Whatnot OBS Setup: How to Connect OBS Studio, Required Settings and Fixes for Card Breakers
ChronicCardsKey Takeaways
- OBS is optional. Whatnot's help center describes going live by opening Whatnot on the device you want to use as your camera and selecting Start Show; OBS is for sellers who want to stream connected cameras and audio devices from a computer.
- Setup runs through the Show Tools page in Seller Hub: connect to OBS over its WebSocket server, click Update Profile once, then start and end shows from that page. Google Chrome is the only supported browser.
- Whatnot's setup video says three settings must be set by hand under Settings, then Output: rate control CBR, keyframe interval 2 seconds and tune zero latency. It also says Whatnot's maximum bitrate is 3,500 kbps.
- The canvas is vertical. Health Check should detect 1080x1920, not 1920x1080, and Whatnot says to close and reopen OBS after the first profile update.
- Card breaks run through OBS still have to keep the whole break on screen. Whatnot's camera setup examples include an OBS layout with an overhead camera plus a phone as the product camera.
Table of Contents
Whatnot lets sellers stream straight from OBS Studio instead of the phone app. You enable the WebSocket server in OBS, connect to it from the Show Tools page in Seller Hub using Google Chrome, let Whatnot push its required output settings into an OBS profile, and then start each show from Show Tools. The Whatnot steps and settings below come from Whatnot's help center, Seller Academy and setup video, read on November 1, 2026, plus obsproject.com and our own product pages.
What Is OBS and Do You Need It on Whatnot?
OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. On November 1, 2026, obsproject.com listed version 33.0.1 for Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, and Linux.
You do not need it to sell. Whatnot's two-device help article describes going live by opening Whatnot on the device you use as your camera: open the show under Seller Hub, then Shows, and select Start Show. Our how to sell on Whatnot guide covers scheduling a show and setting up your stream. Whatnot's OBS help article describes OBS as a way "to stream connected video and audio devices from a computer."
What You Need Before You Start
Whatnot's setup video, embedded in its Seller Academy Production Guide, names two things first. One is a capable streaming computer: on Windows, something that can handle most modern games; on macOS, any Apple Silicon machine. The other is your network: the video says to use an ethernet cable to a high quality router, and the help article says Whatnot's WHIP streaming protocol "expects a very consistent and strong network connection" and strongly recommends wired over WiFi.
You also need Google Chrome, the only supported browser for the Show Tools connection, and the latest OBS Studio from obsproject.com. On a fresh install, the video says to accept the permissions OBS asks for, pick "I will only be using the virtual camera" in the Auto Configuration Wizard, apply, and restart the computer.
How to Connect OBS to Whatnot
First-time setup, from Whatnot's video and help article:
- In Chrome, open Seller Hub on whatnot.com, click the drop-down arrow next to Shows and go to Show Tools.
- In OBS, open Tools, then WebSocket Server Settings. Check Enable WebSocket Server with the port set to 4455, check Enable Authentication, type your own password (not an auto-generated one) and click Apply.
- Back on Show Tools, enter that password and click Connect.
- Pick an OBS profile on Show Tools and click "Update Profile (First Time Setup Only)." The WebSocket applies Whatnot's required output settings automatically.
- Apply the three manual settings in the next section, then close OBS, reopen it and reconnect from Show Tools. The help article says OBS often does not register the new canvas resolution until it restarts.
The bearer token that acts as your stream key changes with every scheduled show, and the WebSocket applies it inside OBS for you.
What OBS Settings Does Whatnot Require?
Whatnot's video says deviating from the required settings can affect viewers' ability to load your stream. Show Tools has a "View Required Settings" button listing what the profile update applied.
| Setting | What Whatnot says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stream service | WHIP. The server and bearer token fields update automatically when you go live from Show Tools. | Help article |
| Canvas resolution | 1080x1920 (9:16 vertical). If Health Check detects 1920x1080, close and reopen OBS. | Help article |
| Rate control | CBR, set manually under Settings, then Output. | Setup video |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds, typed in manually (not a 2 second delay). | Setup video |
| Tune | Zero latency, set manually (an x264 encoder option). | Setup video |
| Bitrate | Maximum of 3,500 kbps; Whatnot has no transcoding. | Setup video |
| Encoder and CPU preset | x264 for most people; "very fast" on a strong CPU, "superfast" or "ultrafast" on slower hardware. | Video and help article |
How to Start and End a Show
Whatnot's help article is firm: do not start an OBS show from the livestream page itself. Connect to the WebSocket on Show Tools, then press "Start Show" next to the scheduled show. In the video, that updates the show token in OBS, starts the OBS stream and sets the show to playing.
To end, keep Show Tools connected and click End, which stops OBS and ends the show together. If you end from somewhere else, including with a raid (see our Whatnot raids guide) or from another device, the video says the OBS stream will likely still be running, so go back to OBS and click Stop Streaming.
Why Isn't OBS Connecting to Whatnot?
Whatnot's help article lists the usual causes of a failed WebSocket connection: a mistyped password, a browser other than Chrome, a Chrome extension that interferes (try an incognito window), or the WebSocket server or its authentication not enabled in OBS. If it connects but the show will not start, it points to a firewall blocking the WHIP server, a profile update that did not fully take (check View Required Settings and the Stream service), or a weak connection. Its named fixes:
- "Failed to set show to playing": leaving Show Tools connected for a long time causes this. Refresh, reconnect right before you start, and click Start Show again.
- "Starting the output failed": re-check the required settings, usually the Stream tab.
- "Failed to connect": usually the network; move from WiFi to a wired connection.
- Delay over 2 seconds: the hardware or network cannot keep up. Switch the CPU usage preset to superfast or ultrafast and check packet loss. Whatnot says 2 seconds is normal latency.
Running a Card Break With OBS
OBS does not change the card break rules. Whatnot's Card Breaks Policy says the full display of a break must stay on screen from the sale of an item to the end of the break, "over multiple cameras" if needed, including sealed and unsealed product, tools and hands. It also bans randomizer wheels, including digital wheels run through streaming software, so no wheel overlay in OBS. Whatnot's policy-compliant camera examples include an OBS layout, its Setup 5: an overhead camera on a high stand shows every product in the break, and a phone closer to the desk is the main product camera for openings and reveals.
Whatnot's Production Guide calls the phone in your pocket the best product camera for use within OBS and lists apps that turn it into one: Camo Camera, OBS Camera and DroidCam. Whatnot's Breaks feature also currently has to be created and managed from a computer, which fits an OBS desk anyway.
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Sources
Details verified as of November 1, 2026.
- Whatnot Help Center: Using OBS with your Livestream (December 4, 2025)
- Whatnot Seller Academy: Production Guide
- Whatnot: Stream with OBS on Whatnot (setup video)
- Whatnot Help Center: Use two devices to host a show (October 23, 2026)
- Whatnot Help Center: Card Breaks Policy (June 22, 2026)
- Whatnot Help Center: Policy-Compliant Camera Setup Recommendations (December 5, 2023)
- Whatnot Help Center: Breaks feature for sellers (April 16, 2026)
- OBS Project: OBS Studio
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