Printable Guides

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🎥 OBS Studio: How to Use It

Streaming, Recording, and Scene Switching

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🧭 Overview

OBS Studio is a powerful tool for live streaming, recording, and switching between visual/audio setups. This guide covers the basics so anyone can operate it confidently—even without technical experience.

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✅ Launching OBS

1. Double-click the OBS Studio icon on your desktop or Start Menu.
2. Wait for the interface to load. You’ll see:
   • Scenes (bottom-left)
   • Sources (next to Scenes)
   • Audio Mixer (center-bottom)
   • Controls (bottom-right)

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🎬 Starting a Recording

1. Choose a Scene
   Click the scene you want to record (e.g., “Main Camera” or “Slides + Mic”).

2. Check Audio Levels
   Make sure the Mic/Aux and Desktop Audio bars are moving.

3. Click Start Recording
   Found in the Controls panel (bottom-right).

4. To Stop Recording
   Click Stop Recording. The file is saved automatically (default: Videos folder).

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🌐 Starting a Stream

1. Choose a Scene
   Select the scene you want to stream.

2. Check Audio and Video
   Confirm your camera and mic are active.

3. Click Start Streaming
   OBS will connect to your streaming platform (YouTube, Facebook, etc.).

4. To Stop Streaming
   Click Stop Streaming when finished.

💡 Make sure your stream key is set in Settings > Stream before going live.

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🎛️ Switching Scenes During a Show

1. Click the Scene Name
   OBS will instantly switch to that scene.

2. Use Hotkeys (Optional)
   Set up hotkeys in Settings > Hotkeys for faster switching (e.g., F1 = Camera, F2 = Slides).

3. Use Studio Mode (Advanced)
   Click Studio Mode to preview scenes before switching live.

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🔊 Managing Audio

• Mute/Unmute
  Click the speaker/mic icon in the Audio Mixer.

• Adjust Volume
  Drag the sliders to balance mic and desktop audio.

• Add Filters (Optional)
  Right-click an audio source → Filters to add noise suppression or gain.

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🖼️ Managing Video Sources

• Add a Camera
  Click + in Sources → Video Capture Device → Select your webcam.

• Add a Screen or Window
  Click + → Display Capture or Window Capture.

• Resize/Reposition
  Click and drag the source in the preview window.

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💾 Where Are My Recordings?

• Default save location:
  C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos

• To change it:
  Go to Settings > Output > Recording Path

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🧪 Quick Tips

• ✅ Always test before going live
• 🎙️ Watch your audio levels—flat = no sound
• 🎥 Use scenes to organize different setups (e.g., intro, sermon, slideshow)
• 💡 Keep OBS open during the event—don’t minimize if using Display Capture

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📚 Need Help?

• OBS Wiki
• OBS Forums
• OBS Log Analyzer

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