How to Record with OBS Screen Recorder [Complete Guide]

This comprehensive guide explains how to use OBS Studio for screen recording. It covers everything from initial setup to adjusting recording settings. It also highlights the best alternative to OBS, offering a simpler learning curve and a more feature-rich experience.
how to record with obs

Introduction 

You might be a professional gamer or a novice YouTuber trying to share MS Office tips and tricks on your YouTube channel. Irrespective of your profession, you must have felt the need for a screen recorder tool. Today, we will talk about OBS Screen Recorder, an open-source tool that can be a powerful ally in your live broadcasting and recording session. Continue reading to discover insightful information about OBS, as well as an excellent alternative for users who find the OBS screen recorder’s learning curve challenging.

Understanding OBS Screen Recorder

OBS Studio is a powerful, free, open-source software for screen recording and live streaming, widely used by gamers, educators, and multimedia professionals. It enables capturing gameplay, presentations, and screencasts, supporting both system and external audio. While it offers extensive customization and professional-quality video creation by combining multiple scenes, its steep learning curve can be challenging for beginners. Despite this, its plugin support and robust features make it a versatile tool for experienced users. Let's take a detailed look at the features of the OBS screen recorder, which has led to its popularity among the masses. 

Key Features Of OBS Screen Recorder

  • Screen Recording

Capture your entire screen, specific regions, or individual windows. Customize resolutions, bitrates, and frame rates, and choose from various audio codecs for high-quality sound.

  • Editing and Transitions

Apply real-time video and audio filters, such as chroma keying, color correction, and noise reduction, to create smooth scene transitions.

  • Audio Mixer

Seamlessly mix system and microphone audio with features like audio compressors, gain control, noise suppression, and noise gates for enhanced audio quality.

  • Multi-Platform Support

Available on Windows, Linux, and Mac, OBS Studio is accessible to all. Its open-source nature allows for a community-driven expansion through plugins and extensions.

  • Scene and Source Management

Add multiple scenes and sources, such as display capture, images, slideshows, text, videos, webcams, and more. Easily adjust their properties to suit your needs.

  • Filters

You can instantly add filters to your screen recordings, including tools like chroma key and masking. These features allow you to overlay webcam footage or other videos onto your screen while streaming or recording.

Pros & Cons of OBS Screen Recording

You have learned about the best features of the OBS screen recorder. Let’s take an unbiased look at what users have to say about its high and low points:

Pros

  • The OBS screen recording tool is free to use and gets updated constantly by its bid developer community.

  • Once you learn how to record with OBS, you can choose among different customization options for video, audio, transitions, filters, and more on a real-time basis.

  • Users have left rave reviews for excellent sound transmission and settings.

  • As you discover OBS how to record screen, you can benefit from its built-in integration with Facebook Live, YouTube, Twitch, and more.

Cons

  • Even after you learn how to record using OBS, the resource-intensive software might be tasking on your limited CPU resources.

  • Despite having an active community, the software doesn’t have official customer support.

  • The standard tools offered by OBS Studio cannot add the same video stream to different scenes using standard tools simultaneously.

  • The video editing features are not up to the mark compared to professional tools.

How to Screen Record on OBS

Below, we have listed the steps to configure OBS Studio for high-quality screen recording:

Step 1

Download and Launch OBS Studio

Follow the provided instructions to install OBS Studio. Once installed, open the program. In the bottom-left corner, you'll notice a default scene already added.

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Step 2

Add a Source

Before recording, you need to add a source to the scene. This source is the content you wish to capture. Select the default scene, click the "+" icon in the Sources section, and choose "Display Capture" to record your screen.

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Step 3

Choose the capture method

Click 'settings' icon, you can select capture method and more in the pop-up window.

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Step 4

Set up your Audio

By default, OBS Studio captures both desktop audio and microphone. Check the volume meters in the Audio Mixer at the bottom of the main window to verify.

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Step 5

Test your Settings

Ensure all your settings are configured as desired in Settings.

