The best Streamlabs Desktop recording settings depend on your computer, the footage you are capturing and whether you are recording alone or streaming at the same time. For quality-first gameplay, start with a canvas that matches your monitor, choose the highest output resolution your PC can sustain, and use 60 FPS if the system handles it.
For recording-only, Streamlabs recommends MP4 for ordinary recordings, NVENC with CQP for a supported NVIDIA GPU, and x264 with CRF as a CPU-based alternative. Treat CQ 17 and the Max Quality preset as starting points, not guarantees; make a test recording before relying on a configuration.
Start with your hardware and footage
Recording asks your computer to capture, encode and write video to storage while the rest of your workload continues. A game may already be using much of the GPU, while a browser scene or static devotional image may place less demand on it. Resolution, frame rate, encoder choice and preset all affect that workload, so no single combination is best for every PC.
Start by deciding what you need the file to do. If you plan to edit or publish detailed gameplay, a larger, smoother file may be worth the extra processing and storage. If you are capturing a static presentation, a lower frame rate may be visually adequate and easier to sustain. A recording that appears smooth in a short menu scene can still struggle when a game becomes busy, so test the actual content you intend to capture.
If you are new to the layout, first get familiar with Streamlabs Desktop’s basic setup. Then change a small number of settings at a time. That makes it easier to identify whether a dropped frame or an oversized file came from resolution, frame rate, encoder or quality choices.
Match the canvas to your monitor
In Settings > Video, Base (Canvas) Resolution describes the working canvas on which Streamlabs arranges your sources. For gameplay, Streamlabs recommends matching it to the monitor resolution. This gives your captured game a canvas aligned with the display rather than forcing a different working size at the outset.
The canvas is not the same as the recorded file’s final dimensions. Output (Scaled) Resolution controls the size of the output recording. You can therefore keep a monitor-matched canvas and choose a smaller output when the computer cannot comfortably encode the native size. That distinction is useful: changing the canvas and changing the output solve different problems.
For example, if your game fills a high-resolution monitor but your PC struggles to record at that size, retain the canvas that matches the display and test a lower output resolution. Check that text and interface elements remain readable in the resulting file. The best compromise depends on how much detail your viewer needs, not simply on choosing the largest number in the menu.
Choose an output resolution the PC can sustain
Streamlabs’ recording guide recommends choosing the highest quality output resolution. In practice, “highest” means the highest one your particular computer can record without unacceptable stutter, lag or heat-related performance changes over the length of a representative session. A brief test is a useful first filter, but a longer session can reveal issues that do not appear immediately.
If the output becomes choppy or the game loses responsiveness, reduce Output (Scaled) Resolution and test again. This is often a clearer first adjustment than changing several unrelated options together. Keep the original source or canvas settings in mind: lowering recorded output size does not necessarily mean you must rearrange every scene source.
A smaller file can also be easier to store and move, though the exact size depends on content and quality settings. Fast-moving gameplay and detailed textures can behave differently from an unmoving image. If your use case is a long ambience capture or a repeating scene, think about the available disk space and how you will use the file afterwards. A guide to running a rain ambience stream on a Raspberry Pi covers a different always-on workflow, but the same practical lesson applies: match the technical choice to the workload you actually intend to run.
Use a downscale filter when scaling
When the output resolution is lower than the canvas, Streamlabs applies a downscale filter to resize the image. Streamlabs recommends Lanczos for the best quality when downscaling. It can preserve more fine detail, but the guide notes a slight additional CPU cost, so it is sensible to check performance rather than assume the filter is free.
If you are not scaling the canvas down, the filter choice has no resizing job to do. If you are scaling and the computer has headroom, begin with Lanczos and inspect the resulting text, edges and fine details. If performance is a concern, compare a short test with a less demanding available filter and decide whether the visual difference matters for your footage.
Do not judge only from a preview window. Open the recorded file and watch a representative section at its intended playback size. Small interface text may appear clear in the application but soften after scaling, while ordinary footage may remain perfectly acceptable. The practical goal is an output that looks right to your viewer without forcing the computer into a workload it cannot sustain.
Set frame rate for the content
Streamlabs recommends 60 FPS for most recording, particularly action-heavy gameplay. A higher frame rate captures more motion samples per second, which can make rapid camera movement look smoother. It also asks the system to capture and encode more frames, so use it only if your computer can keep up with the game and recording workload together.
For board games, a talking presentation, a static image, or a slowly changing scene, 30 FPS may be a reasonable starting point. The visual benefit of 60 FPS is less apparent when there is little movement, while the lower rate can reduce the amount of material that needs processing. Neither setting guarantees smooth output on its own; performance also depends on resolution, encoder and what else is running.
Consider the finished use. If you are recording a fast game for later editing, try 60 FPS, then play back a test in action-heavy moments. If the recording is a devotional visual with a mostly fixed background and spoken or musical audio, 30 FPS may be sufficient. For audio-first work, the audio mix and background music guide can help with a separate part of the production; it does not replace checking the captured video and audio in your own test file.
