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Install OBS Studio on Windows, macOS and Linux

Download OBS Studio safely from the official project, pick the right build for your operating system, and confirm the install works before you configure anything else.

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Download from the official source

OBS Studio is free and open source. Download it from obsproject.com/download or from the project's GitHub releases page. Installers offered through search ads, download portals or "OBS crack" pages are not published by the OBS Project and should not be trusted.

Windows

  1. Download the 64-bit Windows installer. OBS Studio requires a 64-bit version of Windows 10 or later.
  2. Close any game, capture card utility or overlay software before running the installer.
  3. Install to the default location unless you have a reason to change it. Some plugins assume the default plugin directory.
  4. Launch OBS Studio normally. Only run it as administrator if you specifically need to capture a game that itself runs elevated.

macOS

Download the build that matches your Mac: the Apple silicon disk image for M-series machines, or the Intel disk image for older hardware. Drag OBS to Applications, then launch it once and approve the Screen Recording, Camera and Microphone prompts in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Screen and window capture stay black until Screen Recording is granted and OBS is restarted.

OBS Studio 32.2 and later require macOS 13 or newer. If you are still on macOS 12, use the 32.1.2 release instead.

Linux

The project publishes official Ubuntu packages, and OBS is also distributed as a Flatpak on Flathub. Distribution repositories often lag several versions behind, so check the version you actually installed with Help → About. Flatpak builds are sandboxed, which affects where plugins are installed and which capture methods are available; Wayland sessions use PipeWire capture rather than X11 screen capture.

Confirm the install

  1. Open Help → About and note the version number. Every guide on this site states the version it was written against.
  2. Add a Display Capture source and confirm you see your desktop in the preview.
  3. Speak into your microphone and confirm the Mic/Aux meter moves in the Audio Mixer.

If any of those three checks fails, fix it before touching encoder or output settings. A capture problem at this stage is a permissions or graphics issue, not an encoding issue.

Troubleshooting

This OBS-Studio.net editorial guide covers Troubleshooting (install-obs-studio). It is original explanatory writing for creators configuring OBS Studio. Verify version-specific behaviour in Help → About and in official OBS Project documentation when release notes differ.

Nothing changed

Confirm you edited the active profile. Streaming services and recording tabs are separate in Advanced output mode.

Regarding Nothing changed: For Troubleshooting (install-obs-studio), keep scenes simple while validating the core path, then add overlays and filters once the Stats dock stays clean.

Regarding Nothing changed: Document the working profile name, encoder, canvas resolution, and capture method so you can restore them after an OBS or GPU driver update.

Regarding Nothing changed: If behaviour changes after an update, launch Safe Mode to isolate third-party plugins, then re-enable modules one at a time.

Regarding Nothing changed: Prefer wired ethernet for live streaming tests, and measure sustained upload with headroom rather than relying on a single speed-test spike.

Regarding Nothing changed: When comparing settings, record short local samples with identical content so differences are visible without inventing synthetic FPS claims.

Regarding Nothing changed: Keep browser sources and animated overlays modest; expensive HTML can raise rendering load even when the encoder itself is fine.

Regarding Nothing changed: Match plugin builds to your OBS major version and architecture, and uninstall leftover DLLs from older major versions before reporting bugs.

Regarding Nothing changed: Use Studio Mode when rehearsing transitions so you can preview the destination scene before it goes program.

Works once then fails

Re-select windows/games after the target app restarts. Some captures bind to a process instance.

Regarding Works once then fails: For Troubleshooting (install-obs-studio), keep scenes simple while validating the core path, then add overlays and filters once the Stats dock stays clean.

Regarding Works once then fails: Document the working profile name, encoder, canvas resolution, and capture method so you can restore them after an OBS or GPU driver update.

Regarding Works once then fails: If behaviour changes after an update, launch Safe Mode to isolate third-party plugins, then re-enable modules one at a time.

Regarding Works once then fails: Prefer wired ethernet for live streaming tests, and measure sustained upload with headroom rather than relying on a single speed-test spike.

Regarding Works once then fails: When comparing settings, record short local samples with identical content so differences are visible without inventing synthetic FPS claims.

Regarding Works once then fails: Keep browser sources and animated overlays modest; expensive HTML can raise rendering load even when the encoder itself is fine.

Regarding Works once then fails: Match plugin builds to your OBS major version and architecture, and uninstall leftover DLLs from older major versions before reporting bugs.

Regarding Works once then fails: Use Studio Mode when rehearsing transitions so you can preview the destination scene before it goes program.

Crashes

Safe Mode → clean profile → add pieces back. Check whether a plugin update coincided with the failure.

Regarding Crashes: For Troubleshooting (install-obs-studio), keep scenes simple while validating the core path, then add overlays and filters once the Stats dock stays clean.

Regarding Crashes: Document the working profile name, encoder, canvas resolution, and capture method so you can restore them after an OBS or GPU driver update.

Regarding Crashes: If behaviour changes after an update, launch Safe Mode to isolate third-party plugins, then re-enable modules one at a time.

Regarding Crashes: Prefer wired ethernet for live streaming tests, and measure sustained upload with headroom rather than relying on a single speed-test spike.

Regarding Crashes: When comparing settings, record short local samples with identical content so differences are visible without inventing synthetic FPS claims.

Regarding Crashes: Keep browser sources and animated overlays modest; expensive HTML can raise rendering load even when the encoder itself is fine.

Regarding Crashes: Match plugin builds to your OBS major version and architecture, and uninstall leftover DLLs from older major versions before reporting bugs.

Regarding Crashes: Use Studio Mode when rehearsing transitions so you can preview the destination scene before it goes program.

Ask for help

Provide OBS log, OS, GPU, and exact capture method. Avoid unpaid "optimizer" tools that rewrite OBS settings blindly.

Regarding Ask for help: For Troubleshooting (install-obs-studio), keep scenes simple while validating the core path, then add overlays and filters once the Stats dock stays clean.

Regarding Ask for help: Document the working profile name, encoder, canvas resolution, and capture method so you can restore them after an OBS or GPU driver update.

Regarding Ask for help: If behaviour changes after an update, launch Safe Mode to isolate third-party plugins, then re-enable modules one at a time.

Regarding Ask for help: Prefer wired ethernet for live streaming tests, and measure sustained upload with headroom rather than relying on a single speed-test spike.

Regarding Ask for help: When comparing settings, record short local samples with identical content so differences are visible without inventing synthetic FPS claims.

Regarding Ask for help: Keep browser sources and animated overlays modest; expensive HTML can raise rendering load even when the encoder itself is fine.

Regarding Ask for help: Match plugin builds to your OBS major version and architecture, and uninstall leftover DLLs from older major versions before reporting bugs.

Regarding Ask for help: Use Studio Mode when rehearsing transitions so you can preview the destination scene before it goes program.

Checklist

  1. Confirm OBS version and OS permissions
  2. Change one setting at a time
  3. Test with representative content for several minutes
  4. Read the Stats dock before going live
  5. Export a scene collection backup after a working setup

Editorial notes

Download statistics and community rating counts are intentionally omitted. Prefer official project pages and GitHub releases. This page does not claim measured benchmark FPS for hardware. Re-check platform bitrate and codec limits on the destination site before a public broadcast.