Best OBS Settings for Kick
The right OBS settings keep your stream sharp and smooth. These values are a good starting point for most PCs and connections; fine-tune from there.
Start for freeOutput settings
- Encoder: NVENC on NVIDIA, AMF on AMD, otherwise x264 (CPU).
- Bitrate: 6000–8000 kbps for 1080p60, 4500–6000 kbps for 720p60.
- Rate control: CBR (constant bitrate).
- Keyframe interval: 2 seconds.
- Preset: start balanced; choose a faster preset if the stream stutters.
Video settings
- Base resolution: your monitor's resolution.
- Output resolution: 1920x1080 if your upload allows it, otherwise 1280x720.
- FPS: 60 for games, 30 is enough for just chatting.
- Downscale filter: Lanczos.
Audio settings
- Sample rate: 48 kHz.
- Audio bitrate: 160 kbps.
- Add noise suppression and a compressor to your microphone.
If your stream lags
- Open View → Stats in OBS to see whether frames are dropped by the network, the encoder or rendering.
- Network: lower the bitrate and use a wired connection.
- Encoder: switch to your GPU's encoder or lower the resolution or FPS.
- Rendering: cap the game's FPS to leave the GPU some headroom.
Frequently asked questions
My stream keeps freezing. What should I do?
Lower the bitrate first; it should stay under about 70% of your upload speed. Then check OBS Stats to see where frames are dropped.
Where do I find Kick's server URL?
Copy the stream URL and key from your Kick creator settings and choose "Custom" as the service in OBS.
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