Start with the right download and basic setup

OBS Studio is free software that captures your screen, camera, and audio, then sends it to a streaming platform like Twitch or YouTube. Before you configure anything, download OBS Studio from obsproject.com — not from a third-party site. The official version is free and gets security updates.

When you open OBS for the first time, you will see three empty boxes: Sources (top left), Preview (center), and Scenes (bottom left). These are where you build what your stream will show. Do not panic if it looks blank — you have not added anything yet.

The first thing to do is create a new scene. Right-click in the Scenes box and select "New Scene". Name it something like "Main Stream" so you can find it later if you add more scenes. A scene is a layout — you might have one for gameplay, one for talking to the camera, one for showing a document. For now, one scene is enough.

Key Takeaways

  • OBS captures your screen, camera, and microphone and sends the video to your streaming platform — you need to add sources to the scene before anything appears.
  • Your bitrate (how much data you send per second) depends on your internet speed; most people start with 2500 to 6000 kbps for 1080p or 720p.
  • Audio levels matter more than video quality — if people cannot hear you, they will leave; use the audio mixer to check that your microphone is not clipping.
  • You must connect OBS to your streaming platform by copying a stream key from Twitch, YouTube, or another service and pasting it into OBS Settings.
  • Test your stream on a private or unlisted video before going live to an audience — this catches audio sync problems, lag, and bitrate issues.

Add sources so your stream has something to show

A source is anything that appears on your stream: your game window, your desktop, your webcam, a still image, or text. To add a source, click the plus sign in the Sources box. OBS will show you a list of source types.

If you are streaming a game, choose "Game Capture" and select the game window from the dropdown. If the game is not in the list, use "Window Capture" and pick the game window manually. If you want to show your whole desktop, use "Display Capture" and pick your monitor. If you want to add your webcam, choose "Video Capture Device" and select your camera from the dropdown.

You can add multiple sources to one scene. For example, you might add Game Capture for your game window, then add Video Capture Device for your face in a corner. Drag the sources around in the Preview window to position them. Right-click a source and choose "Scale to Screen" if you want it to fill the whole frame.

If a source is not showing up, check that it is not hidden behind another source. Click and drag the source in the Preview to move it forward. If it is still blank, right-click the source and choose "Properties" to make sure you selected the right window or device.

Set your audio so people can actually hear you

Audio is more important than video. A stream with bad audio but clear video will lose viewers. A stream with great audio but blurry video will keep them. At the bottom of OBS, you will see the Audio Mixer with sliders for Mic/Auxiliary Audio and Desktop Audio.

Click the gear icon next to "Mic/Auxiliary Audio" and select your microphone from the dropdown. Speak into your microphone at normal volume and watch the green bars next to the slider move. The bars should reach about halfway up the meter — not all the way to the top (that is clipping, which sounds distorted) and not barely moving (that is too quiet). Drag the slider left or right to adjust the level.

If you are streaming a game, you probably want Desktop Audio too — that is the game sound, music, or video audio coming from your computer. Click the gear next to "Desktop Audio" and select your speakers or audio output. Adjust that slider so the game sound is quieter than your voice. A common mistake is leaving Desktop Audio at full volume so the game drowns you out.

Mute Desktop Audio if you do not need it. Right-click the slider and choose "Mute" if you are just talking to the camera and do not want background noise.

Connect OBS to your streaming platform

OBS does not stream anywhere by itself — you have to tell it where to send the video. This happens through a stream key, which is a unique code that your streaming platform (Twitch, YouTube, etc.) gives you.

Go to your streaming platform and find the stream key. On Twitch, log in, go to Creator Dashboard, click Settings, then Stream, and copy the Stream Key. On YouTube, go to youtube.com/live_dashboard, click Create, and copy the Stream Key. Do not share this key with anyone — it is like a password to your stream.

In OBS, go to Settings (bottom right), then Stream on the left side. Select your service from the Service dropdown — Twitch, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, or Custom. Paste your stream key into the Stream Key field. Leave everything else as default for now. Click OK.

