Many streamers use OBS to record real-time video or audio, but by default, OBS is set to record videos in MKV format, which may be an issue. For example, some video editors like Final Cut Pro or Premier Pro don’t support the MKV format. Also, the MP4 format is preferable for people who record videos intending to upload them to platforms like YouTube.
This article explains how to change OBS settings to record in MP4 or convert an OBS video to MP4 format.
Change OBS Default Recording to MP4 Format
Even though the default recording format in OBS is MKV, you can edit this to make OBS record your videos in MP4 format. Here’s how to do this:
- In OBS, go to “File.”
- Click on “Settings.”
- Select “Output.”
- In the “Recording” box, go to “Recording Format.”
- Choose “MP4.”
- Click on “OK.”
When a video recording in OBS is complete, you’ll get an MP4 format file, as OBS will now be set to record your videos in MP4 format by default.
Should You Record OBS Videos in MP4 Format?
You may encounter errors when recording directly to MP4 format in OBS. Setting OBS to save your recorded videos in MP4 format automatically might cause stability issues because of the process required by MP4/MOV before a video is usable.
OBS issues a warning when you choose MP4 format to record your videos: “Recordings saved to MP4 will be unrecoverable if the file cannot be finalized (e.g., as a result of BSODs, power loss, etc.).” This means your video will be unusable if it fails to complete the recording.
If you’re recording a video and you’re close to wrapping up, but for whatever reason your computer dies, the video file is empty and unwatchable. This is why it’s not advisable to record videos in OBS in MP4 format because if anything goes wrong, you’ll lose every video frame, which may not be recoverable.
What Is the Best Recording Format for OBS?
Based on what we touched on above, MP4 and MOV formats are unsuitable for recording OBS videos.
The preferred formats to record videos in OBS are FLV and MKV. Both MKV and FLV formats don’t require a process to complete a file in the way MP4 does. So, regardless of whether you get a blue screen of death or a power cut, your whole video is safe.
These formats are slightly different, and you may wonder which would be better based on your requirements.
Unlike FLV, MKV can’t support several audio tracks. MKV can be used for free and is a royalty-free open standard. Aside from audio files, MKV can hold unlimited pictures, videos, subtitles, covers, descriptions, chapter points, and ratings in a single file. It’s also the best video format for Blu-ray and HD movies, making its file size larger than most container formats. MKV is probably the better option if you need a more advanced video recording format for OBS.
FLV was a commonly used format for embedded videos online, mainly on video streaming sites like Hulu or YouTube. But since Adobe stopped its support of Flash, people replaced FLV with other video formats.
How to Convert MKV Format to MP4 Format
It’s advisable to record your OBS videos in MKV format and then automatically “remux” them (switch the video container) to MP4 format. This is an in-built setting in OBS that auto remuxes your MKV recording upon completion with no degradation in quality.
Simply put, remuxing takes the audio and video from one file type and converts it to another. It’s a fast process, taking only a few seconds.
Follow these steps to set this up:
- Open OBS.
- Go to “File.”
- Select “Settings.”
- Choose “Advanced.”
- In the “Recording Zone,” tick “Automatically Remux to MP4.”
- Click on “OK.”
Your recorded videos will be automatically remuxed to MP4 format, and manual conversion will not be required.
What if OBS Automatic Remux to MP4 Isn’t Working?
If you encounter errors using the automatic remux to MP4 feature in OBS, you may have to use a different app for conversion to MP4 with no reduction in quality. An excellent option to do this is WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe. It’s a professional converter you can use to convert videos to MP4, MKV, MOV, FLV, AVI, WebM, and more. You can also edit your video parameters, such as frame rate, codec, resolution, bit rate, etc., and customize your video in one go.
Follow these steps to convert your OBS video to MP4 format:
- Download and install WinX HD Video Converter.
- Launch the app.
- Go to “Video” to import the MKV OBS recording.
- Select “Output Format.”
- Choose “MP4” and select your preferred output profile.
- Hit “OK.”
- Go to “Auto Copy” and select the tick box to activate it.
- Click on “RUN” to begin the remux process.
You could also try HitPaw Video Converter to convert your OBS MKV video files to MP4. This software converts OBS videos to MP4 with no loss of quality and processes files 120 times faster than most other apps. To convert your OBS MKV video to MP4 using HitPaw Video Converter, do the following:
- Download and install the HitPaw Video Converter.
- Go to “Add Video” and import the MKV OBS source file.
- On the bottom right of the screen, choose “Convert All.”
- From the video section, select “MP4 Format.”
- Click on “Hardware Acceleration Detection and Lossless Conversion.”
- Select your target folder.
- Hit “Convert.”
FAQs
Where are my OBS recordings saved?
Go to “File” and “Show Recordings” in the OBS menu to see where your OBS recordings are saved. If you’d like to change where your files are being saved, go to “Settings,” “Output,” “Output Mode,” “Advanced,” then “Recording.”
Can I pause a recording in OBS?
Yes, you can pause a recording in OBS by clicking the “Pause” (II) icon at the right of “Stop Recording.” This button will only show once the recording has begun.
Is an OBS recording detectable?
You don’t have to worry about being detected when recording with OBS. Just the applications with access to Windows or Kernal will be affected when you are using OBS to record in the background.
Which video format is the best for OBS recording?
As mentioned above, the ideal recording format for OBS is MKV. You can set OBS to automatically remux to MP4 when the recording’s completed using the steps in this article. This ensures your video won’t be corrupted if the recording fails to complete.
Record to MP4 in OBS or Convert Your Video
OBS is set at default to record videos in MKV format, and for good reason. But you can change this to MP4 format via OBS’ “Settings,” then “Output.” MP4 and MOV are unsuitable for recording OBS videos due to how the files are processed. So, if something occurs that prevents the video recording from completing, you will get a corrupt file or lose all the audio and video frames.
The safer option is to edit settings in OBS to automatically remux your MKV video to MP4 upon completion. Or, if you encounter errors using this feature, you could try the apps mentioned above to convert your MKV files to MP4 format.
Have you had issues when recording directly to MP4 in OBS? Do you experience a loss of quality with OBS video conversions? Let us know in the comments section below.
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