How to Fix OBS Lagging [12 Quick Ways]

Why is OBS so laggy? This frustrating experience can take the fun out of creating videos, or even worse, hurt your audience numbers if you are a content creator or streamer. This article will guide you through 12 methods to resolve OBS lagging. First, let's briefly outline the solutions for how to fix OBS lag:

So, why is an OBS recording laggy? Several factors may contribute to it. OBS monitor capture lag is typically caused by:

• Insufficient system resources

• High bitrate settings

• Conflict with security software

• An unstable network connection

• Incorrect OBS settings

Additionally, the cause may be due to multiple factors put together. For example, if a user has insufficient system resources and an unstable network connection, they should expect OBS lagging while recording or streaming.

Read the fixes below to learn how to make OBS not lag.

For OBS to function optimally, your system must meet specific requirements. These requirements pertain to three fundamental components of your computer: the CPU, GPU, and RAM. 

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is essentially the brain of your computer. Insufficient CPU power means slower processing of tasks, causing a lag when running resource-intensive software like OBS.

The GP (Graphics Processing Unit) renders images, animations, and videos on your computer's screen. If the GPU isn't powerful enough, you might experience lag, frame drops, or poor video quality in OBS.

Finally, the RAM (Random Access Memory) is the temporary storage that your computer uses to hold data it needs to access quickly. If your system doesn't have enough RAM, it might struggle to run OBS smoothly alongside other programs, leading to lagging issues during recording or streaming.

Utilizing high bitrate settings can put a significant load on your system, which in turn may result in lagging issues. The bitrate refers to the amount of data processed per unit of time in a video or audio stream, measured in kilobits per second (Kbps). It shows the quality of your video or audio – the higher the bitrate, the better the quality. However, this improved quality comes at the cost of requiring more system resources to process the data. So, you may try to lower the bitrate to reduce lags.

1. Go to File, then Settings, and choose Output.

2. Find Streaming.

3. Click on Video Bitrate and either scroll or select desired bitrate.

Security and firewall software, designed to protect your system from harmful activities, can occasionally disrupt the operation of OBS. A firewall monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. This protective measure might regard OBS as a potential threat and interfere. To fix this, ensure OBS is added to your security software's “whitelist,” a list of approved programs and websites.

Using an unstable network can lead to a frustrating and disruptive experience when streaming or recording with OBS, as it often results in lag. An unstable network is inconsistent, frequently dropping in and out, or fluctuating in speed and reliability. This irregularity can cause delays, buffering, and poor video quality. Therefore, to reduce lag while streaming or recording, you need a stable and robust internet connection. A stable connection will provide consistent speeds and reliability, ensuring a smoother, lag-free experience during your OBS sessions.

Wireless connections are prone to instability and fluctuation. Using a wired connection can help stop OBS from lagging. For example, if you want to stream on Twitch with OBS without lags, you may want a hardwired internet connection.

Incorrect configuration of OBS settings could result in lag during recording or streaming. Key settings to consider are encoder settings, frame rate, and resolution, each of which should be adjusted to match your system's capabilities. 

Encoder settings determine how video and audio data are packaged for streaming or recording. If these settings are too high for your system, it may lead to lag. Frame rate refers to the number of individual frames or images displayed per second. The more frames, the more resources needed. Resolution is the size of the video on the screen, measured by the number of pixels in each dimension that the display can accommodate. Higher resolution provides a clearer, sharper image, but requires more processing power.

Changing framerate

1. Click File > Settings.

2. Go to Video Settings.

3. Find Common FPS Values, select your value, and hit Apply.

Changing resolution

1. Click File, then Settings.

2. Open Video Settings.

3. Select and alter both Base (Canvas) and Output (Scaled) Resolution. For best results, match Base to your system resolution, and downscale your output resolution.

Running multiple processes alongside OBS can strain your system resources, leading to laggy recordings. Close unnecessary programs before starting OBS. Ideally, your system should only be running OBS and the media you wish to record.

Occasionally, addressing network-related lags can be as simple as flushing the DNS cache. The DNS cache is a temporary database maintained by a computer's operating system. This cache can sometimes cause issues due to outdated or corrupted records.

To flush the DNS cache, you can use the built-in tools provided by your operating system. Try searching your startup menu for your DNS settings, or searching for a tutorial video that matches your operating system (usually Windows or Mac).

One of the simplest solutions to software glitches is a restart. If you're experiencing OBS local recording lag, try restarting OBS to see if it helps.

1. Hit the X button in the corner to close the app.

2. To ensure it is completely closed, open your operating system’s task manager, and look for OBS among the processes.

3. If you find OBS, select it and press Delete.

4. Launch OBS again by clicking its desktop icon or from your start menu.

Outdated drivers can impact your system's performance. Regularly updating your graphics, audio, and network drivers can help make OBS less laggy. Your specific drivers depend on your hardware, so if you’re curious, search for specific drivers for each of those components.

High game settings can strain your system, leading to OBS lag. Lower the graphics settings in your game to free up resources. You can find these graphics settings in the menu of any modern game. Additionally, most games have specifications listed on their store pages for your computer to be able to run it smoothly. Make sure your computer can easily run them with at least the low settings, because OBS will use even more resources.

1. Pause your game and search for a menu called Settings.

2. Most games will have a submenu called Video or Graphics, navigate to it.

3. Many games will have main graphics options, ranging from Low, Medium, High, to Ultra. Select progressively lower options and check on the lag.

If your OBS stream is lagging, you could try to broadcast to a new server. Servers are powerful computers that host websites, services, or networks. Users can access them over the internet. When too many users connect to the same server, it can lead to congestion, kind of like a traffic jam. This server congestion can delay the transmission of data, causing your stream to lag. By switching to a different server, ideally one with fewer active users, you can solve this congestion.

If the above fixes don't resolve your OBS lag issues, consider using alternative software such as Movavi Screen Recorder or Gecata by Movavi. Below is a comparison table of OBS, Movavi Screen Recorder, and Gecata:

As you can see, Movavi Screen Recorder is the choice for those wanting the features of OBS while gaining access to a friendly interface with less system resource usage. If you want to capture and stream your gameplay, then you can try Gecata by Movavi.