OBS Studio
OBS stream settings that survive a mobile connection
A practical starting point for bitrate, keyframes, resolution, and encoder settings when your upstream is unpredictable.
- For
- IRL streamers
- Level
- beginner
- Read time
- 2 min
- Updated
- Jul 29, 2026
Start with the connection, not the camera
The best-looking encoder preset cannot rescue a connection that has run out of upload capacity. Before changing OBS, test the connection where you will actually stream and leave room for normal cellular swings.
A stable 4 Mbps picture is more watchable than an 8 Mbps picture that repeatedly stalls.
A dependable baseline
Use these settings as a starting point, then adjust for your platform and available upload:
| Setting | Starting value |
|---|---|
| Output resolution | 1280×720 |
| Frame rate | 30 fps |
| Video bitrate | 3,000–4,500 Kbps |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds |
| Rate control | CBR |
| Audio bitrate | 128 Kbps |
Keep upload headroom
Try to keep your total stream bitrate below 70% of your sustained upload speed. If a field test holds 6 Mbps consistently, begin around 4 Mbps instead of using the entire connection.
Before you go live
- Record a short local test using the same encoder settings.
- Run a private stream for at least ten minutes.
- Watch for dropped frames in View → Stats.
- Test while moving between the same locations you expect to visit live.
If dropped frames rise because of the network, lower the bitrate before lowering the encoder quality preset. The connection is the bottleneck in that case, not the encoder.