what upload speed do you need to stream
This is a comprehensive guide on the net speed required for Twitch streaming.
In this guide you'll learn:
- The minimum upload speed for Twitch
- Recommended upload speed
- How to test your upload speed
- How to run a test stream on Twitch
- How to alter your Twitch video settings
- What is bitrate on Twitch
- How to modify your Bitrate on Twitch
🤔 What is the minimum upload speed to stream on Twitch?
Yous'll desire to have at to the lowest degree iii – 6 MBps (Megabits per second) of upload speed to stream on Twitch comfortably using low settings.
If your upload speed is lower than that, you may have to upgrade your internet plan.
Recommended Upload Speed for Twitch Streaming
- To stream at 720p 30fps — your bitrate should be set between 2500 and 4000 Kbps. The minimum recommended upload speed for this setting is iii Mbps just preferably higher.
- To stream at 720p 30fps — your bitrate should be set between 2500 and 4000 Kbps. The minimum recommended upload speed for this setting is three Mbps merely preferably college.
- To stream at 1080p 30fps — your bitrate should be set betwixt 3500 and 5000 Kbps. The minimum recommended upload speed for this setting is 7 Mbps.
- To stream at 1080p 60fps — your bitrate should be set at 6000 Kbps. The minimum recommended upload speed for this setting is ten Mbps.
How to Test your Internet Speed
To figure out which settings y'all can use to stream on Twitch, y'all must kickoff know your upload speed.
You can examination your upload speed using speedtest.net.
Click on the big 'Get' button to perform your test, this will merely take a infinitesimal.
⚠️ Only Upload Speed Matters
One big error Twitch streamers make is that they await at download speed instead of upload speed when testing their net connexion.
This is wrong!
Only your upload speed matters.
How to Test run a Test Stream on Twitch
You might not fifty-fifty be aware that your stream is laggy, inclement, or unstable for your viewers.
Luckily, there is a tool that tin help you lot exam and runway your connection while you are streaming!
This tool is called Twitch Inspector.
The very first time you open Twitch Inspector, you will have to log in with your Twitch credentials to qualify its employ.
One time authorized, Twitch Inspector will e'er be tracking and saving the data for your upcoming streams!
This is the perfect tool to examination your internet connection while streaming.
Yous can also run a stream test to test your connection at all times, without actually going alive.
Here's how that works.
Run a Stream Examination
Inside the Inspector dashboard, hitting the majestic 'run a stream exam' button.
A popup window will then prompt y'all to modify your streamkey.
[YOURSTREAMKEY]?bandwidthtest=true
You can observe your Twitch stream cardinal in your OBS Software.
Settings > Stream > Stream to custom Ingest
Your stream central volition be displayed at the bottom.
Add ?bandwidthtest=true after the stream fundamental.
Your entire stream central will look something like this: live_0000000_xxxxxxxxxxxx?bandwidthtest=true
Next, go live on Twitch!
Don't worry, you will not actually go live.
This is a individual stream intended to test your stream connectedness.
Don't forget to switch your settings dorsum
Once you're done testing, remove the ?bandwidthtest=true from your stream key.
Check the Results of your Test Stream
While you're performing the bandwidth test with Twitch Inspector, yous can cheque whether or not your connection is stable.
If yous observe the connection is unstable, your bitrate is likely too high for your internet connection.
Alternatively, your video settings could exist likewise high for your internet connection.
To be on the save side set your Video Settings to 720p at 30fps and your bitrate to 2500Kbps when testing your stream.
If this connection is stable, yous can endeavour higher settings.
If yous're still experiencing bug at the lowest settings, you may have to upgrade your cyberspace programme to increment your upload speed.
🤔 How to improve your internet speed for Twitch
If your stream is laggy, at that place are a couple of things you can practice to ameliorate your internet speed on Twitch.
👉 Lower your Video Settings
Many streamers stream on 1080p when in reality their upload speed can only handle 720p at 30fps.
Alter your video settings.
👉 Lower your Bitrate
A higher bitrate means increases the quality of the stream. Only this also means your stream will take up a lot more data.
Change your bitrate settings.
👉 Use a wired connexion
You should never stream using a WIFI connectedness. This volition brand the connection far as well unstable! Plug in that ethernet cable.
If your router is as well far removed from your PC, you can look into alternative solutions such equally Powerline Adapters.
👉 Become a carve up net plan
If you're living with other people, they might be using up your bachelor data and make your stream connection unstable.
Especially those playing video games and watching Netflix or Youtube will take up a lot of data.
You tin enquire them to non do this while you are live on Twitch or opt for a split up cyberspace plan.
👉 Make sure your hardware is upward for the chore
If your upload speed is high and y'all don't experience an unstable connectedness when testing your stream, your issue might be hardware-related.
You'll need a decent GPU, CPU, and at to the lowest degree 16GB of ram to stream properly.
Check out our budget PC guide for more info.
How to Change your Video Settings on Twitch
You can change the video settings of your Twitch stream in your OBS software.
Navigate to Settings > Video
Output settings volition define your stream resolution.
This is prepare to 1280×720 past default which means 720p. Which is the recommended setting.
Common FPS Values will define your FPS. This should exist kept at 30FPS for non-partner streamers.
⚠️ Streaming in 1080p/60fps is not recommended
Merely Twitch Partners should stream with these settings.
This is because only Partners have the ability to allow viewers to change the quality settings of a stream.
Thus, if your viewers' net cannot handle 1080p at 60fps, they will not be able to lookout man your stream if y'all stream at the highest settings!
Y'all don't desire people to exit because of quality bug now do you? Information technology's like shooting yourself in the foot!
What is Bitrate?
Bitrate defines the amount of data you lot send to Twitch.
The higher the bitrate, the higher the quality of the stream.
Bitrate is measured in Kbps but tin easily be converted to Mbps to make information technology easier to compare with your upload speed.
like and then: 1000 Kbps = 1 MB.
You lot should always leave some room for drops though.
Just because you have 6 Mbps upload speed, this does not mean you should set your bitrate to 6000 Kbps.
This would cause your stream to be very unstable.
You should leave a buffer of at to the lowest degree xl% to make room for drops.
Thus, for a bitrate of 6000 Kbps, y'all would demand at least 10 Mbps.
How to Alter Bitrate on Twitch
You tin change the bitrate of your stream in your OBS software.
Navigate to Settings > Output
Switch the Output Way from Elementary to Advanced.
Twitch recommends that you use CBR charge per unit control so keep this setting.
Your bitrate is likely gear up to 2500 Kbps past default.
2500 Kbps is the minimum requirement for 720p streaming at 30fps.
If your upload speed can handle information technology, you tin set the bitrate to 6000 Kbps to stream 1080p at 30fps.
Wrap up
The quality of your Twitch stream is very important. Later all, no one is going to stick around if your stream is constantly lagging.
Information technology's much better to stream at 720p and 30fps and take a lag-free stream than to stream at 1080p with constant choppiness.
Brand sure that y'all know your upload speed and then that you lot can match your bitrate and video settings to your internet connection.
Every bit a last resort, you can upgrade your net plan to one that has better upload speed.
Source: https://streamerfacts.com/what-upload-speed-do-you-need-to-stream-on-twitch/