How to Use OBS Studio for Professional Video Streaming in 2025

You’re trying to break out as the next big live-streaming sensation but don’t know where to start? First things first, you must be able to produce high-quality streams. To do that, you’ll need to have high-quality screen recordings, crisp audio output, and an optimized recording path. Furthermore, the content must be good enough for high-resolution viewing in full-screen mode and on mobile devices. And how exactly can you achieve all this? By using the right recording software, of course.

Currently, OBS Studio is one of the most popular live-streaming software on the market. It supports the Real-Time Messaging Protocol and has versatile RTMP-enabled software encoders. They allow professional broadcasters to stream video directly to a media server or other destinations.

As an open-source and versatile software, OBS is widely used for its ability to integrate RTMP streaming easily, delivering high-quality, low-latency streams to various streaming platforms. The best part? OBS Studio is a free broadcasting software. It has an integrated video encoder application for encoding, mixing, and more.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for, join us as we explain how to use OBS Studio and how to master all of its settings. Furthermore, we’ll tell you how to position multiple video sources, choose the best encoder, and more. By the end, you’ll be ready to start your very own professional online stream.

We updated this tutorial to reflect the best OBS Studio settings for the latest OBS Studio 31.0.0 version released on December 6th, 2024.

Table of Contents

• What is OBS Studio Used For?
• How to Use OBS Studio
• How to Add Video Sources on OBS Studio
• How to Use OBS Studio Window Capture
• How to Add Images or Text with OBS Studio
• How to Arrange Multiple Video Sources on OBS Studio
• How to Set Up OBS Studio Hotkeys
• Choosing the Right OBS Studio Encoder Settings
• The Right Hardware Setup For Running OBS
• How to Use OBS Studio with Dacast
• Multistreaming with OBS
• Integrating OBS Studio With Zoom
• OBS Studio Video Tutorial
• Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) vs. OBS Studio
• FAQs
• Conclusion

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What is OBS Studio Used For?

OBS Studio is a free and open-source streaming software that many broadcasters use for mixing and producing live video content. This means that unlike some paid options, you can download and use OBS Studio for free without any limitations. The latest version of OBS Studio, Version 31.0.0 was released on December 6th, 2024. It is available for macOS 11 or newer, Windows 10 and 11, as well as Ubuntu 20.04 and newer operating systems. For the Linux version, FFmpeg is required. There are many guides available online to help you install it if needed.

OBS Studio isn’t just limited to live streaming, though. It’s also a powerful tool for screen capture. If you want to record a tutorial, gameplay footage, or anything else on your screen, OBS Studio can handle it with ease.

Using OBS Studio, you can live stream your content to multiple popular streaming platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook, to name a few. OBS lets you reach your audience wherever they choose to watch. Some of the main functions of OBS Studio are:

• Encoding
• Screen recording
• Adding text
• Adding graphic overlays
• Managing multiple stream sources

OBS operates with community-developed plugins, which you can find on the OBS Forums page. Since OBS Studio software is open-source software, we often recommend that new broadcasters use it to experiment and learn the ropes of video production.

How to Use OBS Studio

To use all of the functions of OBS Studios, you must set up OBS to flow with your streaming setup. Luckily, the OBS Auto-Configuration Wizard is available to automatically determine the proper settings for your computer and streaming solution.

This wizard is a great resource, especially for beginners new to OBS and video streaming in general. It will account for your internet upload speed, processor capabilities, and desired video quality, then recommend the best OBS settings for recording.

Even with the Auto-Configuration Wizard tool, there are a few manual configurations that you’ll need to set up to optimize OBS for streaming. Let’s run a quick tutorial to get you started with OBS Studio:

