Open Broadcaster Software, or simply OBS, is used for live streaming and recording. If you’re a gamer, you may have watched a number of gaming live streams on YouTube. Most YouTubers use OBS to create these videos, and it is used for Twitch as well.
OBS is a free open source software, and fairly easy to use. The first thing you need to learn is how to add a webcam to OBS. If you don’t have a quality webcam at hand, you can also use your phone as one in a pinch.
Follow the steps below to find out how to add a webcam to OBS.
How to Add Webcam to OBS
Step 1: Selecting Your Capture Device
Once you have OBS installed and set up, you can launch the software and begin working. First, you need to select a video capture device as your source. Click the + sign under ‘Sources,’ and select the ‘Video Capture Device’ option.
Step 2: Don’t Forget to Name
When working with multiple layers, which you probably will be in OBS, it is important to name each layer, so you can avoid any confusion later on. This will be your first layer, and you can name it ‘Webcam’ for now. You can do this in the window that pops up, and make sure that the ‘Make source visible’ option is ticked.
Step 3: Selecting Your Device
A ‘Properties’ window for your webcam layer will have popped up now. You can use the ‘Device’ dropdown menu to choose your webcam as the default device. If you want to adjust resolution, color range, etc., you can use the second set of dropdown menus. If you have a high-quality webcam though, then you might not need to make adjustments at all!
Step 4: Audio is Important
When you add a webcam to OBS, the microphone isn’t set up automatically. You will need to manually add your webcam’s mic as the audio source. To do this, first, go to settings.
Step 5: Selecting Your Audio Source
On the left in the window you’ll see on your screen now, there will be an ‘Audio’ tab. Click on this, and then open the ‘Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device’ dropdown menu. You can select your microphone here.
Step 6: Mic Volume
You’re more or less done adding a webcam in OBS now, but if you want to adjust your microphone volume you can do so in the ‘Mixer’ section of your main window.
