Facebook Live From OBS: Setup and Settings

OBS Studio is the easiest way to give a Facebook Live stream proper production: multiple cameras, screen sharing, overlays, and clean audio instead of a phone propped on a desk. OBS has Facebook Live built in as a streaming service, so the setup comes down to one value, the Facebook stream key, plus a few settings Facebook is strict about.

This guide walks through the whole flow: finding your stream key, connecting OBS, choosing settings that Facebook accepts, going live on a profile, Page, or group, fixing the usual errors, and the Facebook limits that catch people out.

What You Need Before You Start

• OBS Studio, current version, installed on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• An account that meets Facebook's requirements. Facebook's help centre says your account must be at least 60 days old, and your Page or professional mode profile must have at least 100 followers. To go live from a Page, you need Facebook access or task access to create content on it.
• A stable upload connection. Aim for a video bitrate no higher than about 70% of your measured upload speed. Our bandwidth guide explains why.
• Your scenes ready. If you are new to OBS, set up sources first with the OBS Studio beginner guide.

Step 1: Get Your Facebook Stream Key

Facebook's setup page for encoder streams (often called Live Producer) is at facebook.com/live/create. OBS links to it from its Facebook settings.

1. On a computer, go to facebook.com/live/create.
2. In the left menu, click Choose where to post and pick your profile, a Page you manage, or a group.
3. Click Go live.
4. Under Select a video source, choose Streaming software.
5. Optional but useful: open Advanced Settings and turn on Persistent stream key. Facebook says standard keys cannot be reused, so without it you copy a fresh key for every broadcast. With it, you set up OBS once.
6. Copy the Stream key (Facebook also shows the Server URL).

Two rules from Facebook's help centre worth knowing: you can only have one live video at a time on a persistent key, and Facebook suggests refreshing stream keys older than 7 days. If stream keys are new to you, our explainer on what a stream key is covers why they work like passwords.

Step 2: Connect OBS to Facebook

1. In OBS, open Settings, Stream.
2. Set Service to Facebook Live.
3. Leave Server on the default. OBS uses Facebook's encrypted RTMPS ingest on port 443, which Facebook recommends whenever your software supports it.
4. Paste the key into Stream Key and click Apply.

Unlike YouTube and Twitch, OBS has no "Connect Account" option for Facebook, so the stream key is the only link between the two. If you choose Custom as the service instead, copy the Server URL from Facebook exactly as shown, including rtmps:// and the port.

Step 3: Use Settings Facebook Accepts

Facebook publishes its own recommended settings for live streams:

OBS also ships a Facebook Live profile. With Ignore streaming service setting recommendations left unticked under Settings, Stream, OBS keeps you within these maximum video bitrates, and allows up to 60 fps:

Where to set them in OBS:

• Settings, Output (Advanced mode): Encoder x264 or your GPU's H.264 encoder (NVENC, AMF, QuickSync, or Apple VT), Rate Control CBR, Bitrate within Facebook's range, Keyframe Interval 2.
• Settings, Video: Output (Scaled) Resolution 1920x1080 or 1280x720, FPS 30.
• Settings, Audio: Sample Rate 44.1 kHz to match Facebook's recommendation (OBS defaults to 48 kHz), and Audio Bitrate 128 in the Output tab.

The safe default is Facebook's own: 1080p at 30 fps, 4,500 to 6,000 kbps. OBS will let you send 1080p60 at up to 9,000 kbps for fast motion such as games or sports, but that is above Facebook's recommended range, so only try it on a strong connection and check the result. The 1080p OBS settings guide covers encoder presets in more detail, and the bitrate calculator helps you pick a number for your connection.

Step 4: Go Live

1. Click Start Streaming in OBS.
2. Switch to the Facebook tab. Within a few seconds the preview shows your OBS output.
3. Add a title and description in Add post details.
4. Check audio levels and the picture, then click Go Live Now.

Facebook does not publish your stream the moment OBS connects. Nothing is public until you click Go Live Now, which gives you a safe window to check everything. When you are done, end the live video on Facebook, then click Stop Streaming in OBS.

Scheduling a Facebook Live

To announce a stream in advance, use the scheduling option (Later) instead of Go Live Now and set a date and time. At the scheduled time, start OBS with the key for that broadcast, or with your persistent key, and check the preview.

Fixing Common OBS to Facebook Problems

• No preview on Facebook. Check that the key in OBS matches the broadcast you set up on Facebook. A non-persistent key from an earlier broadcast will not work. Also confirm that a firewall or office network is not blocking outbound connections on port 443.
• "Failed to connect to server." Usually a pasted space or line break in the key, or a Custom server URL copied incorrectly. Switch back to the built-in Facebook Live service and paste the key again.
• Blurry or blocky video. The bitrate is too low for the resolution and motion, or Facebook is serving a lower quality to viewers on weak connections. Try 720p at the same bitrate before raising it.
• Dropped frames or the stream disconnecting. Your upload cannot hold the bitrate. Lower it, use a wired connection, and read the dropped frames fix.
• Audio out of sync or crackling. Make sure the sample rate in OBS matches your audio devices, and avoid adding the same microphone twice in different scenes.

Facebook Limits to Know

• 8-hour maximum. Facebook ends a live video automatically after 8 hours, with no grace period. Select premium partners and gaming creators can be approved by Meta for up to 12 hours. For longer events, plan a break to end and restart the broadcast.
• Live videos expire after 30 days. Since February 19, 2025, live videos are available for replay for 30 days. Anything not downloaded, saved, or turned into a reel within that window is deleted automatically. Record your stream in OBS as well; our guide to recording a live stream covers the safest settings.
• Content and music rules. Copyrighted music and video can get a live stream muted or stopped. Use music you have the rights to.

Stream to Facebook and Other Platforms at Once

OBS sends one stream to one destination. To reach Facebook and YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn, or Kick at the same time without sending several streams from your computer, put a multistreaming service in the middle.

With Livepush, OBS streams once to Livepush and Livepush forwards it to every destination. You link your Facebook account once and can publish to your timeline and to every Page and group you manage, with no stream key to copy each time. For looped and 24/7 streams, Livepush also restarts the Facebook session automatically when it reaches Facebook's 8-hour cap. Facebook streaming on Livepush requires a paid plan, starting with Pro at $15 a month.

For the full walkthrough, see how to stream to YouTube and Facebook at the same time and how to multistream from OBS.

Summary

To go live on Facebook from OBS, copy the stream key from facebook.com/live/create (turn on the persistent key if you stream regularly), select Facebook Live in OBS's stream settings, paste the key, and follow Facebook's recommended settings: 1080p at 30 fps, 3,000 to 6,000 kbps, H.264, a 2-second keyframe interval, and 128 kbps stereo audio at 44.1 kHz. Start streaming in OBS, check the preview on Facebook, then click Go Live Now. Keep your own recording, because Facebook removes live videos after 30 days.