1. Download OBS Studio: Head over to the official OBS website and download the latest version of the software for your operating system.
2. Run the OBS Auto-Configuration Wizard: Upon launching OBS software for the first time, you’ll likely be prompted to run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. Follow the on-screen instructions to provide details about your internet connection, desired streaming resolution and frame rate, and how you plan to use OBS (streaming or recording). The wizard will then perform a test to determine your optimal settings. 
3. Manually Adjust Suggested Settings (Optional): While the Auto-Configuration Wizard does a great job of providing a good starting point, you may want to make some manual adjustments to the settings based on your specific needs and preferences. You can access these settings by clicking on the “Settings” menu in the top right corner of the OBS interface.
4. Set Up Your Audio Input Capture Devices: Navigate to “Settings” > “Audio” to configure your microphone and any other audio sources you want to include in your stream. Here, you can choose your default microphone and speaker devices, adjust audio levels, and enable features like noise suppression.
5. Add a Source: This is where you tell OBS what you want to capture and broadcast in your stream. Click the “+” button under the “Sources” section and choose the source you want to add. Common sources include “Display Capture” for capturing your entire screen, “Game Capture” for capturing a specific game window, and “Window Capture” for capturing a specific application window. You can also add sources like webcams, images, and audio input devices.
6. Confirm Output Settings: Navigate to “Settings” > “Output” to confirm that your chosen streaming service and stream key are properly configured. You can also adjust your output settings here, such as the bitrate and encoder, which will impact the video quality and bandwidth usage of your stream.
7. Test Your Stream: Before going live, it’s crucial to test your stream to ensure everything is working correctly. Click the “Start Streaming” button to begin a test stream. You can then monitor your stream on the streaming platform to check for any audio or video issues.

Check out the OBS Studio Quickstart Guide for more information on how to use OBS Studio.

With that general process in mind, let’s look at how to use OBS Studio and all of its different functions for streaming. We’ll also learn how to add a video source, do screen recordings, incorporate graphic overlays, and more.

How to Add Video Sources on OBS Studio

You can’t really start OBS streaming unless you add your video sources to the software. Video sources include things such as webcams or digital cameras. Luckily, it’s one of the simplest tasks you can do in OBS Studio. To select a source in OBS, all you need to do is:

• First, plug the device into your computer to add a video source, such as a webcam or a camera connected via a capture card.
  
• Then, click the “+” sign inside the “Sources” widget on OBS Studio.

• This will generate a drop-down menu with three different choices: Display Capture, Window Capture, and Video Capture Device.
• Select “Video Capture Device” to add a camera.
• Then, you will be asked to name your video source. You can add an existing one or create a new one
• At this stage, you can also choose to flip the image vertically or horizontally, adjust the opacity, change the resolution, or set up a chroma-key (green screen) effect.
• When you are done, click “OK,” and your video source will be added.

If there is a blank space bordering your video feed, you may need to go to “Settings” and adjust the resolution of your broadcast to match the size of your video input.

Another common issue is a black screen, which can happen when OBS can’t capture certain applications or scenes. To fix this, try running OBS as an administrator, updating graphics drivers, or adjusting compatibility settings. If using game capture, ensure the game is running in full-screen mode for the best results.

Along with the video sources, OBS Studio also offers you an audio mixer you can use when dealing with multiple audio sources. It helps you mix the audio, mute it, and get greater control over your live streams.

Common audio/video sync problems happen due to improper settings or conflicting devices. To fix this, check the audio buffer settings and ensure that both audio and video sources are properly synchronized in OBS’s settings.

How to Use OBS Studio Window Capture

If you want to share your computer screen during your broadcast, you can either use Display or OBS Window Capture. Let’s go over how to use window capture.

Display Capture will broadcast everything in a certain area of your computer screen, although you can change and adjust the size of that area. Window Capture for OBS will allow you to broadcast the screen of a particular application (Skype, Word, PowerPoint, Internet Browsers, etc.) and only that.

Here’s how to set up a Display Capture:

• Go to the “Sources” widget, click on the “+” sign, and select “Display Capture.”
• Give it a name and click “OK.”

From there, you can choose whether you want the mouse cursor to be captured or not. You can also set the opacity and select a “Sub-Region” to create a smaller area of your monitor screen to capture:

• For Windows Capture, go to the “Sources” widget, click on the “+” sign, and select “Window Capture.”
• Name the source and click “OK.”
• Select which application you want to use for OBS Window Capture from the drop-down menu. If you don’t see the one you wanted, try re-launching OBS or the program (or both). If it still doesn’t appear, use “Monitor Capture” instead.
  
