What Open Broadcaster does and who uses it

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is a free program that captures what is on your screen — or what a camera pointed at you sees — and sends it live to the internet. You run it on your computer, point it at a camera or a window, and it handles the technical work of encoding that video and pushing it to a platform like Twitch, YouTube, or Facebook Live.

People use OBS to stream video games, teach classes, host meetings, run church services, perform music, or broadcast events. It is free, runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and does not require you to own expensive streaming hardware. The trade-off is that you have to do the setup yourself — there is no support button to call, and the settings can feel overwhelming at first.

OBS is not the only streaming software, but it is the most common one because it is free and because streamers who use it can help each other troubleshoot. If you search for "why is my stream lagging" or "how do I add a webcam to my stream," you will find thousands of answers written by people who use OBS.

Key Takeaways

  • OBS is free software you read and install on your computer that captures video from your screen or camera and sends it to a streaming platform.
  • Before you open OBS, you need to create an account on the platform you want to stream to (Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, or another service) and get a stream key from that platform.
  • The basic setup involves adding a source (what you want to broadcast), choosing your output settings, and connecting OBS to your streaming platform with that stream key.
  • OBS does not upload your video anywhere — it only sends a live feed, so you cannot edit or fix mistakes after you start streaming.

Where to read OBS and what you need before you start

Go to obsproject.com and click the read button. Choose the version for your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux). The file is about 300 megabytes, so it takes a few minutes on a normal internet connection. Install it the way you would any other program.

Before you open OBS, set up an account on the platform where you want to stream. If you want to stream to Twitch, create a Twitch account. If you want to use YouTube Live, sign in to YouTube with a Google account. Each platform has different rules about who can stream — some require you to have a certain number of followers or to be at least 18 years old — so check those rules on the platform itself before you spend time setting up OBS.

Once your account exists, find the streaming settings on that platform and copy your stream key. This is a long string of letters and numbers that tells OBS where to send your video. Keep it private — anyone with your stream key can broadcast to your channel. Do not paste it into a chat or email it to someone you do not trust.

Adding a source — what you want to broadcast

Open OBS. In the bottom left, you will see a box labeled "Sources." Click the plus sign to add a source. OBS will show you a list of options: "Screen Capture" (your whole monitor or part of it), "Window Capture" (one specific program window), "Video Capture Device" (a webcam or external camera), "Image" (a still picture), or "Text" (words on screen).

If you are streaming a video game, choose "Window Capture" and select the game window. If you are streaming yourself talking, choose "Video Capture Device" and select your webcam. You can add more than one source — for example, a game window and a webcam at the same time — and arrange them by dragging them around in the preview window in the center of OBS.

Test your source before you go live. Look at the preview in the center of OBS and make sure you see what you expect. If you chose "Screen Capture" and the screen is black, you may have selected the wrong monitor. If you chose "Video Capture Device" and see nothing, your camera may not be plugged in or OBS may not have permission to use it.

Adjusting output settings so your stream does not lag or stutter

Click "File" at the top, then "Settings." Go to the "Output" tab. You will see two sections: "Streaming" and "Recording." For now, focus on "Streaming."

The most important setting is bitrate, which controls how much data OBS sends per second. A higher bitrate means better picture quality but requires faster internet. If your internet upload speed is 5 megabits per second (Mbps), set bitrate to 2500 to 3500 kilobits per second (Kbps). If it is 10 Mbps, you can go to 5000 to 6000 Kbps. If you do not know your upload speed, go to speedtest.net, run the test, and look at the "Upload" number.

Leave the encoder set to whatever OBS chose by default — usually "x264" on Windows or "Apple VT H264" on Mac. Do not change it unless your stream is stuttering even after you lowered the bitrate. The other settings (resolution, frame rate) usually work fine at their defaults, but if your stream looks blurry, you can raise the resolution from 1280x720 to 1920x1080.

Connecting OBS to your streaming platform

Still in Settings, go to the "Stream" tab. Choose your service from the dropdown menu — Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, or Custom. If you choose "Custom," you will need to enter a server URL that your platform provides; most people should just pick their platform from the list.

Paste your stream key into the "Stream Key" field. Do not share this key with anyone. Click "OK" to save.

Now go back to the main OBS window. In the bottom right, you will see a button that says "Start Streaming." Before you click it, double-check that your source is showing what you want in the preview window. Once you click "Start Streaming," you are live — anything that happens on your screen or in front of your camera will be broadcast to everyone watching.

What happens while you are streaming and how to stop

Once you click "Start Streaming," OBS connects to your platform and begins sending video. On your platform (Twitch, YouTube, etc.), your stream will appear as "live" and people can start watching. You will see a timer in OBS showing how long you have been streaming.

While you are streaming, do not close OBS, unplug your camera, or disconnect from the internet — any of those will end your stream abruptly. If you want to pause, most platforms let you pause from their website or app, but OBS will keep sending video the whole time.

To stop streaming, click the "Stop Streaming" button in the bottom right of OBS. Your stream will end when ready on the platform. The video is now over — you cannot edit it or add things you forgot to say. Some platforms save a recording of your stream automatically so people can watch it later, but that depends on the platform and your settings.

Common problems and how to fix them

Your stream is lagging or stuttering. This usually means your internet upload speed is too slow for the bitrate you chose. Lower your bitrate in Settings > Output > Streaming by 500 to 1000 Kbps and try again. If it still lags, lower it more. You can also lower the resolution from 1920x1080 to 1280x720.

OBS says "Failed to connect to server" when you try to start streaming. Check that you pasted your stream key correctly — copy it again from your platform and paste it into OBS. Make sure you chose the right platform in the Stream tab. Restart OBS and try again. If it still fails, your internet connection may be down or your platform may be having problems.

Your webcam shows up in OBS but the picture is dark or upside down. Right-click the video source in the Sources box and choose "Properties." You may see options to flip the image or adjust brightness. Some cameras have their own software that controls these settings — check the camera manufacturer's website.

You added a source but it is not showing in the preview. Make sure the source is not hidden behind another source. Click and drag it in the preview window to move it. If it is still not visible, right-click it in the Sources list and choose "Show." If it is still black, the source may not be working — try removing it and adding it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a powerful computer to use OBS?

OBS runs on most computers made in the last five to ten years. If you are streaming a video game, you need a computer powerful enough to run the game and OBS at the same time, which means a mid-range gaming computer or better. If you are just streaming yourself talking or a screen capture of a document, almost any computer will work.

Can I stream to more than one platform at the same time?

Yes, but you need OBS Studio version 28.0 or newer. Go to File > Settings > Stream, and instead of choosing one service, choose "Custom" and enter a server URL that supports multiple platforms. Services like Restream and StreamYard handle this for you, but they are paid services. OBS itself can do it for free if you know the technical details.

What if I want to save a recording of my stream on my computer?

In OBS, go to File > Settings > Output and click the "Recording" tab. Choose where you want to save the file and what format you want (MP4 is fine for most people). Then click "Start Recording" in the bottom right — you can record and stream at the same time. The recording will save to your computer even if the stream fails.

Is OBS safe to read?

Yes. OBS is open-source software, which means the code is public and thousands of people have looked at it. read it only from obsproject.com, not from other websites. Do not read "OBS Pro" or "OBS Plus" from other sites — those are scams. The real OBS is always free.

Can I use OBS on my phone or tablet?

OBS does not run on phones or tablets. If you want to stream from a phone, use the streaming app built into your platform (Twitch has Twitch Studio Mobile, YouTube has YouTube Studio). If you want to use OBS, you need a computer.