For a quality-first gameplay recording in Streamlabs Desktop, match Base (Canvas) Resolution to your display, choose the highest Output (Scaled) Resolution your PC can sustain, and record at 60 FPS for action-heavy games or 30 FPS for static content. In Settings > Output > Recording, Streamlabs recommends MP4 for most recordings, NVENC with CQP and CQ 17 as a starting point when you have an NVIDIA GPU, or x264 with CRF when encoding on the CPU. Leave the recording keyframe interval at 0. These are starting settings, not a guarantee for every system; test a representative scene and lower output resolution or preset quality if performance suffers.
Recommended Streamlabs recording settings at a glance
| Setting | Starting recommendation | When to adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Base (Canvas) Resolution | Match your monitor resolution for gameplay. | This is the working canvas, not necessarily the resolution of the saved file. Choose a separate output resolution if needed. Streamlabs recording guide |
| Output (Scaled) Resolution | Use the highest resolution your PC can record smoothly. | If recording stutters or the computer struggles, lower output resolution and test again. |
| Downscale Filter | Lanczos when scaling down. | Streamlabs says Lanczos uses slightly more CPU than less intensive options. |
| FPS | 60 FPS for action-heavy gameplay; 30 FPS can suit static content. | Use the highest frame rate the system can sustain without recording problems. |
| Format | MP4 for ordinary recordings. | Use MP4 or MKV if you need multiple audio tracks; FLV does not support that feature. Streamlabs recording functionality |
| Encoder | NVENC if you have an NVIDIA graphics card; x264 for CPU encoding. | Choose based on available hardware and verify with a test recording. |
| Rate control | CQP for NVENC recording; CRF for x264 recording. | These are recording controls, not the CBR bitrate settings used for live streaming. |
| CQ level | Start at 17 for NVENC CQP. | Lower values mean less quantization and higher quality; higher values mean more compression and lower quality. |
| Keyframe interval | 0. | Do not substitute a live-stream keyframe recommendation without checking the specific workflow. |
| Preset and profile | Max Quality if performance permits; High profile. | Lower the preset if performance suffers. Streamlabs recommends leaving other settings at their defaults. |
These recommendations are from Streamlabs’ recording-only guide, last updated October 2, 2025. Streamlabs’ author Ethan May says to choose the highest quality output resolution for gameplay recording; in practice, that means the highest one your own computer can sustain.
Choose resolution and frame rate for your game
Canvas and output resolution are different
In Settings > Video, set Base (Canvas) Resolution to match your monitor for gameplay capture. Output (Scaled) Resolution controls the size of the recorded video, so it can be lower than the canvas. If your PC cannot record smoothly at your intended output resolution, lower that output setting first and make another test recording.
Pick 60 or 30 FPS based on motion
Use 60 FPS as a starting point for fast-moving gameplay where smoother motion matters. For board games, menus, or other mostly static scenes, 30 FPS can be sufficient. A higher frame rate means the system has more work to do, so the choice is useful only if your computer can sustain it while running the game and recording.
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Use Lanczos only when downscaling
If your output resolution is lower than your canvas, select Lanczos as the downscale filter for image quality. Streamlabs notes that it costs slightly more CPU. If performance is already tight, compare a short test with a less demanding filter rather than assuming the quality benefit is free.
Configure recording output and encoding
- Open Settings > Output > Recording. Choose a recording path you can access and confirm the destination has sufficient free space.
- Choose a format. MP4 is Streamlabs’ recommendation for most recordings. If you plan to capture separate audio tracks, choose MP4 or MKV; FLV does not support multiple audio tracks.
- Select an encoder supported by your PC. Streamlabs recommends NVENC when an NVIDIA GPU is available. NVENC uses the GPU for encoding; x264 uses the CPU. Neither choice is universally best on every setup, so test while the game is running.
- Set recording rate control. For NVENC recording, choose CQP and begin at CQ 17. For x264, use CRF. CQ 17 is a starting point, not a universal optimum: a lower CQ value retains more quality and typically produces larger files, while a higher value compresses more.
- Set keyframes, preset, and profile. Leave Keyframe Interval at 0. Try Max Quality if the computer remains responsive, and set Profile to High. If the recording or gameplay performance drops, reduce preset quality and retest.
Do not copy live-stream bitrate settings into this recording setup. Streamlabs’ recording guide recommends CQP or CRF; its live-stream guidance uses CBR and platform-oriented bitrate configurations. The recording-only article also cautions that simultaneous streaming and recording may require different settings.
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Set up separate microphone and game audio tracks
Separate tracks let you adjust microphone and desktop/game audio independently during editing. In Streamlabs Desktop, open Advanced Audio Settings and assign the microphone and desktop audio sources to different tracks. Then set the recording output’s track count to include the tracks you assigned. Streamlabs describes support for up to six tracks; choose MP4 or MKV, since FLV does not support multiple audio tracks. The exact number of tracks you need depends on how you plan to edit.
Test the settings before recording a full session
- Record a short stretch of representative gameplay, including the busiest scene you expect to capture.
- Review the saved file for resolution, frame rate, audio balance, and whether motion looks smooth.
- Watch for dropped or choppy recording, sluggish gameplay, or an unresponsive PC.
- If performance is poor, lower Output (Scaled) Resolution first; if that is not enough, lower the preset quality. Make one change at a time and test again.
Streamlabs does not give a hardware-independent benchmark or guarantee that one combination works on every PC. Your game, GPU, CPU, and chosen capture settings all affect what your system can sustain.
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When recording while streaming
The recording recommendations above are for recording-only use. Streamlabs warns that simultaneous streaming and recording can need adjustments. If Streamlabs reports an error during combined use, its troubleshooting guidance suggests trying a recording encoder different from the streaming encoder or selecting “Same as Stream” quality. Treat those as troubleshooting options, not universal best settings. Streamlabs’ live-stream guide also notes that resolution, frame rate, and hardware capability affect performance; its live-stream settings are separate from recording CQP/CRF recommendations. Streamlabs getting-started guidance
Find recordings and fix common save problems
The recording does not appear where expected
Check the recording path in Settings > Output > Recording and open that destination in your file manager. Streamlabs has a guide to locating the save folder: Where Streamlabs Desktop saves recordings.
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Streamlabs cannot write the file
- Check free disk space. A full drive can prevent a recording from being saved.
- Check folder permissions. Make sure the account running Streamlabs can write to the selected path; try a folder you own if necessary.
- Try Streamlabs’ listed system steps if the error persists. Its troubleshooting guide includes updating GPU drivers, running the application as administrator, and installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 redistributable for some errors. These are possible remedies, not guaranteed fixes. Streamlabs recording issue troubleshooting
Or let it run in the cloud
For a separate use case—keeping a YouTube channel live around the clock from uploaded videos—StreamNeo runs the loop in the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It is not a camera-streaming service.
Quick Recap
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