OBSDOWNLOAD
What is OBS Studio and how to download it free on Windows, Mac or Linux
OBS Studio is free and open source. How to download it only from obsproject.com, what your computer needs, and how to dodge fake sites that charge for it.
Short answer
Before you start
- A computer running Windows 10 or 11, macOS 13 or newer, or Linux with OpenGL 3.3 support
- Permission to install software on that computer
- An internet connection for the download and for the wizard's bandwidth test
- Ten minutes, and the patience not to click the first ad your search engine shows you
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Step by step
- 01
Know what OBS is before you download it
OBS Project: official site ↗You searched for OBS and got ten sites all claiming to be the real thing. Fair enough, it's confusing. Here's the short version. OBS Studio is free, open source software for recording video and live streaming, and it runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. It captures and mixes video and audio in real time, lets you build as many scenes as you want and switch between them with transitions, and has an audio mixer with per-source filters like noise gate, noise suppression and gain. In practice, it's the program that puts your game, your camera and your mic into one picture and sends it to your stream.
What you should see: On obsproject.com you see Latest Release with version 32.2.2 and buttons for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 02
Skip the fake copies: OBS is never paid
OBS Help: FAQ ↗Here's the catch. OBS is released under the GPLv2 license, so anyone can use it for anything, with no watermarks or other limits, and commercial use is fine too. The OBS site says the program contains no ads and no bundled software or adware, and that downloading it from their website gets you the latest version, safe and free of malware. So if a site charges you for OBS, it's a scam, and OBS says to ask for a refund or charge the payment back. If an installer offers you a toolbar, an antivirus or any other freebie, it isn't the official one. Close that tab, no guilt.
What you should see: Your browser's address bar reads obsproject.com, with no extra letters or odd domains, before you click any download button.
- 03
Check the version and whether your computer can run it
OBS Project: Download ↗Go to obsproject.com/download. As of 9 October 2026, the version on offer for all three systems is 32.2.2, released on 14 August. The Windows build supports Windows 10 and 11 and has two buttons: Download Installer and Download Zip. The Mac build needs macOS 13.0 or newer and comes as two installers, one for Intel Macs (x86_64) and one for Apple Silicon (arm64), so pick the one that matches your chip. On Linux, OBS is officially distributed as a Flatpak on Flathub and as a PPA for Ubuntu 24.04 and newer. The same page links to the Microsoft Store, Steam and the GitHub releases.
What you should see: Your system's tab shows Version: 32.2.2 and the matching download buttons.
- 04
Install it for your system
OBS on GitHub: Install Instructions ↗Got the official file? Let's install. On Windows, run the installer and click through to the end. Want a portable copy instead? Download the official ZIP, unzip it, and inside that folder create a blank text file called obs_portable_mode.txt. You can also install OBS from the Microsoft Store or Steam. On a Mac, open the .dmg and drag OBS.app into the Applications folder. On Linux, OBS maintains two official builds: the Flatpak, recommended if you're not on Ubuntu, and the Ubuntu one, where you enable the multiverse repo and run sudo add-apt-repository ppa:obsproject/obs-studio, then sudo apt update, then sudo apt install obs-studio. Linux also needs OpenGL 3.3 or later. Packages for other distros are community builds, not OBS's own.
What you should see: OBS Studio shows up in your Start menu, Applications folder or distro launcher, ready to open.
- 05
Let the wizard set up the basics
Nicole Rojas | YouTube | 1:01 ↗The first time you open OBS, the Auto-Configuration Wizard pops up. In the video, Nicole goes to obsproject.com, picks her operating system, installs OBS and, when she opens it, chooses to optimize for streaming with recording as secondary, since the plan is to stream. Click Next and the wizard checks your computer and your internet connection and sets the basic settings for you. Then it offers to connect your Twitch account. You can do that now or later. If you're just starting, accept what it suggests and fine-tune after you've listened to a test recording. The video is in Spanish.
What you should see: The wizard tests your computer and internet connection, applies the basic settings and leaves you in the main OBS window, ready to build your first scene.
