OBS Studio is free, open-source software for streaming and recording. It works with YouTube, Twitch, Kick, TikTok (if your account has stream key access) and most other platforms.
You can use it two ways for GTA:
- GTA V on PC. OBS captures the game running on the same computer.
- GTA V or GTA 6 on a console. A capture card brings the console picture into OBS. GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 19 November 2026. Rockstar has not announced a PC version, so on PC you will stream it through a capture card.
Checked on 27 October 2026. OBS’s own help articles are older than the current app, so a few menu names may differ slightly.
Step 1: download and install OBS
- Go to obsproject.com/download. Only download OBS from the official site.
- Pick your system. The OBS site says the current release supports Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 13 or newer, with an Ubuntu 24.04+ package and a Flatpak for Linux. At the time of writing the current version is 32.2.2.
- Install it and open it.
Step 2: run the Auto-Configuration Wizard
The first time you open OBS it offers to run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. It looks at your hardware and internet connection and suggests settings.
- Choose Optimise for streaming.
- Pick your platform and connect your account, or paste your stream key (see step 7).
- Let it run its bandwidth test and accept the results.
You can run it again any time from Tools > Auto-Configuration Wizard. Treat its result as a starting point and check it against the settings below.
Step 3: build your scenes
A scene is a layout. A source is something inside it: the game, your webcam, an image or text.
A simple GTA setup has three scenes:
- Gameplay: the game full screen, webcam in a corner.
- Starting soon: an image or text while you get ready.
- Be right back: for breaks.
Add a scene with the + under the Scenes box. Switch scenes by clicking them.
Step 4: add GTA as a source
GTA V on the same PC (Windows)
- Select your Gameplay scene.
- Click + under Sources and choose Game Capture.
- Set Mode to Capture any fullscreen application, or choose Capture specific window and pick GTA V.
- Click OK.
OBS calls Game Capture the most efficient way to capture a game. It is only available on Windows. Its Use anti-cheat compatibility hook option is on by default; leave it on, since GTA Online on PC uses BattlEye anti-cheat.
If you only have one monitor, OBS notes that switching away from a fullscreen game can stop it drawing, so the preview may go blank while you are in OBS. That is normal.
If Game Capture stays black, try Window Capture or Display Capture instead.
GTA on a console, through a capture card
- Connect the capture card as shown in our PS5 or Xbox guide.
- Click + under Sources and choose Video Capture Device.
- Pick your capture card from the Device list.
- Click OK and resize it to fill the canvas if needed.
Your webcam
- Click + under Sources and choose Video Capture Device.
- Pick your webcam.
- Drag and resize it into a corner. Make sure it sits above the game in the Sources list, or it will be hidden.
Step 5: set up audio
By default OBS captures your desktop audio and your microphone. Watch the meters in the Audio Mixer while you talk and play.
- If a meter doesn’t move, go to Settings > Audio and pick the right devices.
- For a capture card, check the game sound shows up as its own meter in the mixer. If it doesn’t, open the capture source’s properties and look at its audio settings.
- Aim for your voice clearly louder than the game. Viewers leave when they can’t hear you over the action.
Tip: GTA’s radio plays licensed songs that can be muted or claimed on stream archives. Turn the in-game radio down or off, or keep it on a separate track you leave out of recordings (see step 9).
Step 6: pick an encoder
The encoder turns your video into a stream. Go to Settings > Output, set Output Mode to Advanced, and open the Streaming tab.
OBS generally recommends a hardware encoder, because it moves the work off your CPU onto a dedicated part of the graphics card.
| Encoder | Hardware | Notes from OBS |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA NVENC | NVIDIA GeForce 750 Ti, 900 series or newer | Best results from 6th-generation NVENC (Turing); OBS notes the original GTX 1650 has the older 5th-generation encoder |
| AMD AMF | Supported AMD graphics cards | Supported on Windows and Linux |
| Intel Quick Sync (QSV) | Intel graphics on Core i 2nd gen or newer | OBS recommends 4th gen (Haswell) or newer. If you have an NVIDIA or AMD card, use that encoder instead |
| Apple VideoToolbox | Apple Silicon Macs | Streams in H.264. Intel Macs can’t stream with it and must use x264 |
| x264 | Your CPU | Works on anything. Uses a lot of CPU, which can hurt game performance on the same PC |
If GTA V runs on the same PC, a hardware encoder is the safer choice. With a capture card, the console does the gaming, so x264 is more realistic if your CPU is strong.
