MotionShineShort answer: OBS's own pages do not name one best setting set for Mac screen recording. What they do say is this: set the Base (Canvas) Resolution to match your monitor, set the FPS to the frame rate you want in the end (30 or 60), and if 60 is too heavy, drop to 30. For the file, they recommend MKV and then remuxing to MP4. A recommended bitrate for recording was not found.
This guide is by the maker of MotionShine, a Mac screen recorder that competes with OBS for some people. Everything about OBS below comes from obsproject.com pages, checked on 23 October 2026. Where a page says nothing, this post says "not found" and does not fill the gap with a number. It is not a hands-on test. If you have not set OBS up yet, start with how to use OBS Studio on Mac for screen recording.
The settings in one table
| Setting | Where | What OBS's pages say | Number given |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base (Canvas) Resolution | Settings, Video | The space you have to fit your sources. Usually match your monitor's display resolution | None |
| Output (Scaled) Resolution | Settings, Video | The size the stream or recording comes out at, after downscaling with the chosen filter | None for recording (720p and 480p appear as stream examples) |
| FPS | Settings, Video | Should match the output FPS you want, "30/60 for example". 60 can be taxing, so test ahead | 30 and 60 |
| Recording format | Settings, Output | MKV is recommended, because it does not corrupt the whole file if recording stops badly | None |
| Remux to MP4 | File menu, or Advanced tab | File, then Remux Recordings. Or turn on automatic remux to MP4 | None |
| Recording quality | Settings, Output | Presets in Simple view: Same as stream, High Quality, Indistinguishable Quality, Lossless | None |
| Encoder | Settings, Output | Hardware encoders are listed by name. Choose a separate encoder in Advanced view to set bitrate, presets and keyframes | None |
| Recording bitrate | Advanced view | Settable with a separate encoder. No value is given | Not found |
| Keyframe interval | Advanced view | Settable with a separate encoder. No value is given | Not found |
| Mac encoder (Apple VT) | Not covered on the pages read | Not found |
Sources: OBS Studio Overview Guide, Standard Recording Output Guide and Encoding Performance Troubleshooting, all on obsproject.com. The overview guide mentions a ".flv" file name and lists QuickSync, NVENC and AMD VCE as hardware encoders. That reads like an older page, so its encoder list may not match what you see on a Mac.
Resolution: base and output
The overview guide says the Base (Canvas) Resolution is "the amount of space you have to fit your sources" and that you usually want it to match your monitor's display resolution. The Output (Scaled) Resolution is the size your recording comes out at, using the downscale filter you pick.
The troubleshooting page adds a warning. It does not generally recommend lowering the Base resolution, because that makes capture and asset management harder, and it says to do so only if you are very short on GPU power. Lowering the output resolution is the gentler fix: the page says it can reduce the load on the encoder.
What OBS does not say: which output size is best for a Mac with a Retina screen. Not found. Pick the size your viewers will watch at. If the video is a tutorial that people watch in a small player, a smaller output is fine. If they watch full screen, keep it larger.
FPS: 30 or 60
The overview guide says the Common FPS Value should match your desired output FPS, "30/60 for example", and warns that 60 can be very taxing compared to 30. It tells you to test ahead of time. The troubleshooting page puts it plainly: if 60 fps is not working for you, try dropping it to 30.
So the OBS advice is a method, not a number. Set 30. If your Mac keeps up and the screen has fast motion, try 60 and check a recording. If frames drop, go back to 30. For a deeper look at when 60 matters for screen video, see how to record your screen at 60 fps on Mac.
Format: MKV, then remux
The Standard Recording Output Guide recommends MKV. Its reason: MKV will not corrupt the whole file if recording stops without a clean finish. To get an MP4 afterwards, use File, then Remux Recordings, or turn on the automatic remux option in the Advanced settings.
That is useful if OBS ever crashes mid-recording. It is also one extra step before QuickTime or an editor will open the file. If you only need a quick fix, the free MKV to MP4 converter runs in your browser. If you want to know why MP4 or MOV matters for editing, read MOV vs MP4 for screen recordings.
Quality and encoder
In Simple view, the overview guide lists four recording presets: Same as stream, High Quality, Indistinguishable Quality and Lossless. It says the encoder option only appears once you pick a quality other than Same as stream, and it tells you to pick a hardware encoder if one is available. The recording output guide says that in Advanced view you choose the encoder and can set bitrate, quality presets and the keyframe interval.
Here is what is missing. No bitrate for screen recording is given, no keyframe value, and nothing about the Apple encoders on a Mac. Any site that gives you a single "best bitrate for OBS" number is giving its own opinion, not OBS's. If you want to understand what bitrate does to a file, what is video bitrate explains it without a setting to copy, and H.264 vs HEVC for screen recordings covers the codec side.
A test routine instead of a magic number
OBS's Quick Start Guide strongly suggests a test recording of a few minutes before the real one. Use that as your method:
- Set Base Resolution to match your display, and FPS to 30.
- Pick a Recording Quality, and a hardware encoder if the list offers one.
- Record two or three minutes of the real thing: scrolling, typing, a menu opening.
- Play it back. Is the text sharp? Does the cursor move smoothly? Did the sound stay in sync?
- Change one setting at a time and record again. Stop when it looks good enough for where you will post it.
That is slower than copying a number, but the number would not know your screen, your Mac or your viewers.
Is OBS the right tool for a short demo?
Be honest about the job. OBS is free and strong, and it also streams live. If that is you, keep OBS and use the routine above.
If your goal is a clear product demo or tutorial, the setup above is a lot of dials before the first take. MotionShine, by the maker of this site, is a free Mac screen recorder with auto zoom on clicks, a smooth cursor, click effects and motion blur you can add, and a full editor with text, pictures, music lanes, voice over and on-device captions. The free version exports up to 720p at 30 fps, with no watermark and no time limit. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p, 4K and 60 fps. It has no live streaming and no share links, so it is not a replacement for OBS if you stream.
FAQ
What is the best resolution for OBS screen recording on Mac?
OBS's pages do not name one. They say to set the Base (Canvas) Resolution to match your monitor. The Output (Scaled) Resolution is the size of the finished recording, and they give no recommended recording value. Choose the size your viewers will watch at.
What is the best FPS for OBS?
OBS's overview guide says the FPS should match your desired output, giving 30 and 60 as examples, and warns 60 can be taxing. The troubleshooting page says to try 30 if 60 does not work for you.
What is the best bitrate for OBS screen recording?
Not found. OBS's pages say bitrate can be set with a separate encoder in Advanced view, but give no recording value. Test and compare, or use a preset in Simple view.
Should I record in MKV or MP4?
OBS's guide recommends MKV because it protects the file if recording stops badly. You can then remux to MP4 from the File menu, or turn on automatic remux in Advanced settings.
Why is my OBS recording laggy on Mac?
The troubleshooting page suggests lowering the output resolution or the frame rate, and says to try 30 fps if 60 does not work. It does not give Mac-specific steps.
Does OBS have an Apple encoder setting?
Not found on the pages read. The overview guide lists QuickSync, NVENC and AMD VCE as hardware encoders, which are not the Mac ones. Check the Encoder list in your own copy of OBS.