If you do not see your service in the dropdown, choose "Custom" and paste the RTMP URL from your platform's documentation along with the stream key.

Adjust video settings for your internet speed

Your bitrate is how much data OBS sends per second. Higher bitrate means better video quality, but it requires faster internet. If your bitrate is too high for your connection, your stream will lag and buffer.

Go to Settings, then Output on the left. Make sure the Output Mode is set to "Simple". Under Streaming, you will see Bitrate. A safe starting point is 2500 kbps if you have average internet (25 Mbps download), or 6000 kbps if you have fast internet (50+ Mbps). If your internet is slower, start with 1500 kbps.

Do not guess your internet speed — test it. Go to speedtest.net and run a test. Write down your upload speed (not download). Your bitrate should be no more than half your upload speed. If your upload is 10 Mbps, your bitrate should be 5000 kbps or less.

While you are in Settings, go to Video on the left. Set Base Canvas Resolution to your monitor resolution (probably 1920x1080 or 1280x720). Set Output Scaled Resolution to the same thing, or lower it to 1280x720 if you want to reduce the bitrate. Higher resolution looks better but uses more bitrate.

Test your stream before going live to an audience

Do not start your first real stream without testing. Click the "Start Streaming" button in the bottom right. OBS will connect to your platform and begin sending video. Wait 10 seconds, then stop the stream by clicking "Stop Streaming".

Go to your streaming platform and find the video that was just uploaded. Watch the first 30 seconds. Listen for audio sync problems (your lips moving but sound delayed), lag spikes (the video freezing), or audio that cuts out. If you see any of these, lower your bitrate by 500 kbps and test again.

Check that your microphone is loud enough and your game audio is not drowning you out. If your voice is too quiet, raise the Mic slider in the Audio Mixer. If the game is too loud, lower the Desktop Audio slider.

Once the test stream looks good, you are ready to go live. Tell your audience when you will start, then click "Start Streaming" again.

Common setup mistakes and how to fix them

The most common mistake is forgetting to add a source. If your Preview window is blank, you have not added anything yet — click the plus sign in Sources and add Game Capture, Display Capture, or Video Capture Device.

The second most common mistake is audio clipping. If your voice sounds distorted or crunchy, your microphone level is too high. Watch the Audio Mixer while you talk and drag the Mic slider down until the green bars do not touch the red line at the top.

If your stream keeps buffering or dropping frames, your bitrate is too high for your internet. Lower it by 1000 kbps and test again. You can also lower your Output Scaled Resolution to 720p to reduce the bitrate without changing the bitrate number itself.

If your game window is not showing up in Game Capture, make sure the game is running and in windowed or borderless windowed mode. Some games only work with Display Capture instead. If that does not work, restart OBS and the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a powerful computer to use OBS?

OBS runs on most computers, but streaming uses CPU power. If your computer is old or has a slow processor, streaming while playing a demanding game might cause lag. Start with a lower bitrate and resolution (720p at 2500 kbps) and see if it works. If your stream keeps dropping frames, you may need to upgrade your computer or lower the game graphics settings.

What is the difference between Simple and Advanced output mode?

Simple mode has just a few settings and works for most people. Advanced mode lets you change encoding, audio tracks, and recording format separately. Stick with Simple unless you are recording and streaming at different qualities or using a second computer to encode.

Can I stream to multiple platforms at the same time?

Yes, but only in Advanced output mode. You would need to set up multiple streaming outputs with different stream keys. Most people start with one platform and add more later once they understand how OBS works.

Why does my stream have a delay between what I do and what viewers see?

Streaming always has a delay of 5 to 20 seconds because the video has to be encoded, sent over the internet, and decoded on the viewer's end. This is normal and unavoidable. Do not try to react to chat in real time — read messages and respond a few seconds later.

What should I do if my internet cuts out during a stream?

OBS will show a red indicator at the bottom if the connection drops. It will try to reconnect automatically. If it does not reconnect within a few seconds, click "Stop Streaming" and check your internet. Once it is back, you can start streaming again. Your viewers will see the stream end, but you can go live again immediately.