how to make obs recordings take less space

3 min read 17-03-2025

how to make obs recordings take less space

OBS Studio is a powerful free and open-source screen recording and live streaming software. However, its flexibility can lead to large video file sizes. This article will show you how to significantly reduce the space your OBS recordings consume without sacrificing too much quality.

Understanding OBS Recording Settings

Before diving into optimizations, understanding the key settings that impact file size is crucial. These settings directly control the amount of data your recording contains. The primary culprits for large file sizes are:

Resolution: Higher resolutions (like 1080p or 4K) require significantly more storage space. Lower resolutions like 720p or even 480p can save a lot of space.
Frame Rate (FPS): Higher frame rates (like 60 FPS) create smoother video but increase file size. Lower frame rates (like 30 FPS) are usually sufficient for most recordings.
Bitrate: This setting determines the amount of data used per second of video. A lower bitrate means a smaller file size but can result in compression artifacts (loss of quality). Finding the right balance is key.
Encoding: The chosen codec (encoder) affects both file size and quality. Different codecs offer varying levels of compression.

Reducing OBS Recording Size: Practical Steps

Let's explore practical strategies to shrink your OBS recordings:

1. Lowering Resolution and Frame Rate

The most impactful changes you can make involve reducing the resolution and frame rate.

Resolution: Start by experimenting with lower resolutions. If you're recording gameplay, 720p (1280x720) often looks great and saves a significant amount of space compared to 1080p. For less demanding recordings, even 480p might suffice.
Frame Rate: Unless you're recording fast-paced action where high frame rates are essential, 30 FPS is generally more than enough. Lowering to 30 FPS from 60 FPS will dramatically reduce your file size.

2. Optimizing Bitrate

Bitrate is a critical setting. Finding the optimal bitrate involves balancing file size and quality.

Experimentation: Start with a lower bitrate and gradually increase it until you find a balance acceptable to you. OBS allows you to preview your recordings. This helps to find the minimum bitrate before visible compression artifacts appear.
Bitrate Calculator: You can use online bitrate calculators to estimate the bitrate needed for your desired quality and resolution.

3. Choosing the Right Encoder (Codec)

The encoder you choose significantly influences your file size and quality. Here are some popular options:

x264: A widely used and versatile encoder offering a good balance between quality and compression. It allows for various presets, affecting the encoding speed and compression level. "Medium" is a good starting point.
x265 (HEVC): This newer encoder generally offers better compression than x264, resulting in smaller file sizes for the same quality. However, it's more computationally intensive. Check if your system can handle it.
NVENC (Nvidia): If you have an Nvidia graphics card, NVENC is a hardware-accelerated encoder. This significantly speeds up encoding and can provide good compression, especially for lower bitrates.
QuickSync (Intel): Similar to NVENC, QuickSync is a hardware-accelerated encoder for Intel graphics cards.

Remember to test different encoders and presets to see what yields the best results for your specific needs and hardware.

4. Advanced Techniques: Using Advanced Settings

While the above changes usually suffice, more advanced users can explore these:

Keyframes: Adjusting keyframe intervals can slightly improve compression. However, this is an advanced setting and shouldn't be changed without understanding its implications.
Rate Control: Different rate control methods (like CBR and CQP) affect how the bitrate is managed during encoding. Experiment to see what works best for your needs.

5. Post-Processing Compression

After recording, you can use video editing software to further compress your files. Many programs offer export options with various compression levels. This step is optional, however.

Conclusion

By adjusting resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and encoder settings within OBS, and possibly using post-processing compression, you can dramatically reduce the file size of your recordings. Remember to balance file size with video quality. Start with the easier steps first and then explore the more advanced options if needed. Experiment to find the optimal settings for your specific setup and content. Now you can record longer and more frequently without filling up your hard drive!