This is our complete guide on how to screen record using OBS Studio. We will walk you through downloading OBS on Windows, Mac, or Linux, running the auto configuration wizard, adding Display Capture, recording your screen, saving the file, and converting an MKV recording to MP4 when needed. By the end, you will have a recording profile and a scene ready to capture your monitor. Let's get started.
Download OBS Studio
If you do not have OBS Studio installed, download it first. You can use our OBS download link here: Download OBS Studio.
OBS is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. After you download it, install it the same way you would install any other program on your operating system. Open OBS after the installation finishes.
Create a Recording Profile and Open the Auto Configuration Wizard
When you first open OBS, it will show the Setup Wizard. If you have already used OBS and did not see the wizard, you can open it by creating a new profile.
- Open OBS Studio.
- Click Profile in the top menu.
- Click New.
- Enter
Recordingas the profile name. - Make sure Show Auto Configuration Wizard is selected.
- Click OK to open the wizard.
- Choose the option to optimize OBS for recording. Do not choose a streaming-focused setup if your goal is only to record your screen.
- Click Next.
Creating a separate recording profile is useful if you also use OBS for streaming. It keeps the recording setup separate from your streaming setup, so the settings for one use do not replace the settings for the other.
Choose the Recording Resolution and FPS
The wizard will now ask for your resolution and FPS settings. Resolution controls the size of the recording. FPS, or frames per second, controls how many individual frames OBS records each second.
For most screen recordings, select 1920 by 1080. If your monitor supports 4K recording, you can select 3840 by 2160 instead. However, 4K recording uses more system resources, so use it only if your computer and monitor can handle it.
For FPS, select 60 when possible. A 60 FPS recording will look clearer during motion. If you notice lag while recording, change the FPS to 30. Thirty FPS is still suitable for many screen recordings. If you are recording games and see frame rate blur, you can try 60 FPS again after addressing the performance issue.
- Select your preferred base resolution.
- Select 60 FPS if your computer can record without lag. Otherwise, select 30 FPS.
- Click Next.
- Review the settings OBS chooses automatically, including the encoder, recording quality, and resolution.
- Click Apply Settings.
OBS will now use the recording settings it selected. The preview may still be black. That is expected if you have not created a scene or added a source yet.
Add a Recording Scene and Display Capture
A scene is where OBS organizes the things you want to record. A source is an individual item inside that scene, such as your monitor or webcam. To record your screen, create a scene first, and then add Display Capture as a source.
- Find the Scenes box in OBS.
- Right-click inside the empty Scenes area.
- Click Add.
- Enter a name such as
Recording Scene. - Click OK.
Your new scene should now be selected. Next, add your monitor as a source.
- Find the Sources box.
- Click the plus button at the bottom of the Sources box.
- Select Display Capture from the list.
- Choose Add New when OBS asks whether you want to create a new display capture source.
- Keep the source name, or enter a name that identifies the monitor you want to record.
- Click OK.
The Display Capture properties window will open. Select the Automatic capture method, then choose the monitor you want to record. If you have more than one monitor, make sure you select the correct one.
- Open the capture method menu.
- Select Automatic.
- Open the display menu.
- Select the monitor you want OBS to record.
- Click OK.
Your monitor should now appear in the OBS preview. If the display is too large for the preview, select the Display Capture source so the red box appears around it. Then right-click the source, select Transform, and click Fit to Screen.
The display should now fit inside the recording canvas. If the preview remains black, check that the correct scene is selected, that Display Capture appears in the Sources box, and that the source is visible.
Add a Webcam to the Recording (Optional)
You can add a webcam if you want your camera to appear over the screen recording. This step is optional. You can record your display without adding a webcam.
- Click the plus button in the Sources box.
- Select Video Capture Device.
- Choose your webcam from the device options.
- Click OK.
- Select the webcam source in the preview.
- Drag it to a corner or another position where it does not cover the part of the screen you need to show.
You can also adjust the size and crop the webcam source after adding it.
Start Recording and Find the Saved File
Once your scene and sources are ready, you can start recording.
- Look at the Controls box on the right side of OBS.
- Click Start Recording.
- Continue using your computer while OBS records the selected display.
- Return to OBS when you are finished.
- Click Stop Recording.
