How to Fix An Encoder Error Occurred While Recording in OBS

OBS Studio is the best way to screen-record content since it's free, resource-friendly, and has all the options and features you could possibly dream of. The only problem is that it's a little overwhelming to set up and use early on. So if you are trying to use it and get the “An encoder error occurred while recording” message, it usually means OBS is having trouble using the selected video encoder or graphics hardware. So follow along as we show you how to make some adjustments to OBS to get rid of this error message.

How to Fix An Encoder Error Occurred While Recording in OBS

The first solution is to change the encoder that OBS uses when recording. There are a lot of different encoders to choose from, though some work better on certain hardware, so you'll need to choose wisely.

• Open OBS Studio.
• Click File in the top-left corner.
• Select Settings.
• Choose Output from the menu on the left.
• Scroll down until you find the Recording section.
• Look for the Video Encoder option.

If your encoder is currently set to a hardware encoder, such as H.264, try changing it to Software (x264). The software encoder uses your CPU instead of your graphics card, which can help if the hardware encoder is causing the problem.

If you are already using Software (x264), try switching to a hardware H.264 encoder instead. The exact hardware encoder available will depend on your graphics card and OBS installation.

You should also check the Recording Format setting and make sure it is set to MP4.

• After changing these settings, click Apply and then OK.
• Try starting a recording in OBS to see whether the encoder error has disappeared.

If you have a newer GPU and the option for H.265 or AV1, you can try those.
Just keep in mind that not all streaming platforms will accept AV1.

Disable and Re-enable Your GPU

If changing the encoder does not fix the problem, the issue might be with your graphics card or its current connection with Windows. You can temporarily disable and re-enable the GPU using Device Manager. This is generally only for laptop users or people who have multiple GPUs in their desktop.

• Open the Windows Start menu.
• Search for Device Manager.
• Open Device Manager.
• Expand Display adapters.
• Find your graphics card in the list.
• Right-click the GPU and select Disable device.
• Confirm the change when Windows asks you to do so.
• Wait a few seconds.
• Right-click the graphics card again and select Enable device.
• Once the graphics card has been enabled again, open OBS Studio and try recording.

Change the GPU Used by OBS

Just like Windows lets you choose the GPU you are using, OBS also does so make sure that you are using the right GPU for the job!

• Open the Start menu.
• Search for Settings and open it.
• Select System.
• Click Display.
• Scroll down and select Graphics.
• Click Browse to add OBS Studio.

You now need to find the OBS.exe. On most Windows installations, you can find it here:

• Open the obs-studio folder, then bin, followed by 64bit.
• Select obs64.exe and add it to the graphics application list.
• Once OBS appears in the list, select it and click Options.

Windows should give you these options: Power saving and High performance. These might correspond to different GPUs installed in your computer, so pick the one that says high performance and see how that goes.

Test OBS After Each Change (IMPORTANT)

Since this entire process is kind of based on trial and error, you need to make sure that you are testing things after making each and every change. This will rule out any issues instantly and allow you to see what settings give you the best results. It's also worth mentioning that you might need to use different settings for different games if you are streaming gaming content. Games that use more system resources might cause issues with recording quality. As with everything, it's a game of balance!