How to Create an OBS Profile for Local Recording

This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to set up a dedicated secondary profile in OBS Studio configured specifically for high-quality local recording. By separating your streaming and recording settings into different profiles, you can maximize your system’s performance and achieve the best possible offline video quality without altering your broadcast settings.

Step 1: Create a New Profile

Profiles in OBS Studio save your output resolution, encoders, bitrates, and file paths, allowing you to switch settings instantly.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Click on Profile in the top menu bar.
  3. Select New.
  4. Name the profile (e.g., “Local Recording”) and click OK.
  5. If the Auto-Configuration Wizard pops up, you can cancel it to configure the settings manually for optimal control.

(Optional) You can also create a new Scene Collection from the top menu if you want a clean canvas of sources and scenes specifically for recording, separate from your streaming overlays.

Step 2: Configure the Output Settings for Recording

With your new profile active, you need to adjust the settings to prioritize visual quality over bandwidth.

  1. Click Settings in the bottom right corner of OBS.
  2. Select the Output tab on the left.
  3. Change the Output Mode dropdown at the top from Simple to Advanced.
  4. Click on the Recording tab.
  5. Configure the following settings:
    • Type: Standard
    • Recording Path: Choose a high-speed hard drive or SSD with plenty of storage space.
    • Recording Format: Select mkv or fragmented mp4. (MKV is highly recommended because if OBS crashes or your computer loses power, the recording up to that point will not be corrupted).
    • Video Encoder: Choose a hardware encoder if available, such as NVIDIA NVENC H.264 (or HEVC/AV1 if your GPU supports it) or AMD HW H.264/HEVC. If you do not have a dedicated GPU, use x264 (CPU).

Step 3: Optimize Encoder Settings for High Quality

Because you are recording locally, you do not need to use Constant Bitrate (CBR), which is designed for streaming. Instead, use a quality-based rate control.

  1. Rate Control: Change this to CQP (Constant Quality) for hardware encoders, or CRF (Constant Rate Factor) if using x264.
  2. CQ Level / CRF: Set this between 18 and 23.
    • A lower number increases quality and file size (16-18 is near-lossless).
    • A higher number decreases file size and slightly lowers quality. 20 is the sweet spot for most systems.
  3. Keyframe Interval: Set to 2 s (seconds).
  4. Preset: Set to Quality or P5 / P6 (depending on your GPU encoder version).
  5. Profile: High

Step 4: Adjust Video Resolution and Frame Rate

Ensure your video canvas match your target recording specifications.

  1. Click on the Video tab in the Settings window.
  2. Base (Canvas) Resolution: Set this to your monitor’s native resolution (e.g., 1920x1080).
  3. Output (Scaled) Resolution: Set this to match your Base Resolution to avoid downscaling, ensuring the sharpest possible recording.
  4. Common FPS Values: Set to 60 for smooth gameplay, or 30 for standard desktop tutorials.

Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.

How to Switch Profiles

To toggle between your streaming setup and your recording setup, simply click Profile in the top menu of OBS Studio and select the profile you want to use. The interface and encoder settings will instantly adapt to your choice.