Best OBS settings to record gameplay for your editor
Direct answer: In OBS, set Output to Advanced, record to MKV, keep track 1 as the full mix and put game, microphone and Discord on their own tracks (OBS records up to 6), and use CQP or CRF between 15 and 23, the range in OBS's own guide. Keep one resolution and frame rate all session.
This page is only the settings. Why each one matters, and what to do before and after a session, is in my longer guide how to record gameplay so your editor can do more.
The settings, one by one
Sources: the OBS knowledge base and YouTube Help, all read on October 15, 2026.
| Setting | What to use | Why (source) |
|---|---|---|
| Output mode | Advanced | Advanced mode is what lets you record multiple audio tracks, up to 6, and pick a recording encoder (OBS Advanced Recording Guide). |
| Recording format | MKV, then remux to MP4 if your editor asks | OBS: not every container allows multi-track audio, and it suggests MKV (remux to MP4 later). MKV does not corrupt the whole file if the recording stops without a clean ending (OBS Standard Recording Output Guide). |
| Hybrid MP4 | Fine for single-track recordings | Added in OBS 30.2 and recoverable after a crash or power cut (OBS Hybrid MP4). The page does not say whether it keeps multiple audio tracks, so for multi-track sessions I stick with MKV. |
| Audio tracks | Track 1: everything. Then one source per track, for example 2 game, 3 mic, 4 Discord | OBS's own example keeps track 1 as the full mix and puts single sources on the other tracks (OBS; routing in OBS Multiple Audio Track Recording Guide). |
| Rate control (x264) | CRF 15 to 23, preset veryfast or superfast | Range from the OBS guide; a lower value means higher quality and bigger files (OBS). |
| Rate control (NVIDIA NVENC) | CQP 15 to 23, preset Quality | Same guide and range. |
| Rate control (Intel QuickSync) | CQP or ICQ 15 to 23 | Same guide and range. For AMD the guide gives a preset but no number. |
| Bitrate, if you use one | Above YouTube's upload numbers: 1080p60 12 Mbps, 1440p60 24 Mbps, 4K60 53 to 68 Mbps | Those are YouTube's recommendations for the finished upload (YouTube Help). A recording gets edited and encoded again, so I treat them as a floor, not a target. The OBS guide gives no recording bitrate. |
| Resolution and frame rate | The same as your last videos, all session | YouTube asks for uploads in the frame rate they were recorded in (YouTube Help); mixing rates inside one video costs re-timing work. |
Step by step in OBS
- Settings → Output, set Output Mode to Advanced.
- Open the Recording tab. Set the format to MKV and tick the audio tracks you will use (for example 1 to 4).
- Pick your encoder and set rate control to CQP (NVENC, QuickSync) or CRF (x264) at a value between 15 and 23. Start at the lower end if your drive has room.
- In the Audio Mixer, click the gear and open Advanced Audio Properties. Tick track 1 for every source, then give game, mic and Discord one extra track each.
- Keep the facecam as its own source, or record it as a separate file.
- Record 30 seconds, open the MKV in your editor or in VLC and check that every track has sound before a long session.
What I do with these files
Most of my clients record Roblox and Minecraft, often with friends on a call. Separate tracks let me lower one friend's mic under a joke, mute a dropped call or fix one voice without touching the game sound. A single mixed track can be made louder or quieter, but nobody in it can be pulled out afterwards. When the files are ready, send them as one folder per video: how to send raw footage to your editor.
How it works with me
Send your channel link and a clip. I edit a free 1-minute test on your own footage, and I usually reply within a few hours. No contract: each video is quoted on its own, the first one comes back in 1 to 5 days and the next ones usually in 1 to 2, and every revision comes back within 24 hours. My public record is on YT Jobs: 1,250 videos and 147.6M views.
My price: $55–$150 per finished video depending on complexity; up to $300 for some long or complex edits.
Quick answers
What are the best OBS settings to record gameplay for my editor?
In OBS, set Output to Advanced, record to MKV, keep track 1 as the full mix and put game, microphone and Discord on their own tracks (OBS records up to 6), and use CQP or CRF between 15 and 23, the range in OBS's own guide. Keep one resolution and frame rate all session.
Should I record mic and game audio on separate tracks in OBS?
Yes. OBS can record up to 6 audio tracks in Advanced output mode. Keep track 1 as the full mix and give game, mic and Discord a track each, so your editor can adjust one voice without moving the rest. A mixed track cannot be split later.
Should I record in MKV or MP4 in OBS?
MKV for multi-track recordings. OBS says not every container allows multi-track audio and suggests MKV, remuxed to MP4 later if needed; MKV also survives a recording that stops without a clean ending. Hybrid MP4 (OBS 30.2 and later) is also recoverable after a crash.
What CQP or CRF value should I use in OBS?
Between 15 and 23, the range OBS's Advanced Recording Guide gives for x264 CRF, NVENC CQP and QuickSync. A lower number means higher quality and bigger files.
What bitrate should I record 1080p60 gameplay at?
Above 12 Mbps. That is YouTube's recommended bitrate for a finished 1080p60 upload (YouTube Help, read October 15, 2026); a recording gets edited and encoded again, so treat it as a floor. Quality-based CQP or CRF avoids picking a number at all.