OBS Studio download for Windows

OBS Studio records and streams whatever you put in front of it: a game, a browser window, a webcam, a microphone, or all of them arranged in one picture. It is open source, with no watermark and no time limit, which is why it became the default tool for streamers and for anyone recording a tutorial.

OBS Studio downloads for Windows

The official download page gives you four ways to get the same program.

• Installer. The straightforward choice. It sets OBS up like any other Windows application.
• Zip. The same files without an installer. Unpack them and run OBS from that folder. This suits a PC where you cannot install software.
• Steam and Microsoft Store. Both are official listings and update through their own stores. Pick one if you already manage your software that way.

Every Windows build is 64-bit (x64). The page lists no 32-bit and no ARM64 version, and the Windows release supports Windows 10 and 11 only.

Will OBS run on my PC?

The stated minimum is modest: Windows 10 or 11 and a graphics card that supports DirectX 10.1. Whether a recording comes out smooth is a different question. It depends on your resolution, frame rate, the encoder you choose and how busy the scene is, and the OBS team is careful to say that meeting the minimum does not guarantee good results. The Auto-Configuration Wizard, covered below, is the quickest way to find out what your machine can handle.

Your first recording

1. Run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. OBS offers it on first launch, and you can start it again from the Tools menu. Tell it whether you care more about streaming or recording and it tests your hardware and picks sensible settings.
2. Add a source. A scene starts empty. In the Sources box click + and choose Display Capture for the whole screen, Window Capture for one program, or Game Capture for a game. Add Video Capture Device for a webcam.
3. Check the Audio Mixer. Speak and play some sound. The meters for your microphone and desktop audio should both move. Mute whichever you do not want.
4. Press Start Recording. Stop when you are done, then use File, Show Recordings to open the folder.

A habit worth adopting early: if you record to a format that can be damaged by a crash, a power cut can cost you the whole file. Recording to MKV avoids that, and File, Remux Recordings converts the result to MP4 in a few seconds when you need it.

Going live

Streaming adds one step. Open Settings, Stream, choose your platform and either connect your account or paste the stream key the platform gives you. Treat that key like a password: anyone who has it can broadcast to your channel.

Things to know before relying on it

OBS captures and mixes; it does not edit. Trimming, titles and cuts happen afterwards in a video editor such as Shotcut or Kdenlive. The interface also takes an evening to learn. Scenes and sources are a different way of thinking from "press record", but the same setup then works for every recording you make.

Questions and answers

Is OBS Studio completely free?

Yes. It is an open-source project with no paid tier, no watermark on recordings and no limit on their length.

Is there a 32-bit version of OBS?

Not for current releases. The official page offers only x64 builds for Windows.

Where do my recordings go?

To the folder set under Settings, Output, Recording Path. File, Show Recordings opens it directly.

Can I use OBS on a Mac or on Linux?

Yes. The project publishes separate macOS builds for Intel and Apple Silicon, and Linux builds through Flatpak and an Ubuntu PPA. Check the download page for the system versions currently supported.