How to Stream on Facebook with OBS Studio: Step by Step

The short answer

To stream to Facebook with OBS Studio, open the live video tool on Facebook, choose Streaming software, copy the Server URL and stream key, paste them into Settings, Stream in OBS, and start streaming. Facebook names Open Broadcaster Software among the popular streaming software options. This guide follows Facebook's Help Centre and the OBS Project's guides, as of October 5, 2026.

Before you start

• Check eligibility. Facebook says your account must be at least 60 days old and your Page or professional mode profile must have at least 100 followers; to go live from a Page you need Facebook or task access to create content.
• Use Chrome for the Facebook side. Facebook's help page for Pages says to use the Google Chrome browser to go live from a computer.
• Know your upload speed. Facebook recommends 3,000 to 6,000 kbps for 1080p30; see the bandwidth calculator.

Step 1: get your Server URL and stream key

1. Go to facebook.com/live/create and click Choose where to post.
2. Click Go live and choose Streaming software as the video source.
3. Optional: in Advanced Settings turn on Persistent stream key to reuse the key. A standard key cannot be reused, and you can only have one live video at a time with a persistent key.
4. Copy the Server URL and the Stream key. Never share them: see Facebook stream key.

Step 2: set up OBS Studio

1. Open Settings, Stream. Choose the Facebook service if your OBS version lists it, or Custom…, which matches Facebook's instruction to use a Custom Streaming Server or RTMP Server.
2. Paste the Server URL and stream key. Facebook says to enable RTMPS if your software supports it.
3. Set the video and output settings from the table below in Settings, Video and Settings, Output.
4. Start streaming in OBS. Facebook shows a live preview.

OBS Studio builds your picture from Sources. The Quick Start Guide lists Display Capture or Window Capture for your screen, Screen Capture on macOS, Game Capture (Windows only) and Video Capture Device for a webcam. The Audio Mixer captures desktop audio and your microphone by default, and you can change the devices in Settings, Audio. If you are unsure where to begin, the guide points to the Auto-Configuration Wizard under the Tools menu, which considers your goal, hardware and network.

Step 3: match Facebook's recommended settings

Facebook's time limit and guidelines page recommends:

• Resolution 1080p (1920 x 1080), 30 fps
• Bitrate 3,000 to 6,000 Kbps
• Keyframe interval 2 seconds
• Video codec H.264, Level 4.1
• Audio 44.1 kHz, stereo, 128 Kbps

The Live Video API documentation lists bitrate ranges for other sizes:

The documentation also gives constant bitrate and RTMPS. Compare with other platforms in the bitrate recommender, and read best OBS settings for streaming to choose one value for several platforms.

Step 4: add details and go live

With the preview showing, add a title and description in Add post details, then click Go Live Now, or use Later to schedule a date and time. Facebook's time limit is 8 hours per live video, and it ends streams automatically with no grace period. Facebook also advises previewing before you go live and says live videos are available for replay for up to 30 days.

Run a test before every important show. The OBS Project's Quick Start Guide says to test your settings in Settings, Output and then use Start Streaming or Start Recording, and it strongly encourages running a test for a few minutes. Make that test private (or Practice mode on Instagram) so no audience sees it.

Troubleshooting from OBS and Facebook

The OBS Project says dropped frames mean your connection is not stable or you cannot keep up with your bitrate, and suggests lowering the bitrate (75% of your upload speed is its starting point), trying a different server or switching from Wi-Fi to a wired connection. If OBS reports encoding overloaded, lower the output resolution or frame rate, for example 30 instead of 60. Facebook has its own help page for live streaming problems, linked from its streaming software article.

Facebook and other platforms

OBS can send one stream to a relay that delivers to Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Kick and TikTok, so you upload once. See how to multistream with OBS Studio, go live on Facebook from a PC for the webcam route, features and pricing.

Sources

• Facebook Help Centre: Go live on Facebook using streaming software
• Facebook Help Centre: Go live from your Facebook Page
• Facebook Help Centre: Time limit and guidelines for live streaming on Facebook
• Meta for Developers: Live Video API reference
• OBS Project: Quick Start Guide (page dated 2021-08-25)
• OBS Project knowledge base: Stream Connection Troubleshooting (page dated 2024-09-30; cited by name, the OBS Project asks people not to link to knowledge base pages)
• OBS Project knowledge base: Encoding Performance Troubleshooting (page dated 2021-06-12; cited by name)

Platform figures were checked on October 5, 2026. Platforms change their recommendations, so confirm against the current documentation before you go live.