How to Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac

This wikiHow teaches you how to use OBS Studio to record your screen in Windows or macOS.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Recording your Screen

  1. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 1
    1
    Open OBS Studio on your PC or Mac. It’s in the All Apps area of the Start menu on Windows, and the Applications folder on macOS.
    • If you want to record yourself playing a game, see this method.
  2. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 2
    2
    Click + under “Sources.” It’s near the bottom-left corner of OBS. A list of sources will appear.
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 3
    3
    Click Display Capture. This opens the “Create/Select Source” window.
  4. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 4
    4
    Click OK. This opens a window that displays a preview of your desktop.
  5. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 5
    5
    Select the display you want to record. If you only have one video card or monitor, there’s no need to make any changes. To record a different display, select it from the “Display” drop-down menu now.
  6. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 6
    6
    Click OK. This brings you back to the main OBS Studio screen.
  7. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 7
    7
    Adjust the volume as needed. You’ll see two sliders in the “Mixer” tab at the bottom of OBS.
    • Desktop audio: This controls the sounds coming from your computer (apps and music) during the recording.
    • Mic/Aux: This controls the microphone or an external input. If you’re using a mic to speak over your recording, make sure this slider is up. If not, just move the slider all the way to the left.
  8. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 8
    8
    Click Start Recording. It’s near the bottom-right corner of OBS. The recording will begin immediately.
  9. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 9
    9
    Click Stop Recording when you’re finished. It may be level to or right below “Start Recording.”
    • The video file is saved in your Videos folder. To access this folder, press ⊞ Win+E to open the File Explorer, then click your Videos folder in the left column.
    • To change the default saving location, click Settings at the bottom-right corner of OBS, click Browse… next to “Recording Path,” then select a different folder.
    • You may then have to click on the Output tab on the left column.
    10. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Recording a Game

  1. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 10
    1
    Open the game you want to record. OBS Studio can record you playing any DirectX or OpenGL video game.[1]
  2. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 11
    2
    Open OBS Studio on your PC or Mac. It’s in the All Apps area of the Start menu on Windows, and the Applications folder on macOS.
  3. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 12
    3
    Click + under “Sources.” It’s near the bottom-left corner of OBS. A list of sources will appear.
  4. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 13
    4
    Click Game Capture. This opens the “Create/Select Source” window.
  5. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 14
    5
    Click OK.
  6. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 15
    6
    Select a capture mode. The default option, Capture any full screen application, will automatically detect your game as long as you play it in full-screen mode.[2]
    • If you keep the default, know that switching away from the full-screen game (such as when you press Alt+Tab ↹) will black out the screen until you re-open it.
    • To capture only the video game, click the “Mode” menu, select capture specific window, then select your game.
  7. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 16
    7
    Click OK. This brings you back to the main OBS Studio screen.
  8. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 17
    8
    Adjust the volume as needed. You’ll see two sliders in the “Mixer” tab at the bottom of OBS.
    • Desktop audio: This controls the volume of the sound coming from the game, as well as any other open apps.
    • Mic/Aux: This controls the microphone or an external input. If you’re using a mic to speak over your recording, make sure this slider is up. If not, just move the slider all the way to the left.
  9. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 18
    9
    Click Start Recording. It’s near the bottom-right corner of OBS. The recording will begin immediately.
  10. Image titled Use OBS to Record on PC or Mac Step 19
    10
    Click Stop Recording when you’re finished. It’s level to or right below “Start Recording.”
    • The video file is saved in your Videos folder. To access this folder, press ⊞ Win+E to open the File Explorer, then click your Videos folder in the left column.
    • To change the default saving location, click Settings at the bottom-right corner of OBS, click Browse… next to “Recording Path,” then select a different folder.
    11. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I open the file?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It should come as an .exe or a .dmg, which means that clicking on it should launch it without the help of any external programs.
  • Question
    What do I do if I can't open the video I recorded?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It may not be in a format supported by your video player. Try converting it to a different file type.
  • Question
    How do delete a source?
    Kiana browning
    Kiana browning
    Community Answer
    Right click on the source with the mouse and select the remove option.
Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
How to
Automatically Shut Down Your Computer at a Specified Time
Install Macos on a Virtual MachineHow to Download & Install MacOS on a Virtual Machine Using VirtualBox
Open Exe Files on Mac
How to
Open Exe Files on Mac
Find Your IP Address on a Mac
How to
Find Your IP Address on a Mac
Open Applications Using Terminal on Mac
How to
Open Applications Using Terminal on Mac
Create a TXT File on Mac
How to
Create a TXT File on Mac
Open Applications With Root Privileges on a Mac
How to
Open Applications With Root Privileges on a Mac
Change the Screen Resolution on a Mac4 Ways to Change Screen Resolution on a Mac
Turn On a Mac Computer
How to
Turn On a Mac Computer
Fix a Frozen Mac8 Easy Ways to Troubleshoot a Frozen or Unresponsive Mac
Can You Change an Apple ID Without Losing EverythingCan You Change Your Apple ID Without Losing Everything? Learn How to Keep What You Need
Invert Scrolling on a Mac
How to
Invert Scrolling on a Mac
Quickly Open the Launchpad on a Mac
How to
Quickly Open the Launchpad on a Mac
Force Shut Down a MacHow to Force Shut Down or Restart a Frozen Mac
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://obsproject.com/wiki/Sources-Guide
  2. ↑ https://obsproject.com/wiki/Sources-Guide

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 138,313 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 8
Updated: August 4, 2021
Views: 138,313
Categories: Windows | Mac | Video
Advertisement