest targets, not a guarantee that every PC, game, network, and software setup will sustain 4K60.
Recommended RTX 4060 settings for YouTube Live 4K60
Use this as a starting profile for SDR streaming. YouTube publishes ingest guidance; NVIDIA specifies that the RTX 4060 has one eighth-generation NVENC encoder and supports AV1 encoding. The hardware capability does not guarantee that AV1 will appear in every streaming app or stream configuration.
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| Setting | Starting value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Output resolution and frame rate | 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps | YouTube supports frame rates up to 60 fps. |
| Encoder | NVIDIA NVENC | The RTX 4060 specification lists one eighth-generation NVENC encoder. NVIDIA RTX 4060 specifications. |
| Codec | AV1 for SDR, when available | YouTube lists AV1, H.265/HEVC, and H.264 for ingest. Use a listed alternative if AV1 is not exposed in your software path. |
| Video bitrate | AV1 or H.265: 35 Mbps; H.264: 50 Mbps | YouTube’s recommended 4K60 ingest bitrates. These are video bitrates; audio and protocol overhead add traffic. |
| Rate control | CBR | YouTube’s stated bitrate-encoding setting. |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds | Recommended; do not exceed 4 seconds. |
| Protocol | RTMPS | YouTube recommends RTMPS. |
| Audio | AAC or MP3; stereo 44.1 kHz, 128 kbps | YouTube supports 5.1 audio over RTMP/RTMPS only with AAC. |
| SDR color | Rec. 709, 8-bit | YouTube’s recommended SDR color space and bit depth. |
| Latency | Normal | YouTube’s 4K live guidance says the low-latency improvement option is unavailable; 4K is optimized for quality with normal latency. |
For HDR, choose H.265/HEVC with 10-bit output rather than AV1: YouTube’s listed HDR guidance recommends H.265 and does not support AV1 for HDR. For exact labels and current ingest values, see YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance.
Choosing AV1, H.265, or H.264
On an RTX 4060, AV1 is a practical first choice for SDR if your encoder software and YouTube stream setup expose it. NVIDIA lists AV1 encode support for the card, while YouTube accepts AV1 ingest. If it is unavailable, select H.265 or H.264 as appropriate to the stream and app.
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| Codec | YouTube 4K60 recommended video bitrate | HDR guidance | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| AV1 | 35 Mbps | Not supported for HDR in YouTube’s listed settings | SDR when the option is available through the encoder and streaming setup. |
| H.265/HEVC | 35 Mbps | Recommended for HDR at 10-bit | HDR, or SDR when supported and preferred by your setup. |
| H.264 | 50 Mbps | Not the codec recommended by the cited HDR guidance | A listed alternative when AV1 or H.265 is unavailable in the software/platform path. |
The cited guidance establishes bitrate recommendations and codec support, not a universal picture-quality winner. The best workable selection depends on which options your software exposes and whether you are streaming SDR or HDR.
Set up the stream in OBS
OBS labels can vary by version and operating system, so use the matching encoder and output controls in your installation. The values below map YouTube’s ingest requirements to the relevant OBS settings; YouTube and NVIDIA do not establish one guaranteed preset for every RTX 4060 system.
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- Connect OBS to YouTube. In YouTube Studio, create or open the planned live stream and copy its stream key. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service, and connect the account or use the stream key option. Keep the key private; anyone with it may be able to broadcast to your channel.
- Set the output format. Open Settings → Video. Set the output resolution to 3840 × 2160 and the common frame rate to 60. If the source or system cannot reliably provide that output, choose a lower resolution or frame rate instead of assuming the RTX 4060 guarantees stable 4K60.
- Choose NVENC and codec. In Settings → Output, select Advanced output mode if needed, then open the streaming output settings. Choose the NVIDIA NVENC encoder and AV1 for SDR when it is available. For HDR, select H.265/HEVC at 10-bit where supported. If the intended codec is absent, confirm the app and stream path support it, then use an available YouTube-listed alternative.
- Enter the bitrate and rate control. Set rate control to CBR. Use 35,000 Kbps for AV1 or HEVC, or 50,000 Kbps for H.264. These are the corresponding 4K60 recommendations from YouTube, not targets to exceed automatically when a stream is unstable.
- Set keyframes and protocol. Set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds and use RTMPS for the YouTube connection. Do not set an interval longer than four seconds.
- Configure audio and color. For stereo, set AAC or MP3 at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Use AAC if sending 5.1 over RTMP/RTMPS. For SDR, use Rec. 709 and 8-bit output; for HDR follow YouTube’s H.265/10-bit guidance and verify that the full app-to-YouTube path is configured for HDR.
- Run a representative test before the event. Test with movement and audio similar to the planned stream. Check YouTube’s stream health and any encoder or network warnings while the test runs, then make adjustments before the scheduled broadcast.
Check whether your upload can support the bitrate
The stream also consumes bandwidth for audio and protocol overhead, and other devices or apps may share the connection. NVIDIA’s OBS guidance suggests allocating around 75% of measured upload speed to the stream so bandwidth remains for the game and other programs. Applying that rule of thumb works out to roughly 47 Mbps measured upload for a 35 Mbps stream and 67 Mbps for a 50 Mbps stream. These are derived planning figures, not YouTube requirements or guarantees of stability. See NVIDIA’s NVENC OBS guide.
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- Prefer a wired connection where practical; this is practical setup advice, not a YouTube specification.
- If stream health shows network trouble, check the connection and competing traffic before raising the bitrate.
Troubleshoot unstable 4K60 output
- YouTube reports dropped frames or poor stream health: Check for upload congestion and competing network use. Test again under representative conditions; increasing bitrate can make a capacity problem worse.
- The encoder overloads or the stream stutters during gameplay: Game rendering and encoding share system resources. Check GPU load and capture/output settings, then reduce the game load or lower stream resolution or frame rate if necessary. The RTX 4060 specification alone cannot establish performance for a particular game, scene, driver, or preset.
- AV1 is not in the encoder menu: The card supports AV1 encode, but software and stream setup must also expose it. Check the selected encoder and application configuration; if still unavailable, use H.265/HEVC or H.264 where supported and use that codec’s bitrate recommendation.
- HDR looks wrong or is unavailable: Confirm the entire output path is configured for HDR and 10-bit H.265/HEVC. YouTube’s cited settings do not support AV1 for HDR.
- The stream looks or sounds wrong despite a healthy connection: Verify resolution, frame rate, audio sample rate/bitrate, and SDR color settings. Test representative motion and audio before the live event, then use YouTube’s stream-health messages to narrow the fault.
Copyright and channel eligibility still apply
Encoder settings do not grant rights to the video, music, or other material in a broadcast. Use content you own or are authorized to stream, and check YouTube’s current live-stream and copyright requirements in YouTube Studio before going live. Technical compliance with bitrate, codec, and keyframe recommendations does not ensure that a channel or a particular broadcast will be eligible or free of claims.
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