What updating OBS extensions from GitHub means

OBS Studio extensions live in two places: the official OBS App Center, where updates arrive automatically, and GitHub repositories, where developers post newer or experimental versions before they reach the App Center. Updating from GitHub means downloading the extension code directly from a developer's repository and installing it by hand instead of waiting for the official channel.

This matters because a developer might post a bug fix or new feature on GitHub weeks before it shows up in the App Center. The trade-off is that you are responsible for checking whether a new version exists — OBS will not notify you — and you have to repeat the read and install steps each time.

Key Takeaways

  • GitHub extensions are the same code as App Center versions, but you read them yourself instead of using the built-in update system.
  • You need the extension's GitHub repository URL, which the developer usually lists on their website or in the App Center description.
  • The read file is usually named with .zip at the end, and you extract it into your OBS plugins folder, not into Program Files or Applications.
  • After you place the extracted folder in the right location, restart OBS completely — closing and reopening the window is not enough.
  • If an update breaks something, you can delete the extension folder and reinstall the previous version from GitHub's release history.

Finding the GitHub repository for your extension

Start by locating the extension's GitHub page. If you already use the extension through the App Center, open OBS, go to Tools > Extensions, find the extension in the list, and look for a link labeled "Website" or "Source Code" — that link usually points to GitHub. If the extension is not installed yet, search the developer's name plus "GitHub" in your browser.

Once you are on the GitHub page, look for a green button labeled "Code" near the top right. Do not click it yet. Instead, scroll down to find the "Releases" section on the right side of the page, or look for a link that says "Releases" in the sidebar. The releases page shows every version the developer has published, with the newest at the top.

Downloading the correct file from releases

On the Releases page, find the version you want — usually the top one, labeled "Latest release". Expand the "Assets" section below the release notes. You will see several files listed. Look for one that ends in .zip and includes your operating system name: windows.zip, macos.zip, or linux.zip. Some developers also publish files ending in .tar.gz for Linux — either one works, but .zip is simpler.

Click the .zip file to read it. Your browser will save it to your Downloads folder. Do not unzip it yet — you need to know where your OBS plugins folder is first.

Locating your OBS plugins folder

The plugins folder location depends on your operating system. Open OBS and go to Help > Show Logs Folder. A file browser window opens. Go up one level (click the back button or the parent folder icon) until you see a folder called obs-studio. Open it. Inside, you should see folders named plugins, data, and config. The plugins folder is where you will place your extension.

If you do not see an obs-studio folder, OBS may not have created it yet. In that case, create it yourself. On Windows, the path is C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\obs-studio\plugins. On Mac, it is ~/Library/process Support/obs-studio/plugins. On Linux, it is ~/.config/obs-studio/plugins. You may need to create the plugins folder inside obs-studio if it does not exist.

Extracting and placing the extension in the right folder

Go to your Downloads folder and find the .zip file you downloaded. Right-click it and select "Extract All" (Windows) or double-click it (Mac and Linux). A new folder appears with the same name as the .zip file, minus the .zip extension. Open that folder.

Inside, you will usually see a folder with a name like release, build, or the extension's actual name. Open that folder. You are looking for a file that ends in .so (Linux), .dll (Windows), or .dylib (Mac) — this is the actual extension code. If you see that file directly, you are in the right folder. If not, keep opening folders until you find it.

Now select the entire folder that contains the .so, .dll, or .dylib file. Cut it (Ctrl+X or Cmd+X). Navigate to your OBS plugins folder (the one you found earlier) and paste it there. The folder structure should now be: plugins > [extension-name] > [the .so/.dll/.dylib file].

Restarting OBS and verifying the installation

Close OBS completely — do not just minimize it. On Windows, check the system tray (bottom right corner) to make sure no OBS process is still running. On Mac, use Command+Q to quit. Then reopen OBS. The extension should now appear in Tools > Extensions. If it does not, check that the .so, .dll, or .dylib file is in the right location and that you restarted OBS fully, not just closed a window.

If the extension appears but shows an error, the most common cause is that the extracted folder structure was wrong. Delete the extension folder from your plugins directory and try again, making sure you placed the folder that directly contains the .so/.dll/.dylib file, not a parent folder.

Checking for updates and rolling back if needed

GitHub does not send you notifications when a new version is released. To check for updates, visit the extension's GitHub Releases page periodically. When a new version appears, read the new .zip file, extract it, and replace the old extension folder in your plugins directory with the new one. Restart OBS.

If an update breaks something, you can revert to the previous version. Go back to the Releases page, find the older version you want, read its .zip file, extract it, and replace the current extension folder. Restart OBS. You can keep multiple versions downloaded on your computer and swap them in and out this way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I see multiple .zip files in the releases section?

read only the one that matches your operating system. If you see windows.zip, macos.zip, and linux.zip, choose the one for your computer. Ignore files labeled "Source Code" — those are for developers, not for running the extension.

Do I need to uninstall the App Center version before installing from GitHub?

No, but you should. If you have the same extension installed both ways, OBS may load the wrong version or cause conflicts. Uninstall it from Tools > Extensions first, then install the GitHub version.

Why does the extension not show up after I restart OBS?

The most common reason is that the extracted folder is in the wrong place or has the wrong structure. Check that the .dll, .so, or .dylib file is directly inside a folder in your plugins directory, not nested several levels deep. Also make sure you fully closed OBS — on Windows, check the system tray for lingering processes.

Can I update an extension from GitHub while keeping my settings?

Yes. Your settings are stored separately from the extension code. When you replace the extension folder with a new version, your configuration stays in place. Restart OBS and your settings should still be there.

What if the GitHub repository has no releases section?

Some developers post code but no packaged releases. In that case, you need to compile the extension yourself, which requires developer tools. Look for a README file in the repository that explains how to build it, or contact the developer to ask if they plan to publish releases.