What Open Broadcaster Software does and who uses it

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is a free program that captures video and audio from your computer, then either records it as a file or sends it live to a streaming platform. You download and install it on Windows, Mac, or Linux — it runs on your own machine, not in a browser. People use it to stream video games, record tutorials, broadcast live events, or capture their screen for presentations.

OBS is free and open-source, meaning the code is publicly available and anyone can modify it. It does not require you to pay for a subscription or create an account with the software maker. You do need an account with whatever platform you want to stream to — Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or others — but OBS itself is just the tool that sends your video there.

The reason people choose OBS over built-in recording tools is control. You can mix multiple video sources (your game, a webcam, a second monitor), add text overlays, switch between scenes instantly, and adjust audio levels in real time. If you just want to record your screen once, Windows or Mac built-in tools work fine. OBS is for people who want to do this repeatedly and need flexibility.

Key Takeaways

  • OBS is a free desktop program you install on your computer; it is not a website or app you log into.
  • You configure OBS on your machine first, then connect it to your streaming platform using an authentication key that you generate in that platform's settings.
  • A basic setup requires you to add at least one source (game, window, or screen), set your audio input, and choose your output resolution and bitrate.
  • OBS records to your hard drive as an MP4 or MKV file, or streams live to Twitch, YouTube, or another platform — you choose which before you start.
  • The most common problems are audio not being heard, video appearing stretched or blurry, or the stream dropping because your internet connection is too slow.

Downloading and installing OBS on your computer

Go to obsproject.com and click the download button. The site detects your operating system and offers the right version. For Windows, you get an installer (.exe file); for Mac, a disk image (.dmg); for Linux, instructions for your specific distribution. Download the file and run it like any other program installer.

On Windows, the installer walks you through a standard setup — choose where to install it, whether to create a desktop shortcut, and whether to launch it when done. On Mac, you drag the OBS icon into your Applications folder. The whole process takes a few minutes. OBS does not require administrator access to run, though some features (like capturing certain protected content) may need elevated permissions.

Once installed, open OBS. The first time you launch it, you see an empty workspace with a black preview window in the center, a list of scenes on the left, and a list of sources below that. This is the main interface where you will spend your time. Do not worry if it looks overwhelming — you only need to set up a few things to start.

Adding video and audio sources to OBS

A source is anything OBS captures: your game window, your entire screen, a webcam, an image file, or text. To add one, right-click in the Sources panel (bottom left) and select "Add Source." A menu appears with options like "Game Capture," "Window Capture," "Screen Capture," "Video Capture Device," and "Audio Input Capture."

For streaming a game, use Game Capture if the game supports it — it captures just the game window and performs better than Screen Capture. If Game Capture does not detect your game, use Window Capture and select the game window from the dropdown. For recording your desktop or a presentation, use Screen Capture and choose which monitor if you have more than one.

For audio, add an Audio Input Capture source and select your microphone from the dropdown. If you want to capture game audio or audio from another application, add an Audio Output Capture source (Windows) or use a virtual audio cable (Mac and Linux — this requires extra setup). You can add multiple sources and layer them — for example, your game window plus a webcam overlay plus a text label with your name.

Resize and position sources by clicking and dragging them in the preview window. Right-click a source to access more options like cropping, scaling, or rotating. Once you have your sources arranged, you can save this layout as a scene — a named collection of sources that you can switch between instantly during a stream.

Connecting OBS to a streaming platform

If you want to stream live to Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook, you need to tell OBS where to send the video. Go to OBS Settings (bottom right, or File menu on Mac) and select "Stream." Choose your service from the "Service" dropdown — Twitch, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, and many others are listed.

Next to the Service dropdown, click "Connect Account" (or "Authenticate" depending on your version). A browser window opens and asks you to log into your streaming account and grant OBS permission to broadcast on your behalf. Once you approve, OBS receives an authentication key and stores it. You do not have to do this again unless you revoke the permission in your account settings.

If you prefer not to use the browser login, you can generate a stream key manually in your streaming platform's settings and paste it into OBS. On Twitch, this is in Creator Dashboard > Settings > Stream Key. On YouTube, it is in YouTube Studio > Go Live > Stream Key. Copy the key, paste it into OBS under "Stream Key," and you are connected.

Do not share your stream key with anyone. Treat it like a password — if someone has it, they can broadcast to your channel. If you think your key has been compromised, regenerate it in your platform's settings and update it in OBS.

Configuring video and audio settings before you start

Open OBS Settings and go to the "Output" tab. Here you set your bitrate — how much data OBS sends per second. For streaming, bitrate depends on your internet upload speed and the quality you want. A common starting point is 2500 to 4000 kbps (kilobits per second) for 1080p at 30 frames per second, or 1500 to 2500 kbps for 720p. If your stream keeps dropping or stuttering, lower the bitrate.

