How to Record Screen with OBS on Windows, Mac, and Linux

There are multiple ways to record your screen, be it Windows, Mac, or Linux. But no software comes close to OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) when it comes to smooth operation and reliability. So, to make it easier for you, we have compiled a guide to explain how it works. Here are all the methods to record your screen with OBS.

Table of Contents

Method 1: Record Screen with OBS on Windows

Let’s start with the most commonly used platform, Windows. Since OBS has no restrictions on Windows, the steps are pretty straightforward.

Install OBS on Windows

There are two ways you can download and install OBS. Go to the OBS official website and press the Windows button. Once done, follow the basic installation steps. You can also go to the Microsoft Store and search OBS Studio, which will give an install button. Once you press the button, OBS will automatically install in your system.

Change OBS Settings

  1. First, click on the ‘Settings‘ button on the bottom right of the OBS.

OBS Settings Menu

  1. Once done, click on Output‘ from the sidebar, and then look for the ‘Recording‘ section.

OBS Recording Setting Tab

  1. Now you can select the recording files path from here by either typing the path name or browsing the path location.

Selecting OBS Recording Path

  1. You can also change the recording quality and recording format. But keeping it as we suggest will exactly do the job.

OBS Recording Quality and Format Selection

  1. Once all settings are done, click on Apply and OK, and you’re done!

Start Recording in OBS

  1. To start recording, you first need to navigate to the scene section on the bottom left of your screen. By default, OBS adds a scene. If it is not there, press the plus icon under the scene tab.

OBS Adding New Scene

  1. After adding a scene, press the Plus icon on the sources tab.

Adding New Source in OBS

  1. It will open a large menu with a lot of options. Select ‘Display Capture‘

Selecting Display Capture for Recording in OBS

  1. A new pop-up window will come to confirm adding a new display capture source. Name it what you want and click on ‘OK.’

Creating a New Display Capture Source on OBS

  1. Once confirmed, it will show which display you want to record. You can change the display you want to capture if you have multiple screens. Choose the right one and click on ‘OK’ again.

Change Recording Display in OBS Display Capture

  1. Now that you have selected a display, navigate your cursor to the ‘Start recording‘ button on the bottom right and click once you are ready.

OBS Start Recording Button

Specific Window Capture

Additionally, OBS also introduced ‘Game Capture’ and ‘Window Capture’ for specific game screens or application screen recordings without showing any crucial information on your display. Learn to set it up in this section.

1. To record only a specific game screen, click the Game Capture or Capture specific window option.

2. Then select the game you want to record and click Start Recording.

Similarly, you can use Window Capture for any application window on OBS without recording the whole screen.