OBS usually saves recordings in your Videos folder. Open that folder after stopping the recording, and look for the new file. The file extension depends on the recording format selected in OBS.
Remux an MKV Recording to MP4
You may find that OBS saved your recording as an .mkv file instead of an .mp4 file. MKV files can be remuxed into MP4 files from inside OBS.
Remuxing changes the container format so the finished file can be edited in software that expects MP4. The recording content remains the same.
- Click File at the top of OBS.
- Click Remux Recordings.
- Drag the MKV file into the Remux Recordings area.
- Click Remux.
- Wait for OBS to finish.
- Find the new
.mp4file in the output location.
MKV is often the safer recording format. If OBS crashes, your computer crashes, or the power goes out while recording an MP4, you can lose the entire file. With MKV, you generally do not lose the complete recording. You may lose a short amount of the recording, but not everything you captured.
The tradeoff is that you need to remux each MKV file to MP4 after recording if your editing program requires MP4. This is why you may want to record in MKV and remux the finished files instead of recording directly to MP4.
Change the Recording Format and Quality
You can change the recording format and other output settings in OBS. To choose MKV as the default format, open the output settings.
- Click Settings in OBS.
- Open the Output tab.
- Find the Recording section.
- Find the recording format setting.
- Select
.mkvif you want the safer recording format. - Apply the settings.
If you choose MKV, remember that you will need to remux each recording to MP4 before editing it in software that does not accept MKV.
OBS also lets you adjust the recording quality and file size. Higher quality can create larger files, while lower quality can reduce the file size. Lossless quality creates a very large file, and it is usually not necessary for a standard screen recording.
Use a recording quality setting that gives you a clear result without creating files that are unnecessarily large. You can adjust this later if the files are too large or the quality is not sufficient.
Choose a Video Encoder and Fix Recording Lag
The video encoder is responsible for encoding the recording. OBS may select an appropriate encoder automatically during the Auto Configuration Wizard, so you usually do not need to change it.
If you have an NVIDIA GPU, you may see NVENC as an encoder option. If you do not have an NVIDIA GPU, you can use x264 software, which uses your CPU and OBS to encode the recording instead of using the GPU.
If a game or your recording is lagging, try changing the encoder first. You can test the software encoder, HEVC, or another available option and see which one works best on your computer. Apply one change at a time, then make a short test recording so you can compare the result.
Set Desktop Audio and Microphone Levels
OBS can record desktop audio, such as game audio, and microphone audio. You can use the default devices, or select specific output and microphone devices in the audio settings.
- Click Settings in OBS.
- Open the Audio tab.
- Select the desktop audio device you want to record, or leave the default device selected.
- Select the microphone you want to use.
- Apply the settings.
After you return to the main OBS window, check the audio mixer. Desktop audio and microphone audio should appear as separate mixer sources. You can mute either source by clicking its mute control, or lower its volume with the slider.
If game audio is too loud, lower the desktop audio level in the mixer. A level around 30 can work well for game audio, depending on your setup. Check the mixer while speaking and playing audio so you can confirm that both sources are being captured.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OBS Studio available on Windows, Mac, and Linux?
Yes. OBS Studio can be downloaded for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it installs like any other program on each platform.
What resolution should I use to record my screen in OBS?
For most recordings, use 1920 by 1080. If your monitor supports 4K recording, you can use 3840 by 2160, but 4K recording is more resource intensive.
Should I record at 30 FPS or 60 FPS?
Use 60 FPS when your computer can record without lag. If you notice lag, use 30 FPS. Thirty FPS works for many screen recordings, while game recordings may look less clear during motion at the lower frame rate.
Why is my OBS preview black?
The preview can be black before you add a scene and source. Create a scene, add Display Capture, choose the monitor you want to record, and make sure the source is visible.
Why did OBS save my recording as MKV instead of MP4?
The recording format is controlled in Settings, Output, and the Recording section. MKV can be safer because a crash or power loss is less likely to destroy the entire recording. Use File, Remux Recordings to create an MP4 copy for editing.
What should I change if my recording is lagging?
Try changing the video encoder first. NVIDIA users may have the NVENC option, while x264 software uses the CPU and OBS to encode the recording. You can also lower the FPS from 60 to 30 and test the result.