Go to the "Video" tab and set your base resolution (the size of your source material) and output resolution (what viewers see). If you are capturing a 1920×1080 game, set base resolution to 1920×1080. Set output resolution to 1920×1080 if your internet can handle it, or 1280×720 if you need to lower bitrate. Set frame rate to 30 or 60 fps — 30 is standard and uses less bandwidth.

In the "Audio" tab, set your sample rate to 44.1 kHz (standard for most uses) and channels to Stereo. Make sure your microphone is selected as the input device. Test your audio by speaking into the mic and watching the audio meter in the main OBS window — you should see green bars moving when you talk. If you see nothing, your microphone is not selected or not working.

If you are recording instead of streaming, go to Settings > Output > Recording and choose your file format (MP4 or MKV — MP4 is more compatible) and where to save the file. The same video and audio settings apply.

Starting a stream or recording and monitoring what is happening

Once your sources are set up and your settings are configured, you are ready to start. If you are streaming, make sure you are connected to your streaming platform (you should see a green checkmark next to your service name in Settings > Stream). Click the big red "Start Streaming" button in the bottom right of the main window.

OBS connects to your streaming platform and begins sending video. You should see a timer counting up in the bottom right, and your preview window shows what viewers are seeing. Open your streaming platform in a browser to confirm the video is live and looks correct. If the video is stretched, blurry, or has the wrong colors, go back to OBS and adjust your resolution or source settings.

While streaming, watch the stats in the bottom of the OBS window. The "CPU Usage" shows how hard your computer is working — if it is above 80 percent, your stream may stutter and you should lower your bitrate or resolution. "Dropped Frames" means OBS could not keep up — usually a sign your internet is too slow or your computer is overloaded. "Network" shows your current upload speed.

To stop streaming, click "Stop Streaming." OBS disconnects from your platform. If you were recording at the same time, the recording continues until you click "Stop Recording." Your recording file is saved to the folder you chose in Settings.

Troubleshooting common problems

If your audio is not being heard by viewers, check that you added an Audio Input Capture source and that your microphone is selected in that source's settings. In the main OBS window, look at the audio meter — if it does not move when you talk, your microphone is not connected or selected. Go to Settings > Audio and make sure your microphone is listed as the Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device.

If your video looks stretched or blurry, your output resolution does not match your source. If you are capturing a 1920×1080 game but your output resolution is 1280×720, OBS scales it down and it may look fuzzy. Set output resolution to match your source, or if you need to scale down, use a resolution that divides evenly (1920×1080 to 960×540, not 1920×1080 to 1280×720).

If your stream keeps dropping or you see "Dropped Frames" constantly, your internet upload speed is too slow or your bitrate is too high. Test your upload speed at speedtest.net — you need at least 5 Mbps upload for a stable 1080p stream. If your speed is lower, reduce your bitrate or resolution. If your speed is fine but you still see dropped frames, close other programs using the internet and check that no one else on your network is downloading large files.

If OBS crashes or freezes, try lowering your bitrate and resolution first. If that does not help, check that your graphics drivers are up to date — OBS uses your GPU (graphics card) to encode video, and outdated drivers can cause instability. On Windows, go to Device Manager, find your graphics card, right-click it, and select "Update driver."

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a powerful computer to use OBS?

OBS runs on modest hardware, but streaming or recording while playing a demanding game requires a decent CPU and GPU. A computer with a quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a dedicated graphics card handles most setups. If you have an older laptop, you may need to lower your resolution or bitrate, or use a second computer to stream while your main computer runs the game.

Can I use OBS to record my screen without streaming?

Yes. Set up your sources and audio, then go to Settings > Output > Recording and choose your file format and save location. Click "Start Recording" instead of "Start Streaming." OBS records to your hard drive. You do not need to connect to a streaming platform or have internet access.

What is the difference between Game Capture and Screen Capture?

Game Capture is optimized for games and captures just the game window with less CPU overhead. Screen Capture captures your entire monitor, including the taskbar and any windows behind the game. Use Game Capture if your game supports it; use Screen Capture if Game Capture does not detect your game or if you want to capture your desktop.

Can I stream to multiple platforms at the same time?

OBS does not natively support streaming to multiple platforms simultaneously, but you can use a service like Restream or StreamYard that accepts OBS output and distributes it to multiple platforms. Alternatively, some streaming platforms allow you to restream from another platform — for example, you can stream to Twitch and have YouTube pull from your Twitch stream.

How do I add a webcam overlay to my game stream?

Add a Video Capture Device source and select your webcam. In the preview window, resize and position the webcam feed where you want it — usually a small box in the corner. Right-click the webcam source and select "Filters" to add effects like a border or blur the background. You can create a scene with just your game, another scene with your game plus webcam, and switch between them during your stream.