How do I record instead of stream in OBS?

Recording vs Streaming in OBS

Streaming sends your video to Twitch or YouTube in real time, limited by upload speed. Recording saves a file directly to your hard drive at full quality — ideal for YouTube videos, tutorials, and gameplay highlights with no bitrate compromise.

Step 1 — Switch to Recording Mode

You do not need to change any stream settings to record. OBS has separate Start Recording and Start Streaming buttons. You can even do both at once. Click Start Recording in the Controls panel to begin writing a local file.

Step 2 — Set Recording Output Settings

Go to Settings → Output and click the Recording tab at the top. Set Recording Format to mkv for safety (if OBS crashes, MKV preserves footage) or mp4 for easy sharing. Choose a Recording Path on a drive with plenty of free space — one hour of 1080p60 can exceed 10 GB.

Step 3 — Choose Recording Quality

Under the Recording tab, set Encoder to the same NVENC or x264 setting you use for streaming, or switch to Indistinguishable Quality preset for local recording. For maximum quality, use CQP or CRF rate control instead of CBR — this allocates bits where they matter most.

Step 4 — Use Replay Buffer for Highlights

Enable Replay Buffer under Settings → Output → Replay Buffer. Turn it on, then click Start Replay Buffer in Controls. Press your replay hotkey (default saves the last 30 seconds) to clip moments without recording entire sessions.

Step 5 — Remux MKV to MP4

If you recorded in MKV and need MP4, go to File → Remux Recordings in OBS. Select your MKV file and remux — this converts container format without re-encoding, so it is fast and lossless.

Recording Best Practices

• Record to MKV for crash protection, remux to MP4 afterward
• Store recordings on an SSD or HDD with ample free space
• Use CQP/CRF for higher local quality than streaming bitrate allows
• Enable Replay Buffer to catch unexpected moments
• Recording and streaming simultaneously is supported but CPU/GPU intensive

Local recording is the best way to produce polished YouTube content — no upload speed limits, no compression artifacts from low bitrate.