• Choose whether you want to capture the Entire Screen or the Inner Screen. You can choose if the mouse cursor is captured or not, the opacity, and create a smaller sub-region.
• Click “OK” when you’re done.

This is how you record a window on OBS and get it to show your screen when recording a video.

How to Add Images or Text with OBS Studio

You can also use OBS to make your streams more visually interesting and engaging by adding fun graphics, images, and even text. So, how can you add those things to your  OBS streaming setup? The process is fairly simple. Here’s what you need to do to add images:

• Right-click under sources, then click “Add.”
• Select and click on “Image.”
• Browse for the image you want to add and adjust the opacity.
• Select several individual files or an entire folder to add an image slideshow.

The process of adding text to your OBS stream is very similar.

• Go to “Sources” and press “+.”
• Click on “Text (GDI+).”
• Create a new source or add an existing one.
• Click “Select Font” to choose the color, style, and size.
• Add the text in the text box.
• Once done, click on OK.
• Drag and drop the text box where you want it on the screen.

Using the menu settings, you can choose the color, opacity, font, size, and message. Also, you can indicate whether or not you want the text to scroll, and you can set the scroll speed.

How to Arrange Multiple Video Sources on OBS Studio

OBS allows broadcasters to create scenes with more than one input on the same screen. This allows you to create professional picture-in-picture broadcasts and bring in multiple guests/videos via multiple video sources.

You can even mix the videos for a powerful post-production output. You can achieve this by adding your own stinger video files to OBS. You can also choose from numerous different and customizable transitions.

After adding a source, you can position it anywhere you like. To move a source, just click on it and resize and reposition it the way you want:

You can also right-click on your video source to change the order, rotate them, or even add filters.

If you want to rearrange the layering of your sources, go to “Order” and then select “Move up,” “Move Down,” “Move to Top,” or “Move to Bottom.” Whatever is on the top layer will cover the sources behind it, with the bottom layer at the back.

And what about filters? You can choose from a video, audio, or effect filter on the image. And how do you add a filter to your OBS stream? What you need to do is:

• Right-click the video source.
• Select “Filter”.
• Choose the type of filters you want to add.

Below is an example of an image blend filter and a color correction filter added to the video capture device source:

To remove anything added to your OBS Studio software – a filter, a video source, or a desktop audio source – just click the “eye” icon to mask it. For instance, after clicking on the “eye” icons of the effect filters previously added, the video source is back to its original state, as shown in the image below:

As you can see, learning how to set up OBS for streaming and customizing the layout is simple and easy.

And the best part about OBS Studio?

It also offers a Studio Mode. When you activate this mode, you can preview your scenes from the sources before you go ahead and live stream them. This helps you avoid any untoward incident where a poor-quality broadcast gets live-streamed to your audience.

How to Set Up OBS Studio Hotkeys

Ever wonder how professional streamers seamlessly transition from one screen to another in the blink of an eye? The answer is: hotkeys! Hotkeys are a “key” feature (pun intended) of OBS Studio that will take your streams to the next level.

Setting up hotkeys allows you to switch between multiple scenes instantly at the touch of a button. For example, if you have ever used CTRL+C to copy something on your computer, you have used a hotkey.

In OBS, using hotkeys allows for smooth, precisely timed cuts between different pre-recorded or live video streams. So how do you use them?

To use the hotkeys, start by creating another scene by clicking on the “+” within the “Scene” widget:

You can set up hotkeys to switch between video streams, use filters, and other important functions. OBS has some basic commands already established as hotkeys, such as:

• Copy source              Ctrl+C
• Past source               Ctrl+V
• Remove source         Del
• Fit to screen               Ctrl+F
• Stretch to screen       Ctrl+S
• Center to screen        Ctrl+D

This will make it easier to learn how to stream on OBS and create engaging broadcasts.

Choosing the Right OBS Studio Encoder Settings

Now that you’ve created your scenes and set up your video sources, you’re almost ready to begin broadcasting. OBS Studio is intuitive and easy to master, so starting a stream is just as easy as everything we’ve covered so far. 

