---
title: "How to Record Your Screen with OBS Studio: Complete Guide"
description: "Learn how to record your PC screen using OBS Studio. A full guide on setup, audio/video settings, webcam integration, and saving in MP4 for Windows, Mac, or Linux."
url: "https://www.alemasone.com/en/how-to-record-screen-obs-studio/"
language: "en"
published: 2023-11-28
updated: 2026-09-11
categories: ["Multimedia and Creation"]
translations:
  it: "https://www.alemasone.com/it/come-registrare-schermo-obs-studio/"
  es: "https://www.alemasone.com/es/como-grabar-pantalla-obs-studio/"
  fr: "https://www.alemasone.com/fr/enregistrer-ecran-avec-obs-studio/"
  pt: "https://www.alemasone.com/pt/como-gravar-ecra-com-obs-studio/"
  de: "https://www.alemasone.com/de/bildschirm-aufnehmen-mit-obs-studio/"
---

# How to Record Your Screen with OBS Studio: Complete Guide

Recording your screen with **OBS Studio** only takes four steps: install the program, add a **Display Capture** source, check the volumes in the audio mixer, and press **Start Recording**. OBS is free, open source, doesn't add watermarks, has no time limits, and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is the program almost every streamer uses, but it's also great for simpler tasks: a tutorial, a replay of a match, or saving a video call. Here, I'll explain how to set it up from scratch to record, including your webcam and microphone if you need them.

## Requirements and compatibility

OBS Studio works on **Windows 10 and 11**, **macOS 12 Monterey or later** (including Macs with Apple silicon), and major **Linux** distributions. Updated requirements can be found on the [OBS Project official website](https://obsproject.com/it). You don't need a powerful computer, but having a recent processor and a dedicated graphics card will prevent stuttering during recording, especially if you are recording games.

Besides recording, OBS streams live to YouTube, Twitch, and other platforms. Its main strength is that it mixes multiple audio and video sources in real time: you can place your webcam in a corner over the screen or record both your microphone and computer audio simultaneously, just like a mini production studio.

## Download and install OBS

![Official page for downloading OBS Studio with buttons for various operating systems](interfaccia-obs-studio-download-schermo.png)

Go to the official download page and choose your operating system: the download for the latest version will start immediately. Always download it from there, as you can find modified versions online that contain ads or worse.

![Step-by-step installation guide for OBS Studio on Windows](installazione-obs-studio-windows.png)

**On Windows**, open the file `OBS-Studio-...-Windows-Installer.exe` and click *Next* a couple of times, choose your folder, and then click *Install*. Finally, click *Finish* to launch OBS.

**On macOS**, open the file `.dmg` and drag OBS into your *Applications* folder. If macOS blocks it from opening on the first run, Apple's [guide on apps from unidentified developers](https://support.apple.com/it-it/guide/mac-help/mh40616/mac) explains how to authorize it. Then, macOS will ask for permission for **Screen Recording** (and, if you use a webcam and microphone, also for Camera and Microphone): grant this in **System Settings** → **Privacy & Security**, then restart OBS. If you skip this, your recording will be black.

**On Linux**, the easiest way is to use the Flatpak package from Flathub. On Ubuntu, there is also an official project repository (PPA).

## Initial setup

![Prompt window for starting the OBS automatic configuration wizard](configurazione-automatica-obs-studio.png)

Upon first launch, OBS will offer the **Auto-Configuration Wizard**. Click *Yes* and, since you want to record, choose **Optimize just for recording, I will not be streaming**, then click *Next*.

On the next screen, leave the suggested video settings as they are—they match your screen resolution—and proceed. Finally, click **Apply Settings**: OBS will run a few tests and automatically select the best encoder for your computer.

## Adding the screen to record

![Main OBS Studio interface focusing on the button to add a new recording source](interfaccia-obs-studio-aggiunta-fonti.png)

In the bottom-left corner, you'll find the **Sources** box. Click **+**, choose **Display Capture**, give the source a name if you like, and click *OK*.

![Selection menu for screen capture in OBS with the option to hide the mouse cursor](interfaccia-obs-studio-cattura-schermo.png)

The properties window for the source will open. By unchecking *Capture Cursor*, the mouse pointer won't appear in the video. If you have multiple monitors, use the *Display* menu to choose which one to record. Then click *OK*.

