Dropped Frames (Network)
Your connection to the streaming server could not keep up. Start with an Ethernet cable, a different server and a lower bitrate.
Fix dropped frames →OBS FIXES BY SYMPTOM · FREEOBS troubleshooting.
OBS troubleshooting.
Choose your symptom.
Pick what you see or hear. Each page tells you what to check first, which setting to change with its exact menu path in OBS, and how to restore your old setting if the change does not help.
8 fixes · steps checked against the OBS knowledge base on October 3, 2026
SOUND OR PICTURE · A LOG CANNOT SHOW THIS
Mic meter moves, but no sound
The mic meter moves in the OBS Audio Mixer, but your voice is missing when you play the recording back or watch the stream.
See what to check →SOUND OR PICTURE · A LOG CANNOT SHOW THISGame audio is louder than the mic
Viewers can't hear you over the game, or your voice gets buried when the action gets loud.
See what to check →SOUND OR PICTURE · A LOG CANNOT SHOW THISGame shows as a black screen
Your game is black in the OBS preview, in the recording or on the stream.
See what to check →A LOG CAN SHOW THISOBS says encoding overloaded
OBS shows "Encoding overloaded! Consider turning down video settings or using a faster encoding preset." and the stream or recording stutters.
See what to check →A LOG CAN SHOW THISStream stutters with no dropped frames
The stream or recording stutters, but the dropped-frames number at the bottom of OBS stays at 0.
See what to check →SOUND OR PICTURE · A LOG CANNOT SHOW THISStream is blurry when you move
The stream looks sharp while the picture is still, then turns blocky or smeared as soon as the game or camera moves.
See what to check →A LOG CAN SHOW THISDropped frames with a good speed test
A speed test shows plenty of upload, but OBS still drops frames or disconnects while you stream.
See what to check →SOUND OR PICTURE · A LOG CANNOT SHOW THISAudio is out of sync
In the recording or stream, your voice or the game sound comes before or after the picture it belongs to.
See what to check →Stutter or lag? See which number is going up
In OBS, open Docks → Stats while the problem is happening. It shows three separate numbers, and each one points to a different fix.
Skipped frames due to encoding lag
The encoder could not finish frames in time. Start with a lower output resolution or frame rate.
Fix encoding overload →Frames missed due to rendering lag
Your GPU could not draw frames in time. Start by limiting the game's frame rate.
Fix stutter with no dropped frames →OBS writes the same three numbers to its log as percentages when you stop streaming or recording.
STUTTER, LAG OR DROPPED FRAMES
Paste your OBS log.
The OBS Log Analyzer shows the dropped-frame, rendering-lag and encoding-lag percentages OBS recorded when you stopped. It is free, and your log never leaves your browser.
Analyze my OBS log →SOUND OR PICTURE PROBLEM
Record 30 seconds and play it back.
A log cannot tell you how the stream looked or sounded. The Pre-Stream Checklist is a free list of what to record and listen for before you go live. Your ticks are saved in your browser.
Open the Pre-Stream Checklist →