- 06
Skipped it? Reopen it and run a test
OBS Knowledge Base: Quick Start Guide ↗Closed the wizard by accident, or moved to a new computer? Reopen it from Tools > Auto-Configuration Wizard. It takes into account what you want to do in OBS, your computer's hardware and, if you're streaming, your network. After that, OBS starts you off with a blank scene, and by default it already captures your desktop audio and your microphone. Click Start Recording in the Controls dock, talk for a bit, then play the file back. OBS recommends a test of a few minutes to make sure nothing's wrong. And that's it, OBS is installed and it came from the right place. To build your game and camera scenes, carry on with the guide to setting up OBS in 10 minutes.
What you should see: There's a new video file in your recordings folder, and when you play it you can hear your voice.
If something does not work
- A site wants you to pay to download OBS
- Don't pay. OBS is free, and the OBS site says that if you've been asked to pay for it, it's a scam and you should request a refund or charge the payment back. Type obsproject.com yourself and download it there.
- The installer offers extra programs, toolbars or an antivirus
- That isn't the official installer. OBS has no ads and no bundled software, so any extra is a sign you got it from a mirror. Delete the file and grab the installer from obsproject.com/download.
- After an update, your antivirus flags OBS as dangerous
- The OBS site explains that updates can make antivirus programs look harder at OBS, and some flag it as malicious by mistake. Whitelist the OBS folder. Some products ignore the whitelist once the .exe changes, so you may need to re-add it after each update.
- The Mac installer won't open, or your Mac is old
- OBS 32.2.2 needs macOS 13.0 or newer, and there's one installer for Intel and another for Apple Silicon. Check which chip your Mac has and download the matching one. If you're on something older than macOS 13, the current version doesn't support your system.
- The wizard says it failed to connect to any servers
- The bandwidth test failed. Check your internet connection and try again. If it keeps failing, click Cancel in the wizard and set things up yourself in Settings. The wizard only saves you time.
Test before you go live
- You typed obsproject.com yourself instead of clicking an ad.
- You paid nothing and accepted no extra programs during setup.
- On a Mac, you picked the installer that matches your chip.
- You applied the wizard's settings or set them up yourself.
- You listened to a test recording with your voice and your computer audio.
- OBS is on your antivirus whitelist. And that's it, time to build scenes.
Cómo configurar OBS para streaming en 10 minutos
Related video from Nicole (in Spanish) ↗Common questions
Is OBS free?
Yes. OBS is open source, built by volunteer contributors, and distributed under the GPLv2 license, so anyone can use it for any reason. It has no watermarks or limits, and you can use it commercially with no restrictions.
What are the system requirements for OBS Studio?
Per obsproject.com, the Windows release supports Windows 10 and 11 and the macOS release supports macOS 13.0 and newer. On Linux, OBS's official install instructions require OpenGL 3.3 or later, and the official PPA is for Ubuntu 24.04 and newer.
What's the latest version of OBS Studio?
As of 9 October 2026, the latest stable release is OBS Studio 32.2.2, published on GitHub on 14 August 2026. OBS updates fairly often, so check the number on obsproject.com before you download.
How do I download OBS for Mac?
Go to obsproject.com/download and open the macOS tab. Pick Download Installer (x86_64/Intel) for an Intel Mac or Download Installer (arm64/Apple Silicon) for an Apple Silicon Mac. Then open the .dmg and drag OBS.app into Applications.
What is OBS on a PC and what is it for?
It's a program for recording video and live streaming. You build scenes out of sources, such as your camera, your game, your desktop, images or text, and OBS mixes them with audio from your mic and your computer. You can use it to stream on Twitch or to record tutorials.
Can I get OBS from the Microsoft Store or Steam?
Yes. OBS's official install instructions list the Microsoft Store and Steam as ways to install it on Windows, and the download page on obsproject.com links to both. The safest route is to reach those stores through the buttons on obsproject.com rather than through an ad.
Can OBS record my screen?
Yes, you don't need another program. Add a display capture or game capture source and click Start Recording in the Controls dock. Run a test of a few minutes before recording anything important, which is what OBS's own guide recommends.
