OBS Studio 32.0.4 / 32.1.0 Beta

If you're streaming gameplay to Twitch, hosting virtual events on YouTube, or recording tutorials for your team, OBS Studio handles it all through an intuitive interface that scales from beginner-friendly presets to advanced production workflows.

Why Streamers Choose OBS Studio

Zero Cost, Full Features: Unlike premium alternatives, OBS Studio includes every professional feature without subscriptions, watermarks, or artificial limitations.

The same software powering major Twitch streamers is available to everyone.

Platform Freedom: Stream simultaneously to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Gaming, and custom RTMP servers. OBS doesn't lock you into any single platform - switch services anytime without changing your workflow.

Hardware Acceleration: Modern GPU encoding through NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF, and Intel Quick Sync dramatically reduces CPU load during streams.

Gamers maintain smooth framerates while broadcasting at 1080p60 or higher. For dedicated hardware encoding, download NVEnc for advanced NVIDIA encoding options.

Core Features That Matter

Scene Composition: Build unlimited scenes combining game captures, webcam feeds, browser sources, images, and text overlays.

Switch between scenes instantly with customizable transitions - perfect for intro sequences, intermission screens, and multi-camera setups.

Professional Audio Mixing: The advanced audio mixer provides per-source controls including noise gate, noise suppression, and gain adjustment.

Support for VST plugins lets you integrate professional audio processing. Pair OBS with FxSound for system-wide audio enhancement during streams.

Multiple Output Options: Record locally while streaming, or capture separate audio tracks for post-production editing. Output to MP4, MKV, or FLV containers with your choice of video codecs.

Encoding and Codec Support

OBS Studio supports the most efficient video codecs for streaming and recording. The software integrates with x264 for maximum compatibility and x265 for superior compression at equivalent quality.

Version 30 introduced beta support for AV1 streaming to YouTube - the next-generation codec that delivers better quality at lower bitrates. AV1 encoding requires RTX 40-series GPUs but represents the future of efficient streaming.

For optimal encoding settings, the HEVC Video Extension enables hardware-accelerated H.265 recording on Windows systems, while the AVC Encoder Video Extension unlocks GPU-accelerated H.264 encoding.

Post-Production Workflow

Recordings from OBS integrate seamlessly with video editing and encoding tools. Use HandBrake to transcode recordings for different platforms or Shutter Encoder for batch processing multiple recordings.

For quick edits without quality loss, LosslessCut trims recordings instantly without re-encoding. Advanced users can leverage StaxRip for fine-tuned HEVC or AV1 encoding with extensive filter options.

MKV recordings can be refined using MKVToolNix - add external subtitles, remove unwanted audio tracks, or merge multiple recording segments without quality loss.

Playback and Quality Verification

Before uploading content, verify recordings play correctly across devices. VLC Media Player handles virtually any format OBS produces, while MPC-BE offers advanced rendering options for high-bitrate 4K recordings.

For technical analysis of your recordings, MediaInfo reveals exact codec parameters, bitrates, and encoding profiles - essential for troubleshooting upload issues or optimizing settings.

Install the K-Lite Codec Pack for system-wide playback support of any recording format in Windows applications.

Screen Recording Without Streaming

OBS excels as a standalone screen recorder for tutorials, presentations, and software demonstrations.

The Simple Output Mode makes basic recording straightforward - select your encoder, quality level, and output format without touching advanced settings.

For dedicated screen capture with minimal setup, consider Simple Screen Recorder or Bandicam as lightweight alternatives when you don't need OBS's full streaming capabilities.

System Requirements and Installation

OBS Studio runs on Windows 10/11 (64-bit), macOS 11.0+, and Linux. Mac users can download the dedicated OBS Studio for Mac version optimized for both Intel and Apple Silicon processors. The software requires:

• DirectX 10.1 compatible GPU.
• 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended for streaming).
• Modern multi-core CPU for software encoding.

Windows users should ensure DirectX is updated for optimal capture performance. The installation is straightforward - download, run the installer, and OBS guides you through initial configuration.

Getting Started

Download OBS Studio and launch the Auto-Configuration Wizard to optimize settings for your hardware and internet connection.

The wizard tests your system and recommends encoder settings, bitrate, and resolution based on your streaming goals.

For comprehensive encoding configuration, explore our guides on selecting the optimal video codec for YouTube and understanding the future of video codecs including HEVC, AV1, and VVC developments.

What's New in OBS Studio 32

The latest release introduces a basic plugin manager for easier extension installation, Voice Activity Detection improvements for NVIDIA RTX Audio Effects, chair removal options for NVIDIA RTX Background Removal, and an experimental Metal renderer for Apple Silicon Macs.

Automatic crash log uploads help developers identify and fix issues faster, while numerous stability improvements ensure reliable streaming sessions.

Download OBS Studio and join millions of content creators streaming to Twitch, YouTube, and beyond.