If you only want to show a single program—for example, your browser or a presentation—and hide the rest of your desktop, use **Window Capture** instead and select the window from the menu. For full-screen games on Windows, there is **Game Capture**, which is more performance-efficient.

![Infinite mirror effect generated in OBS when capturing the capture software itself](interfaccia-obs-studio-registrazione-schermo.png)

If you capture the screen that OBS is running on, you'll see an "infinite mirror" effect: OBS is recording itself. This is normal and will disappear as soon as you minimize OBS and switch to the program you want to record.

## Adding your webcam

To appear in a box over the screen, click **+** in **Sources** and choose **Video Capture Device**. Confirm, then in the *Device* menu, select your [webcam](/en/use-smartphone-as-webcam/) and click *OK*.

In the preview window, drag the webcam box to your preferred corner and resize it using the red squares on the edges. If the webcam ends up behind the screen, move it up in the sources list: items at the top of the list cover those below them.

![Demonstration of how to resize and position the webcam box within the OBS preview](anteprima-obs-studio-webcam.png)

## Checking your audio

Before you start recording, check the **Audio Mixer** at the bottom center. There are two channels: **Desktop Audio**, which is everything you hear from your computer (music, system sounds, game audio), and **Mic/Aux**.

![OBS Studio Audio Mixer panel to adjust system volumes and mute the microphone](pannello-mixer-audio-obs-studio.png)

Use the speaker icon under each bar to mute or unmute that channel, and use the slider to adjust the volume. Speak or play a sound and watch the bars: they should move within the green and yellow zones. If they hit the red, turn it down; otherwise, the audio will distort.

If your microphone doesn't appear, go to **Settings** → **Audio** and select it under **Mic/Auxiliary Audio**. On macOS 13 or later, computer audio is recorded directly through the screen capture source without needing additional drivers.

## Where to save and in what format

Click **Settings** in the bottom-right corner and open the **Output** tab.

In the *Recording* section, use *Browse* to choose the folder where your videos will be saved. For *Recording Quality*, leave it as **High Quality, Medium File Size**; only lower this if you are recording for many hours or have limited disk space.

For **Recording Format**, recent versions of OBS already suggest **Fragmented MP4**: it opens everywhere like a normal mp4, but if your computer crashes or the power goes out, the file remains readable up to that point. This is the best choice. Alternatively, **mkv** is by far the safest format; you can quickly convert it to mp4 using **File** → **Remux Recordings**.

![OBS Studio output settings for choosing the mp4 video format and destination folder](impostazioni-di-uscita-obs-studio.png)

In the same section, under *Encoder*, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, choose **NVENC**; for AMD, use **AMF**, and for Intel, use **QuickSync**. This lets your graphics card do the work so your processor stays free. Click *Apply* and then *OK*.

## Recording

Now click **Start Recording** at the bottom right. When you are finished, go back to OBS and click **Stop Recording**: your file will already be in the folder you chose. You can open it instantly via **File** → **Show Recordings**.

To avoid having to switch back to the OBS window every time, you can assign a hotkey to start, stop, and pause recording in **Settings** → **Hotkeys**.

## FAQ

### Does OBS slow down my computer while recording?

Usually not much. It depends on your hardware: if you notice stuttering, use your graphics card's encoder (NVENC, AMF, or QuickSync) instead of the software encoder (x264), and close any heavy programs you don't need.

### Is there a limit to how long I can record?

No. The only limit is the free space on your disk. An hour of high-quality 1080p video usually takes up a few gigabytes.

### Why is my recording just a black screen?

On macOS, it's almost always due to missing screen recording permissions, which you can grant in **System Settings** → **Privacy & Security**. On Windows laptops with dual graphics cards, OBS and the program you are recording must run on the same one: try going to **Settings** → **System** → **Display** → **Graphics** and set OBS to *Power Saving* for screen capture or *High Performance* for gaming. On Linux using Wayland, use the **Screen Capture (PipeWire)** source.

### Can I pause the recording?

Yes. If your quality is set to one of the preset options, a pause button will appear next to **Stop Recording**, and you can also assign a keyboard shortcut to it.

### Can I record audio only?

OBS always records video, but if you don't add any video sources, you will get a file with a black screen containing only the audio track from your microphone or desktop. You can then extract the audio as an mp3 using a converter or [video editing software](/en/best-video-editing-software-every-level/).