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OBS Studio Basic Setup Guide

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Install OBS Studio

    Download and install OBS Studio for free from its official website. The first time you launch it, an auto-configuration wizard sets a sensible default resolution and frame rate for you.

  2. Add a Scene

    Click the + button in the "Scenes" panel at the bottom of the window to build a new layout, and set up separate scenes for different situations, like gaming and just chatting, that you can switch between.

  3. Add a Source

    Inside each scene, add sources like "Display Capture," "Game Capture," or "Webcam" to build the actual footage and video that will appear in your broadcast.

  4. Know the difference between Display and Game Capture

    Display Capture sends out your entire monitor as-is, while Game Capture selectively grabs just a specific game window, which usually gives lower latency and higher frame rates.

  5. Connect a streaming service

    Under Settings > Stream, select your platform (Twitch, YouTube, or any other RTMP-compatible service) and enter the stream key it issued you to get ready to broadcast to that channel.

  6. Adjust output settings

    Under Settings > Output, you can adjust bitrate, resolution, and encoder β€” setting bitrate to match your actual upload speed is what keeps a broadcast from stuttering.

The free program most streamers start with

OBS Studio is free but still covers most of what streaming and recording actually require, which is why it's used everywhere from solo streamers to corporate event broadcasts. Once you understand the scene and source concepts, the basic setup isn't hard for anyone to pick up.

Test before you go live

Before broadcasting to real viewers, use OBS's local recording mode or the stream preview to privately check that your video and audio actually look and sound the way you expect. Catching a bad microphone level or a missing source during a private test is a lot less stressful than discovering it mid-broadcast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stream and record at the same time in OBS?

Yes β€” pressing "Start Streaming" and "Start Recording" separately lets you run both at once, so you can save a local copy of the raw footage while you broadcast.

Can I broadcast to multiple streaming services at the same time?

OBS's core features only send to one service at a time, but a separate multistreaming service or a plugin can let you broadcast to several platforms simultaneously.