Fix OBS Studio NVENC Error on PC

Among various screen recording and streaming programs, OBS Studio stands out as one of the most popular streaming platforms because of its beginner-friendly interface.

However, misconfigured settings can cause problems, resulting in the nvenc error obs. These errors are usually caused by improper screen capture and output settings on OBS.

This guide will take you through potential reasons behind the error and how to fix it. Let's begin.

Common Reasons Behind the OBS NVENC Error

1. Outdated GPU drivers

2. Unsupported GPU

3. NVENC Encoding Overload

4. Too many concurrent sessions

5. Operation Not Permitted: failed to open nvenc codec

How to Fix the OBS Nvenc Error?

Here are a few fixes to troubleshoot the Nvenc error:

1. Restart Your PC

If you're receiving error messages indicating that you have too many concurrent sessions, you must try restarting your device. A consumer GPU can only handle three NVENC sessions at once. Hence, restarting your PC can help free up GPU resources that might be slowing down the process.

2. Update GPU driver

By using a device manager, you can keep an eye on all drivers to any peripheral on your device. Follow the steps below to update the GPU drivers:

- Firstly, right-click Start and tap the ‘Device Manager’ from the menu.

- Tap ‘Display Adapters’ and navigate to your graphics card name.

- Right-click on it and tap the ‘Update Drivers’ option.

- Select the ‘Search automatically for drivers’ option and allow Windows to download the latest drivers for your particular GPU.

3. Switch to QuickSync

If the error indicates unsupported hardware as it reverts to software encoding, switching to QuickSync might help resolve the issue.

- In the Files tab, tap the ‘Settings’ option.

- Now, tap the ‘Output’ tab and then ‘QuickSync H.264’ in the Encoder drop-down. Don't forget to save the changes.

4. Lower the Resolution

Though H.265 can support up to 8K, most streaming servers don't support H.265. Hence, while using H.264, you must lower your resolution to 4K or below depending on your PC’s hardware.

To Conclude

This article discusses a few ways to troubleshoot the obs nvenc error, along with the reasons behind it.