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Step 6

Start Recording

After setting up, click "Start Recording" in the Controls Dock to begin recording. Once you've finished, click "Stop Recording" to save your video.

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Now that you have learned about the OBS screen recorder in detail, you can start using it to record your screen activities. However, if this is your first time using screen recording software, you will have a few hiccups adjusting to its tricky interface. For a more hassle-free and feature-packed solution to your screen recording woes, you can turn to UniFab Screen Recorder. Please keep reading to learn more about this alternative to OBS screen recorder. 

Best Alternative to OBS Studio – UniFab Screen Recorder

Want to benefit from various screen recording features sans the difficult learning curve? Switch to UniFab Screen Recorder today! 

unifab screen recorder interface

UniFab Screen Recorder,  the versatile tool by UniFab,  is compatible with Windows 7 onwards and can help capture even the most minute details on your screen with superb clarity. 

Why Switch To UniFab Screen Recorder

  • Versatile Recording Options

Whether you need full-screen capture, specific areas, a targeted window, or game mode, UniFab Screen Recorder offers tailored solutions for every recording scenario.

  • Ultra-Smooth 60 FPS Recording

Enjoy flawless, high-definition recordings at 60 FPS, ensuring smooth and vivid gameplay capture without lag.

  • Record Audio from Mic and System

Capture both your microphone and system audio simultaneously, ensuring crystal-clear voiceovers and in-game sound for a complete recording experience.

  • Perfect for Any Scenario

Empower Education: Record lessons or create tutorials. Use "Quick Notes" to highlight key points instantly for better learning.

Streamline Meetings: Capture discussions, presentations, and decisions, and quickly generate meeting minutes to enhance collaboration.

Elevate Gaming: Record gameplay, share tutorials, and engage with the gaming community, all while capturing in-game audio.

  • Efficient Editing & Capture Features

Timestamp Marker: Instantly mark important moments with a shortcut for efficient editing.

Quick Notes: Capture key points on the fly and save them instantly.

Cursor Mouse Effect: Highlight your mouse and clicks for clear visibility of your actions.

Keyboard Capture: Take screenshots at any time using keyboard shortcuts for added flexibility.

Step By Step Guide To Using The Best Alternative To OBS Screen Recorder

Free Download

30-day Free Trial with full feature access!

Step 1

Open UniFab Screen Recorder and Select Recording Preferences

Begin by launching UniFab Screen Recorder. Once opened, choose your recording options, including the method and specific content you want to capture (it will be the screen in our case).

Step 2

Personalize Recording Settings

Adjust the recording settings to your preference. Decide if you want to include audio, video, or both in your recording.

Step 3

Initiate the Recording

When ready, click the "Start Recording" button to capture your screen.

Conclusion

We hope today's tutorial can answer all your questions onhow to record with obs. With its extensive customization and live streaming capabilities, OBS Screen Recorder is ideal for advanced users. For beginners, the UniFab Screen Recorder provides a user-friendly alternative with versatile recording modes and robust features. 

FAQs 

Is OBS good for screen recording?

OBS Screen Recorder is a robust tool for seasoned streamers and video creators, offering powerful screen-recording and streaming capabilities. However, it lacks user-friendly features for beginners and doesn't include extensive video-editing tools. If you're new to screen recording, consider UniFab Screen Recorder for a more intuitive experience.

Is OBS Studio free to use?

Yes, OBS Studio is entirely free and open-source. You can download and use the app to record your screen without any cost. It's one of the top choices for screen recording and live streaming.

Can OBS capture my entire screen?

OBS Studio can record your entire screen. To do so, click the + symbol next to the Sources window and select Display Capture. This will enable you to capture your entire desktop screen.

HarperMore >>
I enjoy capturing life's beautiful moments and exploring innovation. Trying different video editing software helps me find the best tools for my work. My articles aim to help you discover video editing software that fits your style, as we navigate the ever-changing world of technology together.