Step 7: set resolution, frame rate and bitrate
- Go to Settings > Video.
- Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to your screen or capture resolution.
- Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to what you will stream, usually 1920x1080 or 1280x720.
- Set Common FPS Values to 60 or 30.
- Back in Settings > Output > Streaming, set Rate Control to CBR, set the Bitrate, and set Keyframe Interval to 2 seconds.
Each platform publishes its own numbers:
| Platform | 1080p at 60 fps (H.264) | Other limits |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 6 Mbps minimum, 17 Mbps recommended | Up to 60 fps. Keyframes every 2 seconds, never more than 4. AAC or MP3 audio |
| Twitch | 6,000 kbps in its broadcasting guidelines | June 2026: up to 7.5 Mbps at 1080p and 9 Mbps at 1440p with Enhanced Broadcasting |
| Kick | 8,000 kbps maximum | H.264 only, CBR only, 1920x1080 and 60 fps maximum, stereo audio up to 48 kHz |
Your upload speed matters more than any table. Run a speed test and keep your bitrate comfortably below your upload speed, or your stream will drop frames. If it does, lower the bitrate or drop to 720p.
For 720p at 60 fps, YouTube lists 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended for H.264.
Step 8: add your stream key
- 1Open your platform dashboardFind the live or stream settings page.
- 2Copy the stream key
- 3Paste it in OBSSettings → Stream → pick the service → Stream Key.
- Go to Settings > Stream.
- Choose your Service: YouTube, Twitch, or Custom for Kick and others.
- For YouTube and Twitch, either click Connect Account and sign in, or choose Use Stream Key.
- To use a key, copy it from your platform’s dashboard and paste it into Stream Key. For Custom, paste the Server URL too.
- Click Apply.
Where to find the key:
- YouTube: YouTube Studio > Create > Go live > Stream tab.
- Twitch: Creator Dashboard > Settings > Stream.
- Kick: Creator dashboard > Channel > Stream URL and Key.
Never show or share your stream key. Anyone who has it can stream to your channel. If it leaks, reset it on the platform and paste the new one into OBS.
Step 9: record while you stream (optional)
- In Settings > Output, open the Recording tab.
- Choose a folder.
- Set Recording Format to MKV. OBS recommends it because a crash won’t corrupt the whole file.
- To get MP4 files for editing, use File > Remux Recordings, or tick Automatically remux to mp4 in Settings > Advanced.
In Advanced mode you can choose which audio tracks go into the recording. OBS suggests this as a way to keep copyrighted music out of your saved video.
Step 10: run a test stream
OBS strongly recommends a few minutes of testing before your first real stream.
- On YouTube, schedule the stream as Private or Unlisted. On Twitch or Kick, stream for a few minutes at a quiet time.
- Click Start Streaming.
- Watch on your phone. Check the picture is sharp, the sound is in sync, and your voice sits above the game.
- Look at the bottom bar in OBS. Dropped frames mean your bitrate is too high for your connection.
- Click Stop Streaming and adjust.
Common problems
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Black screen from a PS5 | Turn off HDCP on the PS5 (Settings > System > HDMI) |
| Black screen from Game Capture | Try Window Capture or Display Capture |
| Washed-out console picture | The console is sending HDR. Turn HDR off for streaming, or use your capture software’s tone mapping |
| Dropped frames | Lower the bitrate, or use a wired connection |
| Game stutters on the same PC | Switch from x264 to NVENC, AMF or QSV |
| Kick won’t connect | Kick needs H.264 and CBR. Check the key and server are pasted correctly |
Before you stream GTA
Don’t stream leaked footage, standalone cutscenes or GTA Online with cheats or mod menus. Read Rockstar’s video policy in our own words.
