# Best OBS settings for Kick

> The OBS settings Kick recommends in 2026: bitrate, resolution, frame rate, keyframe interval and presets for x264, NVIDIA NVENC and AMD, plus lag fixes.

Source: https://kickbot.com/guides/setup/best-obs-settings-for-kick

The best OBS settings for Kick are: H.264 encoder, CBR rate control, a bitrate between 1,000 and 8,000 kbps that fits your upload speed, 1920x1080 or 1280x720 output, up to 60 fps, and a 2 second keyframe interval. These come from Kick's own setup guide ([How to stream on Kick.com](https://help.kick.com/en/articles/7066931-how-to-stream-on-kick-com)). Go past Kick's limits and the stream may not connect.

The right bitrate and preset depend on your internet and your computer. This page gives Kick's numbers for each encoder, then helps you pick values for your setup.

## Kick's limits

| Setting | Limit at the time of writing (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Encoder | H.264 only (x264, NVENC H.264, AMD H.264). No H.265 (HEVC). |
| Rate control | CBR only. VBR is not supported. |
| Bitrate | 1,000 to 8,000 kbps |
| Resolution | Up to 1920x1080 |
| Frame rate | Up to 60 fps |
| Keyframe interval | 2 s |
| Audio | Stereo, up to 48 kHz |

Source: [OBS or Streamlabs not connecting to Kick](https://help.kick.com/en/articles/14994318-obs-or-streamlabs-not-connecting-to-kick).

## Before you start

1. Connect OBS to Kick with your server URL and stream key. See [Find your Kick stream key](https://kickbot.com/guides/start/kick-stream-key).
2. Test your upload speed. Kick says it should be at least twice your bitrate.
3. In OBS, open **Settings** > **Output** and set **Output Mode** to **Advanced**. The settings below are on the **Streaming** tab.

## Choose your encoder

Use the encoder on your graphics card if you have one. OBS says modern hardware encoders give very good quality with little impact on performance ([OBS hardware encoding](https://obsproject.com/kb/hardware-encoding)).

- **NVIDIA graphics card:** NVIDIA NVENC H.264.
- **AMD graphics card:** AMD HW H.264.
- **No graphics card encoder, or an Intel Mac:** x264 (uses the CPU).
- **Mac:** Kick says to use x264 on a Mac so that CBR is available.

Do not pick an HEVC (H.265) or AV1 encoder. Kick does not accept them.

## Kick's recommended settings per encoder

### NVIDIA NVENC H.264

| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Rate Control | CBR |
| Bitrate | 1,000 to 8,000 kbps |
| Keyframe Interval | 2 s |
| Preset | P6: Slower (Better Quality) |
| Tuning | Ultra Low Latency |
| Multipass Mode | Single Pass |
| Profile | main |

### AMD HW H.264

Kick lists the same values as for NVENC: CBR, 1,000 to 8,000 kbps, 2 s keyframes, a quality preset, ultra low latency and the main profile. The preset names in OBS can be different for AMD cards. Pick the higher quality preset first, and go lower if you see encoding lag.

### x264 (CPU)

| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Rate Control | CBR |
| Bitrate | 1,000 to 8,000 kbps |
| Keyframe Interval | 2 s |
| CPU Usage Preset | veryfast |
| Profile | main |
| Tune | zerolatency |

Kick notes that the CPU preset changes how much CPU OBS uses. If your CPU is often above 90% while live, try **superfast**.

### Rescale Output

Only turn on **Rescale Output** if your base resolution is larger than 1920x1080 (for example a 1440p monitor). Set it to 1920x1080 or 1280x720.

## Pick a resolution and bitrate

Kick does not publish a bitrate table for OBS. Its guide for the KICK - Go Live phone app gives this rough guide, which works as a starting point on a computer too ([Kick help center](https://help.kick.com/en/articles/15159752-settings-and-stream-quality-on-the-kick-go-live-app)):

| Output | Bitrate | Upload speed (2x bitrate) |
|---|---|---|
| 1280x720, 30 fps | 2,500 to 4,500 kbps | 5 to 9 Mbps |
| 1280x720, 60 fps | 3,500 to 5,000 kbps | 7 to 10 Mbps |
| 1920x1080, 30 fps | 4,500 to 6,000 kbps | 9 to 12 Mbps |
| 1920x1080, 60 fps | 6,000 to 8,000 kbps | 12 to 16 Mbps |

Some tips:

- **Fast games:** 60 fps looks smoother. If your bitrate is limited, 720p60 often looks better than 1080p60 at the same bitrate.
- **Just Chatting, IRL, art:** 30 fps is fine and needs less bitrate.
- **New channels:** Kick says some growing channels can show viewers up to 720p60 only, until the channel reaches an engagement threshold ([Why 1080p may not be available](https://help.kick.com/en/articles/15638073-why-1080p-may-not-be-available-on-your-channel)). You can still stream in 1080p. If your upload is limited, a good 720p60 stream is a sensible choice.

Set the resolution and frame rate in **Settings** > **Video**:

- **Base (Canvas) Resolution:** your monitor size.
- **Output (Scaled) Resolution:** 1920x1080 or 1280x720.
- **Common FPS Values:** 60 or 30.

## Audio settings

Kick asks for **stereo** audio at **48 kHz** or less. In OBS, open **Settings** > **Audio** and set **Sample Rate** to 48 kHz and **Channels** to Stereo. Do not choose 5.1 or other surround modes.

## Test before you go live

1. Start a short test stream. Watch it on another device with the sound on.
2. Look at the bottom of the OBS window. OBS shows dropped frames there. If the number goes up, your bitrate is too high for your connection ([Kick help center](https://help.kick.com/en/articles/14994379-why-is-my-stream-lagging-or-buffering-on-kick)).
3. Check that your microphone is louder than game audio, and that nothing private shows on screen.

## Fix lag and dropped frames

Try these in order. Kick gives the same steps:

1. Lower the bitrate by 1,000 kbps and test again.
2. Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi.
3. Lower the output resolution (1080p to 720p) or the frame rate (60 to 30).
4. Use a faster preset: **superfast** for x264, **P3: Fast** for NVENC and AMD.
5. Close other programs, especially browsers with many tabs.
6. Check the [Kick status page](https://status.kick.com). The problem may not be on your side.

## Add overlays without slowing OBS down

Alerts, chat and other overlays run as **Browser** sources, which use some CPU and GPU. Keep only the overlays you use, and turn on **Shutdown source when not visible** for overlays in scenes you do not show ([OBS browser source](https://obsproject.com/kb/browser-source)). The [KickBot widgets](https://kickbot.com/docs/widgets/widget-library) for chat, alerts and counters are light web pages made for this. See [Add a browser source in OBS](https://kickbot.com/docs/getting-started/add-browser-source-obs).

## FAQ

**What bitrate should I use for Kick?**

Kick accepts 1,000 to 8,000 kbps. Use a bitrate that is at most half your upload speed. For 1080p at 60 fps, Kick's guide suggests 6,000 to 8,000 kbps. For 720p at 60 fps, 3,500 to 5,000 kbps.

**What keyframe interval does Kick use?**

2 seconds. Set **Keyframe Interval** to 2 in the OBS streaming output settings.

**Can I use VBR or H.265 on Kick?**

No. Kick needs CBR and H.264. A stream with VBR or H.265 can fail to connect or be rejected.

**Can I stream 1440p or 4K to Kick?**

No. Kick's maximum is 1920x1080 at 60 fps. Use **Rescale Output** or set the output resolution to 1920x1080.