The Tool Desk
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In OBS, set Base (Canvas) Resolution to the space you want to arrange your scene in, then set Output (Scaled) Resolution to the size and aspect ratio you want viewers or recordings to receive. To preserve a full ultrawide image, use an ultrawide output; for a conventional 16:9 stream, compose the source for a 16:9 canvas by cropping it or adding scene elements. Do not stretch ultrawide footage to fill 16:9: it distorts the image.
Choose the shape of your OBS output
Decide whether the finished stream or recording should show the entire ultrawide frame or fit a conventional 16:9 frame. OBS notes that 16:9 remains common across viewing devices and major platforms, but the right choice depends on your audience and how the content should look. Its Aspect Ratio Guide recommends producing at a 16:9 resolution such as 1920×1080 or 1280×720 for best results; that is general guidance, not a requirement that every ultrawide creator use 16:9.
| Goal | Canvas and output approach | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the whole ultrawide image | Compose on an ultrawide canvas and use matching ultrawide output dimensions. | On a standard 16:9 screen, the player may show unused space or the image may appear smaller, depending on the player and platform. |
| Deliver a conventional 16:9 frame | Use a 16:9 output and crop the source to the important area, or design the extra space with overlays, a camera, or other scene content. | Cropping removes part of the image; filling the additional space takes scene design. |
| Keep proportions correct | Preserve the source aspect ratio, accepting either cropping or unused canvas space. | Stretching content with a different aspect ratio distorts it and can make it look blurred. |
Set the OBS canvas and output resolutions
Open Settings → Video. OBS’s Overview Guide describes the Base (Canvas) Resolution as the space where you fit and arrange sources; it is usually set to the monitor or game resolution. Output (Scaled) Resolution is the delivered size for a stream or recording. It can be lower than the canvas, in which case OBS scales the image.
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- In Settings → Video → Base (Canvas) Resolution, enter the dimensions you want to compose your scene on. For a full ultrawide layout, use the resolution of the ultrawide content you are capturing.
- In Output (Scaled) Resolution, enter the dimensions you want the stream or recording to have. Match the canvas for a straightforward native-resolution ultrawide recording, or choose a 16:9 size if that is the intended delivery format.
- Apply the settings, then arrange sources in the preview and check the final framing.
For example, if your ultrawide source is 3440×1440 and you want a native ultrawide recording, set both fields to 3440×1440. Elgato uses that resolution as an example in its Game Capture 4K X ultrawide-format instructions; it is an example configuration, not a universal recommendation for every PC or streaming service.
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Add and frame the source
Choose the source type that matches what you are capturing. OBS supports display, window, and game capture, as well as images, text, and capture devices. Select or add the source, then use its bounding box in the preview to position and resize it.
- To crop: hold Alt while dragging a source edge. You can also use the source’s transform menu for more precise cropping.
- For a 16:9 scene: crop to the important part of the ultrawide image, or keep the source’s proportions and use the remaining area for other scene elements.
- For an ultrawide scene: fit the source to the canvas without changing its proportions.
Changing the Base (Canvas) Resolution later can require sources to be realigned or resized. Changing Output (Scaled) Resolution does not have that effect according to the OBS overview, so choose the intended composition size before fine-tuning the layout.
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Improve scaling and check performance
If the output is smaller than the canvas, OBS scales the scene. If the image looks soft, try a different source scale filter such as bicubic. For retro or pixel art, OBS identifies point or area filtering as options for keeping a sharp appearance. NVIDIA’s NVENC OBS Guide also discusses downscale filters for sharpness and notes that they add some encoder workload.
Resolution and frame rate both affect the work your system must do. OBS warns that streaming at 60 fps can be much more taxing than 30 fps. NVIDIA’s guide suggests reducing GPU competition, for example by capping a game’s frame rate or lowering its settings when utilization is high; those vendor suggestions are not guaranteed fixes for every setup.
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- Record a short local sample or run a test stream using the intended scene, output size, and frame rate.
- Review whether the framing is correct and whether fine details remain clear after scaling.
- Check frame rate and system load. If performance is poor, test a lower frame rate or output resolution, or reduce competing game load before using the scene live.
For live streaming, check the current limits and requirements of your target service and make sure your upload connection and hardware can support the chosen output. The configuration guidance here does not establish current platform-specific resolution, bitrate, or ingest limits.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When you need an external capture card
A capture card is not generally required to capture an ultrawide PC monitor: OBS offers direct display and game capture sources. A capture device is relevant when you need to bring video from another device into OBS.
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Elgato’s instructions for the Game Capture 4K X, updated June 1, 2026, describe an external-capture workflow: match the OBS Base and Output resolutions to the ultrawide mode, add a Video Capture Device source, select the 4K X, and choose a custom ultrawide resolution. Confirm that both the capture device and the source device support the format you plan to use; this example does not make the card a requirement for ordinary PC capture.
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