OBS Studio is the world’s most popular free streaming software — and for good reason. This OBS tutorial walks you through everything from installation to going live for the first time. Whether you want to stream on YouTube, Twitch, or multiple platforms simultaneously, this OBS tutorial has you covered.
What is OBS Studio?
OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) is free, open-source software for live streaming and screen recording. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, OBS Studio gives you professional-level control over your stream setup including multiple scenes, overlays, transitions, audio mixing, and custom layouts. Millions of creators use OBS Studio as their primary streaming tool, from bedroom gamers to professional broadcasters.
How to Download and Install OBS Studio
Visit obsproject.com and download OBS Studio for your operating system. The installer is straightforward — run it and follow the on-screen prompts. When OBS Studio launches for the first time, the Auto-Configuration Wizard will run automatically. This wizard analyses your hardware and internet connection and recommends optimal settings for your system. For most beginners, following the wizard’s recommendations is the best starting point.
Understanding OBS Studio: Key Concepts
Before this OBS tutorial gets into the technical setup, it helps to understand OBS Studio’s core concepts:
- Scenes: Pre-configured layouts you can switch between instantly. Create a “Starting Soon” scene, a “Main Stream” scene, a “Be Right Back” scene, and an “Ending” scene.
- Sources: Individual elements you add to a scene — your webcam, microphone, game capture, browser sources, images, and text overlays.
- Audio Mixer: Controls the volume levels of all your audio inputs and outputs. Always monitor this during streams to prevent audio issues.
- Scene Transitions: Animated effects between scene switches — fade, cut, or custom stingers.
- Virtual Camera: Lets OBS Studio act as a webcam input for video calls and browser-based streaming tools.
OBS Tutorial: Setting Up Your First Scene
In OBS Studio, click the “+” button in the Scenes panel to create a new scene. Name it “Main Stream.” Then in the Sources panel, click “+” to add your sources one by one. Add a “Video Capture Device” and select your webcam from the dropdown. Add an “Audio Input Capture” and select your microphone. If you’re streaming gaming content, add a “Game Capture” source and set it to capture the specific game window.
Resize and reposition your sources in the preview canvas by clicking and dragging. Webcams are typically placed in a corner, with the game or presentation taking up most of the screen. This OBS tutorial recommends starting with a simple layout and adding complexity as you get more comfortable with the software.
OBS Tutorial: Stream Settings for YouTube and Twitch
In OBS Studio, go to File → Settings → Stream. Select your platform from the Service dropdown. OBS Studio will ask for your Stream Key, which you can find in your platform’s streaming dashboard. For YouTube, the stream key is in YouTube Studio → Go Live → Streaming software. For Twitch, it’s in the Creator Dashboard → Settings → Stream.
Recommended OBS Studio output settings for most creators: Video bitrate 4000–6000 kbps, Audio bitrate 160 kbps, Encoder set to your GPU’s hardware encoder (NVENC for NVIDIA, AMF for AMD) for best performance. Under Video settings, set Base and Output Resolution to 1920×1080 and FPS to 60 for gaming, 30 for non-gaming content.
OBS Tutorial: Streaming to Multiple Platforms Simultaneously
OBS Studio natively streams to one platform at a time. To use OBS Studio to go live on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook simultaneously, pair it with a multistreaming service. Configure OBS Studio to stream to Streemzy using Streemzy’s custom RTMP details, and Streemzy will re-broadcast your stream to all connected platforms at the same time.
This approach uses your upload bandwidth only once (since you’re sending a single stream to Streemzy) while reaching all your audiences everywhere. It’s the most efficient way to use OBS Studio for multi-platform growth, and Streemzy’s free plan makes it cost nothing.
OBS Studio Tips for Better Stream Quality
- Use hardware encoding (NVENC/AMF) instead of x264 software encoding — it dramatically reduces CPU usage with little quality difference
- Set Keyframe Interval to 2 in Output settings — required by most platforms for stable playback
- Enable “Rescale Output” if you’re on a lower-spec PC — stream at 720p even if your desktop is 1080p or 4K
- Monitor your dropped frames in the bottom right status bar — anything above 0.5% indicates a connection or performance problem
- Create a test stream before going live publicly — use YouTube’s “Unlisted” privacy setting to test your setup without broadcasting to your audience
OBS Studio Plugins Worth Installing
OBS Studio’s functionality can be extended with free plugins. obs-move-transition adds smooth animated transitions between sources. Downstream Keyer lets you add an overlay that persists across all scenes. StreamFX adds advanced filters and effects including blur, sharpening, and 3D transforms. These plugins are free and install directly into OBS Studio with no technical knowledge required.
Once your OBS Studio setup is ready, connect it to Streemzy to start multistreaming — reach YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and more all at once, completely free.