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Why Does OBS Studio Show a “GPU Not Supported” Error? Proven Solutions for a Frustrating Problem
The “GPU Not Supported” error in OBS Studio typically means your graphics card is either not recognized or cannot handle the current settings. This issue often blocks video output and can cause OBS to crash at startup. The most common causes include unsupported hardware, a canvas size that exceeds your GPU’s capabilities, or installing an incompatible OBS version.
Main Causes
- OBS cannot detect or access your GPU.
- The canvas or base resolution is set higher than your GPU can handle.
- You installed a version of OBS (such as 64-bit) that your system or GPU does not support.
Solution 1: Set OBS Studio to High Performance
- Open Windows search (Windows key + S) and type “Graphics Settings.”
- Select the OBS Studio app and click “Options.”
- Choose “High Performance” from the graphics preference menu.
- Click “Save” to ensure OBS uses your dedicated GPU (NVIDIA or AMD) instead of integrated graphics.
Solution 2: Lower the Canvas Resolution via OBS Configuration File
If OBS won’t launch, you can manually adjust the resolution:
- Press Windows key + R, enter:
%appdata%\obs-studio\basic\profiles\Untitled
- Open the basic file with Notepad.
- In the [Video] section, set:
BaseCX=1920 BaseCY=1080 OutputCX=1920 OutputCY=1080
- Save and close the file.
Solution 3: Reset OBS Studio Settings
Corrupted or incompatible settings can prevent OBS from launching.
To reset:
- Press Windows key + R, enter:
%appdata%\obs-studio
- Delete the obs-studio folder (back up if needed).
- Restart OBS Studio to regenerate fresh configuration files.
Solution 4: Reinstall OBS Studio
If none of the above steps work, download and install the latest stable version from the official OBS website to ensure compatibility.
Following these steps will help you resolve the “GPU Not Supported” error in OBS Studio, restore stable performance, and get back to streaming or recording without frustration.