How to Stop OBS Lag and High CPU Usage

OBS Studio is the most popular tool for streaming and recording, but it's not the most simple thing to set up because there are almost endless configurations. And if you set it up incorrectly, performance issues such as lag, dropped frames, and high CPU usage can quickly ruin any plans of using it. The good news is that most OBS performance problems can be fixed with a few simple adjustments. You do not need to apply every optimisation in this guide, so make one change at a time, test your results, and keep the settings that improve performance on your system.

How to Stop OBS Lag and High CPU Usage

One of the easiest ways to improve OBS performance is to run it as an administrator. If it works, you can set it to always open with admin rights.

• Close OBS if it is running.
• Right-click the OBS Studio shortcut.
• Select Run as administrator.

Running OBS with administrator privileges allows Windows to prioritise OBS and allocate system resources more effectively. This can help reduce lag, improve stability, and prevent encoding overloads. To make it always open as admin:

• Right-click the shortcut you use to open OBS and select Properties.
• Next, change to the Compatibility tab.
• Here, make sure the Run this program as an administrator is ticked.
• Finally, click Apply to save the changes.

Close Unnecessary Applications

Before doing anything else in this guide, make sure you aren't running a ton of other crap while you are using OBS... The less stuff you have running, the better. So close it all down!

• Web browsers
• Discord
• Launchers
• File syncing software
• Unused utilities

The fewer programs running, the more resources OBS can use.

Set OBS Process Priority

After opening OBS:

• Click Settings.
• Open the Advanced tab.
• Locate Process Priority.
• Set it to High or Above Normal.

This tells Windows to give OBS higher priority compared to other applications running in the background.

Disable the OBS Preview Window

The preview window inside OBS consumes system resources because OBS must continuously render everything displayed on screen.

If your scenes and overlays are already configured:

• Right-click inside the OBS preview area.
• Uncheck Enable Preview.

Disabling the preview will significantly reduce CPU usage, especially on lower-end systems. Honestly, it's worth doing on any build.

Choose the Right Encoder ( HUGE BOOST)

The encoder you use has a major impact on performance.

Use NVENC if Available

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, select NVIDIA NVENC H.264 as your encoder.

Go to: Settings > Output

NVENC uses your GPU for video encoding instead of your CPU, reducing processor load and often improving overall performance.

Optimize x264 Settings

If NVENC is unavailable and you must use x264 encoding, choose the Very Fast preset.

Faster presets require fewer CPU resources and are generally better for systems experiencing lag.

What About AV1?

If your hardware supports AV1 encoding, that is the best option, though it's not something everyone will have access to. It's super efficient, so it's worth using if you have the choice.

Change Windows Graphics Settings

Windows can be configured to give OBS better access to your graphics hardware.

• Open Display Settings.
• Select Graphics Settings.
• Find OBS Studio in the application list.
• Set its graphics preference to High Performance.

This makes sure OBS uses the most powerful GPU available.

Disable Game Mode

• Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode
• Turn Game Mode off.

This is a debatable optimisation setting, but it's worth checking because some people swear by it and others say it does absolutely nothing...

Lower Your Output Resolution

This is a total no-brainer, but it might not be something you want to do. The lower the resolution you use, the better your stream will perform. However, it will also lower the quality of your stream.

Switch from 1080p to 720p

If you are currently streaming or recording at 1920×1080 and experiencing lag, try reducing your output resolution to 1280×720. A resolution of 720p at 60 FPS often provides a much smoother experience while maintaining acceptable visual quality, especially for viewers watching on mobile devices.

Reduce Frame Rate if Necessary

If lowering resolution is not an option, try reducing your frame rate from 60 FPS to 30 FPS. This makes a massive difference in overall performance, going from 60fps to 30fps will give you a huge boost in overall stability and performance.

Use Game Capture Instead of Display Capture (IMPORTANT)

When capturing gameplay, always use Game Capture whenever possible.

Game Capture is specifically optimised for capturing games and generally uses fewer system resources than Display Capture. Only use Display Capture as a last resort for games that won't let you use Game Capture.

• Lower CPU usage
• Smoother recordings
• Better streaming performance
• Reduced frame drops

Use these OBS Settings for Streaming

For streaming, use the following settings as a starting point:

Encoder Settings

• Encoder: NVENC H.264
• Rate Control: CBR (Constant Bitrate)
• Bitrate: 6000 Kbps
• Keyframe Interval: 2

Preset Selection

OBS NVENC presets range from lower quality but faster performance to higher quality and heavier resource usage.

• P2
• P3
• P4

These usually provide excellent quality while reducing GPU load compared to higher presets. Disable Look Ahead if performance is a concern, and leave Adaptive Quantisation enabled.

Optimize Recording Settings

For local recordings:

• Encoder: NVENC H.264
• Rate Control: CBR
• Bitrate: 18,000 to 20,000 Kbps for 1080p recordings
• Keyframe Interval: 2

Higher resolutions such as 4K require significantly higher bitrates and more powerful hardware.