OBS Studio is one of the best options to record your screen with. While the setup may be a bit more advanced than other programs, the application works well and provides a wide range of customization. Additionally, if there is something you want to add to your screen recording then it most likely can be done.
1. Download & Install OBS Studio.
2. Open OBS Studio then open the settings.
3. Select the video settings.
4. Set the base & output resolution to 1920×1080 (1080p), and FPS to 60.
5. Select Output from the side.
6. Set Output mode to Simple.
7. Set the recording quality to High Quality, Medium File Size.
8. Set Recording Formt to MPEG-4 (.mp4).
9. Set Video Encoder to Hardware (NVENC H.264) or Hardware (HW H.264). If neither is available then use the Software (x264) option.
10. Set Audio Track to 1.
11. Select Audio from the side.
12. Set Desktop Audio to your listening device, and Mic/Auxiliary to your microphone.
13. Click Apply and Ok at the bottom.
14. Click the + icon in the Scenes panel to create a new scene.
15. Name the scene then click Ok.
16. Go to the Sources panel and click the + icon, then select Display capture.
17. Name the source “Screen” then click the Ok button.
18. Set Display to the screen that you want to record, then click Ok.
19. Right-click on the source then go to transform and select fit to screen.
20. Press the Start Recording button.
How to Stop Recording in OBS Studio
When using OBS there is a Controls panel which can be used to start recording. Once a recording has been started the same button can be used to stop recording. Additionally, the stop recording button will have a pause icon on the side. This allows you to pause and resume recording if needed.
How to Fix Blurry Screen Recording in OBS Studio
There are a few ways to improve recording quality in OBS studio. If you are using the Simple output mode then you can try setting the recording quality to indistinguishable quality, large file size. This will improve the recording quality, at the expense of a much larger file size.
Another option is to set the output mode to Advanced and adjust the recording settings manually. This gives you more control over the quality of your recordings. However, is slightly more difficult to set up.
How to Record with OBS using a Hotkey/Keyboard Shortcut
One of the best OBS features is the ability to set up hotkeys, which are essentially keyboard shortcuts. While there are a wide variety of options, one of the most useful is being able to start and stop recordings. If you use the same hotkey to start and stop recording then it will work like an on and off button. Allowing you to start and stop your recordings with the same keyboard shortcut.
1. Open the OBS Settings.
2. Select Hotkeys from the side.
3. Search for Recording using the filter box.
4. Set a hotkey for start recording and stop recording.
How to Change Where OBS Screen Recordings Save To
You can change where your screen recordings save to by selecting the Browse button in the output settings. This can be found with the recording settings, and will require you to select a folder for your videos. Be sure to apply your settings before closing to ensure your new file path has saved.
How to Capture Gameplay in OBS Studio
While you can record gameplay with a display capture source, you can also use game capture. This allows you to capture only the game application, rather than the whole screen. This is particularly useful if you are streaming and don’t want to show your desktop, browser, or other applications.
What is a Scene in OBS Studio?
You can view a scene as a folder, and the sources as layers. Each scene has their own sources and can be set up to look different and have different features. For example, you can set up one scene to be a fullscreen webcam, while another screen could be just gameplay. This allows you to quickly shift what is showing on your stream or recording.
What are Sources in OBS Studio?
The easiest way to understand sources are to view them as layers. Each source can be used to add something to your recording or stream. With the higher placed sources being shown over those under it. For example, if you have a display capture source at above an overlay source then you won’t be able to see the overlay. Instead, the overlay will need to be above the gameplay as it is much smaller or transparent.
What is the Best Recording Format for OBS Studio?
Although the best recording format does vary, the two most popular options are MP4 and MKV. This is due to MP4 being highly supported, meaning it can be opened by most media players, and imported in most editing programs. However, MKV can be used if you are worried about losing your footage, as the files won’t corrupt as easily.
If you’re recording with MP4 and you were to have an issue with OBS or your computer then the recording will most likely be lost. However, if you’re recording in MKV then your footage may be recoverable.
Additionally, both the MKV and MP4 format types both allow multiple audio tracks. This feature is ideal when recording videos that are intended to be edited.
If you’re worried about losing your recording or are recording long videos then MKV is probably the best option. For those recording short videos or who aren’t worried about losing their videos, MP4 is a good choice.
Convert MKV Videos to MP4 with OBS Studio
For those that prefer the safety of recording in MKV, you can use OBS to convert your recordings to MP4. You can convert your MKV recordings to MP4 by opening the File menu and selecting the Remux Recordings option.
Additionally. you can also have OBS automatically convert your MKV recordings to MP4 after you stop recording. To enable this feature you will need to open the Advanced OBS Settings and enable the “Automatically remux to mp4” setting. Be sure to Apply your settings for the settings to be updated.
