OBS Studio Download

You’ll need patience when it doesn’t work as expected. But in time, most streamers should be able to get the hang of it.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Lightweight
• Runs on any Windows PC
• Customization, useful tools & plug-ins
• Supported on most popular platforms

Cons

• Works on low-end computers, but performance will suffer
• Difficult to learn compared to similar tools

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is an extremely popular video steaming suite that will meet the needs of most online video content creators. It is free, open-source, and offers a long list of useful features including:

• Video recording
• Live streaming
• Multiple platform support
• Multi-screen feeds
• Multi-camera input

OBS is popular among podcasters, YouTubers, and independent broadcasters, covering most if not all common online video content creation needs. It lets you create a stream or video on multiple screens through multiple webcams which is ideal for conducting live interviews either in person or over the web. It also facilitates the use of overlays for informative or stylistic presentations.

Ease of Use

OBS Studio works well with the most popular streaming and video hosting platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Mixer, making it one of the most useful tools of its kind. The graphical user interface is more difficult to learn than most free and open source apps of its kind. This is usually the price you pay for a tool that is as feature-rich as OBS. It will take you longer to learn, but if you stick with it, you should be able to overcome the learning curve.

Features

OBS Studio offers one of the richest feature sets you will find in an open-source streaming application. These include all the basic features you will need to get your message out there, and more for better production value.

Screen Capture

OBS Studio lets you capture images and video from your screen in high definition and stream it directly to a compatible platform. This makes it easy to reference articles, show images, and more. The ability of OBS to do this simply and smoothly is what makes it so popular among gaming streamers.

Video Recording & Broadcasting

Video recording is the basic feature of any product of this kind, but OBS does it without the time limits that many such software suites impose. With OBS Studio, the only real-time constraint you have is determined by the storage capacity of your device. OBS also lets you produce streaming videos in real-time on Facebook Live, Twitch, YouTube, and more.

Clean GUI

While OBS Studio may have a steeper learning curve than other, similar applications, the GUI is clean and simple. This means you will be able to jump right in and start using it in a minimalistic way easily. Start recording or streaming and simply add in production value as you go along with minimal hiccups.

Hotkey Customization

Hotkeys are always useful for quick access to functions, but when you are streaming live, custom hotkeys become even more valuable. OBS Studio gives you access to a wide range of hotkey mapping options, enabling you to make quick transitions, trigger overlays, access soundboards, and much more.

Quality Management

OBS Studio lets you select the video quality you want to capture. Simply set the resolution for the best appearance and performance depending on the needs of your presentation style and system capabilities. Keep in mind that it will not allow you to get better resolution than your camera is capable of rendering or a better frame rate than your system can handle.

Branding Options

OBS Studio makes it easy to stay on brand by making simple and elegant stylistic choices for your broadcast. Choose fonts, colors, layouts, backgrounds, and more to suit your personality, brand, and marketing image.

An Intuitive Audio Mixer

Choose from a variety of sound options, multichannel inputs, multiple language options such as live translation, and much more. Plus the intuitive sound mixer lets you get your favorite sound output for your productions as easily as you would on an advanced stereo system. Filters include noise suppression, noise gating, gain, and more.

Robust Configuration Options

OBS Studio provides configuration options for new sources, doubling up on existing sources, and managing properties easily. OBS takes input from multiple sources like window captures, text, images, webcams, capture cards, and mics.

High-Level Production View

Get a high-level perspective on your production with the Multiview feature. OBS Studio lets you view several scenes at the same time, cue, and transition to any with just a click. Studio Mode lets you preview scenes and sources before going live. Manage scenes and sources before viewers get to see them for reliable quality assurance.

Scalable Collaboration

As an open-source application, OBS Studio works with other programs and plugins, allowing you to improve its functionality and performance. There is a massive online community you can turn to for support in solving problems, making changes, and accessing unique advancements generated by the open source community.

System Requirements

• DirectX 10.1 compatible GPU
• Windows 8.1, Windows 10, or Windows 11