How to Record Screen with OBS Studio: Full Guide

In this complete guide we will discover how to record your computer screen using OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software), a professional and completely free program. Whether you want to create a tutorial, record a gameplay or save a videoconference, OBS is the ideal tool to get high quality results.

OBS Studio compatibility on Windows, macOS and Linux #

OBS Studio is an open source software, completely free of limitations or watermarks. To start recording your desktop, your computer needs to meet some minimum requirements: you need a Windows 10 or higher operating system, macOS 11.0 or later, or a supported Linux distribution (you can check the updated technical details directly on the OBS Project official website). Although there are no rigid hardware constraints, the use of a modern processor and a dedicated video card will dramatically reduce the risk of lag and slowdowns during video acquisitions.

In addition to being the perfect solution for recording PC screen, OBS Studio integrates advanced features for live broadcast (streaming) on famous platforms such as YouTube, Twitch and Facebook Live.

The real strength of this program lies in the management of multimedia sources. It allows you to combine different video and audio sources in real time. For example, it is possible to overlay the webcam’s recovery at monitor recording, or capture the microphone audio along with computer system sounds, creating a real virtual direction.

How to download and install OBS #

The first step to start is to download the program. Connect to the official OBS download page and select the operating system in use on your device. By clicking on the Windows, macOS or Linux icon, you will immediately start downloading the most up-to-date installation file for your platform.

After downloading, open the executable file just obtained (for example, OBS-Studio-Full-Installer.exe in Windows environment or .dmg package for Mac ecosystem).

If you use Windows, start the wizard by clicking Next. Accept the terms of use of the software by clicking Next again, choose the destination folder and press the Install button to proceed. Once the operation is finished, click Finish to close the setup and launch OBS Studio automatically.

For Apple users, the macOS procedure is just as intuitive: just drag the OBS Studio icon into the Applications folder. Then, double-click the application (confirming the opening via the Open button to authorize third-party software according to Apple security protocols). Now you’re ready to start recording.

Practice Guide: How to Record Screen with OBS Studio #

With the application launched, it is time to run the initial configuration to optimize video capture and audio acquisition. The instructions you will find below are identical for both the Windows interface and macOS interface.

At the first start, the software will show a message that proposes the Automatic Guided Configuration. Click Yes to continue. Since the goal of this tutorial is to save files locally, select the option Optimize only for recordings, I do not do direct and press the Next button.

In the next screen related to the video settings, I suggest you keep the parameters proposed automatically (which will detect the native resolution of your screen) and confirm by pressing Next. Finally, click Apply Settings to save this preliminary configuration.

Your work environment is now configured. We see concretely how to train the program to capture your PC’s desktop.

Positioned in the Sources section, located in the bottom left of the interface, and click on the + button to open the capture options menu. Select the Capture Screen entry and click OK in the dialog box that will appear to confirm the addition.

A preview of the recording will now be shown. Through this window you can decide to hide the mouse pointer by removing the check from the Capture tab the cursor. In case of multi-monitor configurations, the Schermo drop-down menu will allow you to select exactly which display to record. Once satisfied, press OK again.

There is also the option to record a single window, useful if you want to show only a certain application (such as a presentation or browser) by obscuring the rest of the desktop. To do this, press the + button in the Sources window and select Capture window.

Confirm with OK and, through the appropriate drop-down menu, choose the specific window that the software will have to frame. Also here you can exclude the cursor by removing the appropriate check. End the changes, click OK.

Capturing the entire screen where OBS is opened, you may notice an infinity “mirror effect”. This happens because the program is recovering itself in loops. Do not alarm yourself: this visual effect will disappear as soon as you reduce to OBS icon to switch to the program you really want to show.

To enrich your video, you can also add your webcam to register in miniature (picture-in-picture effect). In the Sources window, click the + button and select the Video Capture Device item.

Click OK and, from the new property screen, select the name of your webcam from the Device drop-down menu. Confirm again with OK to add it to the active source list.

You can customize the location of the webcam by holding the left button on the video preview and dragging it into the corner of the screen you prefer. Similarly, use small red squares on the edges of the pane to resize the shot at your liking.

Before starting the “ciak”, it is essential to control the audio. See the Audio Mixer section, located at the bottom of the control window.

In this area you will find channels that regulate the Desktop Audio (such as music, system sounds or audio of a game) and the channel dedicated to your Microphone connected to your computer.

To disable or reactivate the volume of a specific sound source, click on the speaker-shaped icon placed under the decibel levels. You can use the sliding blue bar to balance the sound power, ensuring that the peaks do not enter the red zone to avoid annoying distortions.

As last step, you have to set the technical quality of the file. Click the Settings button, located at the bottom right, and choose the Output tab from the side navigation menu.

In the Recordings section, use the Browse button to choose the PC folder where all future videos will be saved. As for Recording Quality, the board is to maintain the default High quality, average file size, lowering it only in case of extremely long recordings or limited disk space.

Be sure to select an appropriate registration format. I suggest you set the mp4 or mkv format, as they offer the best hardware compatibility: you will have no problem sharing videos on smartphones, Smart TV or uploading them directly online on social media or YouTube.

Ultimate your preferences, press the Apply button and then OK to return to the main screen. Everything is ready: click on the button Start the registration present in the controls at the bottom right to start framing your desktop.

When you want to stop the acquisition, you just have to report the OBS interface to the foreground and click on Finish the registration. The processed and ready-to-use video file will be available immediately within the previously selected folder. Really easy and intuitive!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about OBS Studio #

Does OBS Studio affect PC performance while recording? #

As a highly optimized program, the impact on the system is generally contained. However, fluidity depends on the hardware in use. To limit any frame rate or lag drops, it is recommended to use dedicated hardware encoders (such as NVENC for Nvidia cards) in video settings and to close heavy applications in the background.

Is there a maximum limit time for screen recording? #

No, the software is completely timeless. The duration of your desktop recording is bound exclusively by the free space currently available on your hard disk or on the SSD of your rescue device.

Can I use OBS to extract only audio without recording videos? #

Of course. You can start a recording while keeping the “Sources” video section completely blank. Make sure that the microphone or desktop audio levels are active in the “Mixer Audio”. At the end of registration you will get a video file from the black screen containing only the captured sound track, easily extractable in MP3 format using conversion software or video editing.