Your first move is to double-check that your encoder settings are correct. If you’re streaming on Dacst, there are a few required OBS studio settings you must apply to your OBS setup and any other encoding software you may use.

One frequent issue you might encounter is lag or dropped frames, often caused by an incorrect bitrate or an overloaded system. To resolve this, ensure your bitrate is appropriate for your internet speed (generally between 2,500-6,000 kbps for 1080p) and close unnecessary programs to free up system resources.

Check out our live encoder configuration post for a complete list of suggested settings to optimize your audio and video OBS streaming on Dacast.

The Right Hardware Setup For Running OBS

The hardware you’re using will have as much of an impact on streaming quality as your IBS settings configuration. You don’t always have to have the best equipment, but it does help. Here are a few hardware recommendations for three different budgets.

Budget-friendly setup for streaming at 720p:

• Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor
• 8GB of RAM
• A mid-range graphics card like the NVIDIA GTX 1650

A mid-range setup for streaming at 1080p at 60fps:

• Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU
• 16GB of RAM
• A dedicated GPU like the NVIDIA GTX 1660 or RTX 2060

High-end setup for streaming at 4K or higher:

• Intel i9 or Ryzen 9 processor
• 32GB of RAM
• An RTX 3070 or 3080 GPU

How to Use OBS Studio with Dacast

We recommend using the custom version of Dacast’s OBS Studio integration for an easy and fast setup. If you decide to use our custom version, check out this tutorial.

Before we really get into how to use OBS Studio for live streaming, let’s quickly cover how to connect your OBS Studio encoder to Dacast. This step will ensure software compatibility, so check out our post on the minimum OBS system requirements.

Launch OBS Studio:

• Go to “Settings” in the OBS Studio interface.
• You’ll see a “URL” and “Stream Key.”
• Keep these two codes handy.

Open the Dacast live streaming platform:

• Navigate to the “Encoder Setup” window and select “Other RTMP Encoder.”
• Enter the URL and Stream Key into the fields labeled “Stream URL” and “Stream Key.”
• Select “Use Authentication.”
• Fill in “Username” and “Password” using the login information of your live channel.

From there, you should be good to livestream with OBS Studio using Dacast.

Connect OBS to Dacast:

Next, we need to connect OBS to Dacast.

• Go to OBS
• Navigate to “Settings” and select “Stream” on the left side menu.

Select “Custom Live Streaming Server“

The URL and Stream keys are available in the RTMP encoder to set up a section of your Dacast last channel.

Once you have copy-pasted the information related to your Dacast live channel, check “Use authentication.”

You will see that you need to enter a username and a password. These are the login and password of your Dacast live channel. They are available in the encoder setup section, where you find the stream URL and key. For more details on those 2 steps, you can always check this tutorial for connecting Dacast with OBS.

Finally, make sure your encoder settings are correct. For optimal results, we recommend the following:

• Resolution: match your camera/source resolution
• Frames per second: use 30 unless you have a specific reason not to
• Keyframe interval: 3 seconds
• Video codec: x264
• Bitrate: Check out our bitrate guide for multi-bitrate streaming
• Audio codec: AAC
• Channels (audio): Stereo for all streams above 360p resolution, Mono for below
• Audio sample rate: 22 kHz

Now, do a test stream to check if your broadcast looks and sounds the way you want.  If it all works the way you’d hoped, you’re ready to go!

Multistreaming with OBS

While using OBS Studio by itself doesn’t allow for streaming on multiple services, integrating it with a multistreaming platform like Dacast, StreamYard, or Castr can circumvent this issue. Start by installing OBS and configuring your scenes and sources as usual. Then, sign up for a multistream service that allows simultaneous streaming to multiple platforms (like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook).

Connect your accounts through the multistream platform’s dashboard, where you’ll get a stream key for each platform. In OBS, configure the RTMP stream settings to link with the multistream service.

Input the provided stream key into OBS’s settings under “Stream,” choosing the custom RTMP option. Once connected, OBS will stream to the multistream service, which distributes the broadcast to all linked platforms.

