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OBS: Quickstart Guide

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), version: 23.2.1. Be aware that different versions of OBS will vary in appearance and functionality. Full Guide: View/Download


If your preferences are already configured, use the following instructions to get quickly set up for simple podcasting with OBS. Preferences must be configured before recording for the first time. See OBS: Configuring Preferences for more information on proper Preferences.

To record a screencast with OBS:
  1. Prepare the content to be recorded and launch OBS.
  2. Select a Scene from the Scenes window. If no Scenes are listed in the Scenes box, click the plus button to the bottom-left to create at least one, and click OK.
  3. Set up a Source in the Sources Window.
    1. Click the plus button to the bottom-left of the Sources window.
      scenes add
    2. Select “Display Capture.”
    3. In the pop-up that appears, click OK.
    4. Click the Crop drop-down, and select “To Window.”
  • If the "To Window" option isn't available, press-and-hold the Alt key while click-and-dragging the corner handles in the preview window to manually crop to the desired area.
  • Click the Window drop-down, and select the browser window to be used. This will crop everything outside of the browser.
    • crop to window
  • Set up the microphone.
    1. If using an external microphone (recommended), plug it into the computer.
    2. Click the settings button, which looks like a gear, below the mic level meter in the Mixer.
      mixer
    3. Select “Properties” from the pop-up.
    4. In the pop-up that appears, select the microphone from the Device drop-down. If the external microphone isn’t listed, restart OBS.
    5. Click OK.
    6. Check the mic levels in the Mixer box. Practice saying a few lines out loud, and make sure the levels hit the yellow region. If the levels are consistently higher or lower than that, adjust the input volume with the slider below the levels.
  • In the main OBS window, the Preview shows the region that will be recorded. To size the browser window to fit properly:
    1. Click the image within the Preview. A red border will appear.
    2. Right-click the preview
    3. Hover over Transform
    4. Select “Fit to Screen.”
  • If there are any black regions around the selected Source in the Preview, resize the browser window to fill the entire Preview. Refer to OBS: Recording.
  • When ready, click Start Recording. Minimize or hide the OBS window to hide it.
  • When done, click Stop Recording from the OBS window.
    • The video recording of the screencast will be saved to the Video or Movies folder by default, or the storage location set in Preferences.

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    Keywords:OBS, open broadcaster software, screencasting, video, record screen, guide   Doc ID:94293
    Owner:Janelle B.Group:Pacific Lutheran University
    Created:2019-09-04 11:22 PDTUpdated:2023-08-04 16:28 PDT
    Sites:Pacific Lutheran University
    Feedback:  1   0    
    Section dedicated to software supported by PLU