Overview

OBS Studio is free, open-source, and the same tool many professional streamers use. It looks intimidating at first, but recording your first video only takes a few settings.

Step 1: Create a Scene and Source

In the Scenes panel, click the + button to add a scene, then in Sources click + > Display Capture to capture your whole screen, or Window Capture to record just one app.

Step 2: Add your webcam and microphone (optional)

Click + > Video Capture Device to add your webcam as an overlay, and confirm your microphone is selected under Settings > Audio.

Step 3: Adjust output settings

Go to Settings > Output and set your recording format to MP4 and quality to "High Quality, Medium File Size" for a good balance between clarity and file size.

Step 4: Start recording

Click Start Recording in the bottom right. Your file saves automatically to the folder set under Settings > Output once you click Stop.

Tips

  • Use Studio Mode if you want to preview a scene before it goes live.
  • Set a hotkey for Start/Stop Recording so you don't need to alt-tab out.
  • Close unnecessary background apps before recording to avoid dropped frames.

Conclusion

Once your scene is set up, OBS becomes a one-click recorder — no watermarks, no time limits, and no subscription required.