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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To set up a custom RTMP stream, get the ingest server URL and stream key from the platform you want to stream to, then enter them in your encoder’s stream settings. In OBS, use the platform’s preset if available; otherwise choose Custom, paste the URL into Server and the key into Stream Key, then start streaming and confirm the platform reports an incoming connection.
Use the endpoint and key supplied for that destination—never guess an address or reuse credentials from another service. Prefer RTMPS when the platform supplies it. RTMPS carries RTMP over TLS/SSL, adding encryption. YouTube recommends RTMPS.
What you need before configuring a custom RTMP stream
- A destination live input or event. Create or select one in the streaming platform’s dashboard; that is where its ingest URL and stream key are provided.
- An encoder. OBS Studio is one software option. The destination may also support other software or a hardware encoder.
- Video and audio sources. Add the sources you intend to broadcast. For a basic connection test, use a suitable test source rather than assuming the destination will supply content.
- A network connection that can sustain your chosen output. Encoder bitrate must fit both the destination’s requirements and your available upload capacity.
The exact dashboard screens, URL format and key lifetime depend on the destination. Treat the stream key as an authorization credential: anyone who has it may be able to broadcast to your input. Keep it private, and do not show it in a screen capture or on stream. Twitch’s broadcast documentation explains that the key identifies and authorizes a stream.
Set up a custom server in OBS
- Create or select a live input at the destination. Open the service’s live dashboard, create the event or input if required, and copy its ingest/server URL and stream key. Use the values shown there, not a URL found in an unrelated guide.
- Open OBS’s stream settings. In OBS, open Settings, then Stream. If your destination is available in the Service list and its preset supports the desired connection, select it and follow the platform-specific prompts.
- Choose Custom when no suitable preset is available. Set Service to Custom, paste the destination’s ingest URL into Server, and paste its stream key into Stream Key. Do not include extra spaces or change the URL’s protocol or path.
- Configure output for the destination. Set resolution, frame rate, codec, rate control, bitrate and keyframe interval to values the receiving platform accepts and your connection can sustain. These are destination-specific—not universal RTMP requirements. YouTube’s current settings, for example, are listed below.
- Add sources and start the encoder. In your OBS scene, add or select the intended video and audio sources. Click Start Streaming.
- Verify reception at the destination. Check the live dashboard for an incoming, connected or preview status. A successful start in OBS alone does not confirm the platform is receiving a usable stream.
Cloudflare’s OBS walkthrough follows this same pattern for a Cloudflare Stream Live Input: create the input, copy its RTMPS URL and unique key, set OBS to Custom, start streaming, then check for a Connected status and test player. That walkthrough was updated April 21, 2026.
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Choose RTMP or RTMPS
RTMP is the streaming protocol; RTMPS is RTMP carried over a TLS/SSL connection, which encrypts the connection. If the destination supplies an RTMPS endpoint and your encoder supports it, use that endpoint. Do not change an RTMP URL to RTMPS by editing its prefix: copy the complete secure URL from the destination.
For YouTube, open Live Control Room and go to Stream settings. If necessary, use the lock icon to reveal the RTMPS URL, then copy that URL and the associated stream key into OBS. YouTube may show an ordinary RTMP URL by default, so confirm that the copied endpoint is RTMPS. See YouTube’s instructions for encrypting a stream using RTMPS.
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At lower integration levels, YouTube’s RTMPS ingestion guidance specifies port 443 and requires the server hostname for SNI authentication. These details matter when building or troubleshooting a direct API/socket implementation; in a standard OBS setup, use the full URL supplied by YouTube. Google’s RTMPS ingestion guide documents the connection requirements.
YouTube encoder settings for a custom RTMP stream
YouTube accepts RTMP or RTMPS and currently lists H.264, H.265 (HEVC) and AV1 video, up to 60 fps. Its guidance recommends constant bitrate (CBR) and a two-second keyframe interval; the interval should not exceed four seconds. For audio, YouTube lists AAC or MP3. Check YouTube’s current encoder settings guidance before configuring an output, since destination requirements can change.
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| YouTube output example | AV1 or H.265 recommended bitrate | H.264 recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube recommendations, not baseline requirements for every custom RTMP destination. Select a setting the destination supports and that your upload connection can sustain; if you use another platform, consult its published settings instead of copying YouTube’s values.
Platform-specific details
YouTube Live
Use the RTMPS URL revealed in Live Control Room’s Stream settings and the matching stream key. The encoder must use a valid ingestion endpoint. For YouTube’s published settings, use CBR, a two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds), a supported codec, and a bitrate appropriate to the selected resolution and frame rate.
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Twitch
Twitch documents a broadcast URL pattern of rtmp://<ingest-server>/app/<stream-key>. The ingest server indicates where Twitch receives the stream, while the key authorizes it. Use the server and key Twitch provides rather than constructing or borrowing values. Twitch’s documentation also describes an optional bandwidthtest=true query parameter for checking a stream with Twitch Inspector without making it viewable live. Follow Twitch’s current instructions for using that test mode: Twitch Video Broadcast.
Cloudflare Stream
Create a Live Input in Cloudflare Stream and copy its supplied RTMPS URL and unique key into OBS’s Custom stream settings. After starting OBS, verify that the Live Input reports Connected and use its test player to check the incoming video. Cloudflare’s walkthrough uses webcam motion, screen capture and browser sources as examples; these are possible OBS sources, not prerequisites for entering a custom RTMP endpoint. Read Cloudflare’s OBS setup guide.
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Troubleshoot a custom RTMP connection
OBS starts, but the destination shows no incoming stream
- Recheck that the URL and stream key came from the selected live input or event.
- Confirm there are no leading or trailing spaces in either field and that the stream is being sent to the expected destination.
- Check OBS for an active output and verify that the scene includes the intended video and audio sources.
- Use the destination’s connected status, preview or test player to distinguish a connection problem from a source problem.
Connection fails with an SSL error or times out
- Confirm the endpoint is the exact URL supplied by the platform and that you are using the right protocol. For YouTube, select the RTMPS URL rather than the ordinary RTMP URL.
- Make sure the encoder supports RTMPS. A destination’s secure URL will not work correctly if the encoder cannot establish the TLS connection.
- For YouTube integrations that expose connection details, the RTMPS endpoint uses port 443. At API/socket level, check TLS configuration and SNI: the hostname used for SNI must match the server hostname.
YouTube documents these secure connection requirements in its RTMPS ingestion guide.
The destination rejects the stream or the output is unstable
- Check that the selected codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate and keyframe interval are supported by that destination.
- For YouTube, use its current encoder settings rather than assuming another platform’s values apply. If the upload connection cannot sustain the selected bitrate, reduce output demands to a level it can maintain.
- If using Twitch and you only want to test bandwidth, use the documented Inspector test mode rather than treating a non-viewable test stream as a normal live broadcast.
The stream key may have been exposed
Do not publish or display a stream key. If you think someone else has obtained it, use the destination’s dashboard to reset or replace the key if that option is available, then update the encoder with the new credential. The exact reset steps depend on the platform.
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