Pick recording quality, encoder and format
Open Settings > Output > Recording to choose the recording path, format and encoder-related controls. For ordinary recordings, Streamlabs recommends MP4. If you need separate audio tracks for editing, choose MP4 or MKV: Streamlabs documents that FLV does not support multiple audio tracks. Separate tracks can let you adjust microphone and desktop audio independently later, which is useful when you do not want a music bed baked into the same mix as speech.
For encoder choice, Streamlabs recommends NVENC when an NVIDIA graphics card is available. NVENC uses the GPU’s encoding capability, while x264 uses the CPU. The better choice depends on which resource has room in your specific workload. A game that heavily taxes the GPU may behave differently from a desktop capture with spare GPU capacity; test the encoder rather than assuming that offloading is always beneficial.
For recording, Streamlabs recommends CQP rate control with NVENC and CRF with x264. These recording controls are not interchangeable with live-stream bitrate instructions. In particular, do not copy a live streaming CBR bitrate setting into a recording profile just because both options appear in a streaming application. The Streamlabs recording guide explains the recording recommendations, while its recording functionality guide covers recording features including audio tracks.
If using CQP, Streamlabs suggests CQ 17 as a starting point. Lower CQ values mean less quantisation and higher quality, generally at the cost of a larger file; higher values mean more compression and lower quality. Try the suggested starting value, then inspect both image quality and file size. If you need a long recording and storage is constrained, test a higher value. If fine detail matters more than space, test a lower value and confirm your PC remains responsive.
Streamlabs recommends leaving Keyframe Interval at 0 for recording, setting the profile to High, and using the Max Quality preset if performance allows. If the system struggles, lower the preset quality and retest. Avoid importing live-stream settings wholesale: a live output and a local recording have different requirements, and the recording guide’s specific advice is for recording rather than an assurance about every broadcast configuration.
Test the file, performance and storage
Make a short recording that includes the hardest part of your normal workload: a busy game scene, animated overlays, a microphone and desktop audio if you use them. Check whether the game remains responsive, whether the file plays smoothly, whether text and movement look acceptable, and whether all intended audio is present. A setting is useful only if it produces a file that serves your purpose.
If performance is poor, change one setting and repeat. Lowering output resolution is a practical first move. If that is not enough, reduce the preset from Max Quality or consider whether your selected encoder is overloading the resource the application needs. If frame pacing is the problem in a static use case, test 30 FPS. Write down the result so you are not repeatedly revisiting the same combinations.
Check where Streamlabs is saving the file and whether that drive has enough free space for the session you intend to capture. If no file appears or Streamlabs reports it cannot write to the destination, Streamlabs’ recording troubleshooting guidance suggests checking available disk space and whether the selected path is writable. Its guide also lists possible steps such as updating graphics drivers or running the application as administrator; these are troubleshooting options, not guaranteed fixes.
If editing matters, make a separate test with your intended audio tracks. Streamlabs supports assigning sources to separate tracks, and it documents up to six tracks; select MP4 or MKV when using multiple tracks. Confirm that your editing application can read the result and that the microphone and desktop audio are routed as you expect before starting a long capture.
Change the plan when recording and streaming together
Recording-only recommendations do not automatically carry over to simultaneous streaming. When you stream and record, the computer has to meet the live stream’s needs as well as produce the local file. Resolution, frame rate and encoding choices can therefore have a different effect than they do in a recording-only test. Streamlabs explicitly notes that simultaneous use may require adjustments.
Do not use the recording guide’s CQP or CRF advice as a substitute for the live stream’s output configuration. Streamlabs’ live-stream guidance discusses streaming-oriented bitrate settings, while its recording guide recommends CQP or CRF for local recording. Keep those workflows distinct, then test them together under realistic conditions.
If an error occurs while streaming and recording, Streamlabs’ troubleshooting guidance suggests trying a recording encoder different from the one used for streaming or selecting “Same as Stream” quality. These are conditional troubleshooting approaches, not a universal best setting. Make a test broadcast and local recording, then check both: a stream that looks acceptable does not prove that the saved file has the quality, tracks or smoothness you need.
When a long capture must continue without your computer running, the recording workflow is not the same as an always-on YouTube broadcast. StreamNeo removes the specific burden of keeping a personal computer switched on for an uploaded-file, 24/7 YouTube stream, but it does not provide a Streamlabs recording setup or apply to platforms other than YouTube.
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FAQ
Is CQ 17 the best setting for every recording?
No. Streamlabs suggests CQ 17 as a starting point for NVENC recording, but the right value depends on the content, desired quality and storage available. Test the result and adjust: lower values favour image quality and larger files, while higher values increase compression.
Should I use 60 FPS or 30 FPS?
Use 60 FPS as a starting point for action-heavy gameplay if your computer can sustain it. For static scenes or board games, 30 FPS may be enough and can reduce the workload. Play back a representative recording before settling on either.
Is MP4 or MKV better for recording?
Streamlabs recommends MP4 for ordinary recordings. If you need multiple separate audio tracks, use MP4 or MKV because FLV does not support that feature. Check that your editing workflow can use the chosen file before a long recording.
Can I use the same settings while streaming?
Not necessarily. Streamlabs’ recording-only recommendations may need adjustment when recording and streaming together, because both tasks draw on the computer’s resources. Test the live output and local file at the same time, and use Streamlabs’ troubleshooting suggestions only when they fit the problem you are seeing.