Configure OBS Studio for Fragmented FLV Recording

This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to configure the advanced recording settings in OBS Studio to output video files in the fragmented FLV format. Choosing a fragmented format like FLV is highly recommended for content creators, as it ensures your recorded files remain intact and recoverable even if OBS Studio crashes, your computer loses power, or the recording is interrupted unexpectedly.

Step 1: Open OBS Studio Settings

Launch OBS Studio on your computer. In the bottom-right corner of the interface under the “Controls” dock, click on the Settings button. Alternatively, you can access this by clicking on File in the top menu bar and selecting Settings from the dropdown menu.

Step 2: Switch Output Mode to Advanced

In the Settings window, locate the left-hand sidebar and click on the Output tab. At the top of the Output settings page, you will see a dropdown menu labeled Output Mode. By default, this is set to “Simple.” Click the dropdown and change it to Advanced to unlock more granular configuration options.

Step 3: Configure the Recording Format

With the Advanced Output Mode active, click on the Recording tab located directly below the Output Mode dropdown. To set your output to fragmented FLV, adjust the following settings:

  1. Type: Keep this set to Standard.
  2. Recording Format: Click this dropdown menu and select FLV (.flv).

Note: The standard FLV container is inherently “fragmented” in nature. Unlike standard MP4 or MOV files, which require a proper finalization process (moov atom placement) at the end of a recording session to be playable, the FLV format writes data progressively. If your recording terminates abruptly, the FLV file remains fully readable up to the exact moment of the interruption.

Step 4: Apply and Save Settings

Once you have selected FLV as your recording format, click the Apply button in the bottom-right corner of the Settings window, and then click OK to close the menu.

Your OBS Studio is now configured to record in the fragmented, crash-resistant FLV format. If you need to edit your videos in software that does not natively support FLV files, you can easily convert them to MP4 after recording by going to File > Remux Recordings within OBS Studio.