OBS Studio combines screen, camera, audio, image, browser, and media inputs into a recording or live stream. A scene is one complete layout, and each item inside it is a source. Switching scenes changes what reaches the program output, while recording writes that output to a file and streaming sends it to a configured service. OBS Studio does not edit the finished video on a timeline or guarantee that a streaming account will accept the chosen encoder settings.
Scenes stack sources
Source order controls visibility. An image or capture source near the top of the list can cover a source beneath it, even when both eye icons show them as visible. Dragging the source in the preview changes its position, while its bounding box changes size and can crop the edges. Hiding a source keeps its configuration for later; removing it deletes that scene reference.
The base canvas defines the layout space. Changing that resolution after arranging several scenes can leave sources scaled or positioned for the previous canvas. Output resolution is a separate setting that scales the composed canvas for recording or streaming. Adjust the base only when the design itself needs a different working area.
Program and preview
Studio Mode separates the current Program output from a Preview area. The user can prepare another scene in Preview, then apply a transition when it is ready. Edits made directly to the live Program scene can still be visible immediately, so Studio Mode does not make every property change private.
Filters belong to the selected source, scene, or audio device. A crop on one camera source does not automatically change another source that captures the same device. Reusing an existing source and adding a new source are different choices: one shares its settings, while the other maintains a separate configuration.
Audio needs a test
The Audio Mixer shows activity and controls the level sent into the output. Desktop audio and microphone devices can be selected globally or added as explicit sources. Capturing the same device through both routes can duplicate it. Monitoring a captured signal through speakers can also feed it back into an open microphone and create an echo.
A moving meter confirms that OBS Studio receives a signal; it does not confirm that the signal is assigned to the intended recording track or is comfortable to hear. Record a short sample, play it outside OBS Studio, and listen for clipping, delay, missing channels, or duplicated sound before starting a long session.
Recording containers
OBS Studio can record with several containers and codecs. MKV keeps an unfinished recording recoverable after a crash or power loss more reliably than a normal MP4 or MOV recording. Some editors do not accept MKV directly, so OBS Studio can remux the completed file into a more widely accepted container without re-encoding the video.
Codec and container choices still need to agree. A player that accepts MP4 may not decode every codec that MP4 can contain. Remuxing changes the container, not the encoded picture or audio. It cannot repair severe encoder overload or add frames that the computer failed to produce.
Profiles differ
A Profile stores stream, output, and video settings. A Scene Collection stores scenes and their sources. Switching a Profile can change bitrate, encoder, account, or resolution while leaving the visible scene layout intact. Switching a Scene Collection can replace the complete layout without selecting another output profile.
This separation makes several workflows possible, but it complicates backup. Exporting only the Profile does not preserve scenes, and exporting only the Scene Collection omits output settings. Preserve both when moving a complete OBS Studio setup to another computer.
Performance budget
Game capture, video filters, browser overlays, and encoding all compete with the activity being recorded. A hidden source can retain resource use so that scene changes remain quick. Large browser sources and complex animated overlays can therefore affect performance even when the live layout looks simple.
The Auto-Configuration Wizard chooses a starting point from the computer and intended task, not a permanent guarantee. Run a test under the real game or application load. If OBS Studio reports encoding overload, reduce output demand, simplify the scene, or use an available hardware encoder before raising bitrate or adding another visual source.