Integrating OBS Studio With Zoom

Another neat trick you can do with OBS is to use it alongside Zoom to stream meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. Connecting these two tools is simple and only takes a few steps. In addition to having the latest versions of OBS Studios and Zoom, what you need to do to use them simultaneously is:

• Open OBS Studio, and click the “Start Virtual Camera” in the Control section.
• Launch Zoom, head to “Settings,” go to “Video,” and select “OBS Virtual Camera.”
• Start your Zoom call, then click on the camera icon and click on “OBS Virtual Camera” to enable it.

Now you’re ready to stream or screen record everything that’s going on during your Zoom calls.

OBS Studio Video Tutorial

We recommend checking out our OBS Studio video tutorial for a visual recap of this step-by-step walkthrough of how to use OBS Studio.

Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) vs. OBS Studio

Streamlabs OBS is

another open-source software that functions similarly to OBS Studio. Both tools are great for professional broadcasters, but there are a few notable differences between them.

Streamlabs OBS has more automated features, making it easier to use. However, OBS Studio supports some more advanced functionalities.

Streamlabs OBS offers access to some premium features, such as a Streamlabs App Store, Naming Cloud Bot, extra storage, and more. It has multistream capabilities and is one of several multistreaming platforms supporting this feature. However, users can access these features only if they have a paid Prime subscription to the software.

Like OBS Studio, you can download Streamlabs OBS for free, but the Streamlabs OBS Prime membership costs $149/year or $19/month. OBS Studio is free forever, so it is certainly worth trying out.

FAQ:

1. How do I use OBS Studio step by step?

Here are the steps you can follow to use OBS Studio:

1. Download OBS Studio
2. Run the OBS Auto-Configuration Wizard
3. Adjust suggested settings, if necessary
4. Setup your audio devices: “Settings” > “Audio”
5. Add a source: “Sources” > “+” > choose your source
6. Confirm that settings are proper: “Settings” > “Output”
7. Test your stream by clicking “Start Recording” or “Start Streaming”

2. What is OBS Studio and how do you use it?

OBS Studio, also known as Open Broadcaster Software, is a free and open-source platform for Mac, Windows, and Linux that’s particularly used for offline recording of videos and live streaming. You can start using it by adding a source for your video streams and select an output for the same.

3. How do I start recording on OBS Studio?

To start recording on OBS Studio, you need to first select your video source. Next, select your output settings to ensure that they’re on point. Finally, click on “Start Recording.”

4. Is OBS free?

OBS Studio is completely free to download and use for both recording your screen and live streaming. You simply have to visit the official website to download free OBS Studio software and install it to get started.

This free software lets you capture footage from your screen, webcam, or other sources, and then customize it with scenes, transitions, and more before recording it to a file or streaming it live to platforms like Twitch or YouTube.

5. Do I need a PC to use OBS Studio?

Yes, you need a PC to run OBS Studio download. There isn’t a mobile version available yet and the latest version of OBS Studio is compatible with Windows (10, 11), Mac (macOS 11 and newer), or Linux (Ubuntu 20.04 and newer).

The specific requirements for your PC will depend on what you plan to do with OBS Studio. Simpler tasks like capturing presentations or low-resolution gameplay may run fine on a less powerful machine. But for high-definition streaming or editing complex scenes, you’ll need a PC with a strong processor, good amount of RAM, and potentially a dedicated graphics card.

6. How do you live stream on Kick with OBS?

Check out our ultimate guide on how to stream on kick with OBS, where we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started on Kick using OBS.

Conclusion

Everything here can be used to set up your streaming software and work seamlessly with OBS Studio. Without a doubt, OBS Studio has a lot to offer. We recommend running a test stream first to ensure your broadcast looks and sounds professional.

To give your audience an even better viewing experience, you can integrate your Dacast with OBS for live streaming videos on your website. You get the ultimate streaming combination with OBS Studios’ rich array of features and Dacast’s professional-grade dedicated streaming platform. Together, they will help you stream the best live video from your website possible.

If the idea of having a professional, dedicated and white-label compatible streaming platform appeals to use, try Dacast. Dacast has all the features you need to run the highest-quality broadcasts. It’s quick and easy to set up. Sign up today for a 14-day trial to test out all of our features for free. No credit card is required.

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