If the machine in front of you is not Windows x64, stop. GitHub assets on the current tag include the Windows x64 installer, the Windows x64 zip, an ARM64 zip, macOS disk images, and an Ubuntu package. the guides map the x64 installer and, as a supporting take, the x64 zip. Official download for other systems: obsproject.com/download. Home: home. Longer Windows notes: Windows install. Safe fetch: download-safe.
What this PC needs
App Installer supplies winget on Windows 10 version 1809 or later and on Windows 11. Get it from Microsoft if the command is missing. The mapped installer is a Nullsoft exe for Windows x64. Default path is %ProgramFiles%\obs-studio. Portable zip lists VCRedist 2015+ x64 in winget-pkgs. The installer path does not paste a separate redistributable command. ARM64 Windows wants the ARM64 zip on the same tag, not this x64 exe.
| Need | Why |
|---|---|
| Windows x64 | The installer and winget id the guides map. Default %ProgramFiles%\obs-studio. |
| App Installer | Provides winget. Store listing: Microsoft App Installer. |
| x64 match | Take the x64 installer or x64 zip. ARM64 zip is a different asset. |
| Disk for recordings | Output folder you set. No cloud account for local record. |
| VCRedist 2015+ x64 | Named in winget-pkgs for the portable zip only. |
App Installer: Microsoft App Installer. Winget howto: how to install winget. NVENC needs a current NVIDIA driver as documented in GitHub release notes on the current tag. Read those notes. Do not pin a number here. NVENC: hardware encode.
Install with winget
The maintained package id in microsoft/winget-pkgs is OBSProject.OBSStudio. Installer type is Nullsoft. Scope is machine. The installer URL on that manifest is the GitHub Windows x64 exe. README itself does not print this line. It points at obsproject.com. the guides still map the winget-pkgs id because it is the Windows command that lands the official installer. DefaultInstallLocation is %ProgramFiles%\obs-studio. ProductCode is OBS Studio.
winget install -e --id OBSProject.OBSStudioPaste it in Windows Terminal or PowerShell. Wait for the machine-scope installer to finish. Then launch from the Start menu. Which file if you skip winget: releases. Winget-only notes: winget install.
Install with the GitHub exe
Open GitHub Releases for obsproject/obs-studio. Default take is OBS-Studio-*-Windows-x64-Installer.exe. OBS-Studio-*-Windows-x64.zip is the portable folder on the same tag. Skip PDBs and Sources archives. Full x64 installer is the default for a normal desktop. Portable versus setup: portable or setup. Official download page: obsproject.com/download.
The winget-pkgs folder can trail the newest GitHub tag. If you need the current tag the same day, take the exe from Releases. Pick one channel and stay on it.
First scene on this PC
Launch from the Start menu. Create one scene. Add Display Capture or Window Capture. Set the recording folder to a path you named. Hit Start Recording. Speak, click, stop. Play the file. Then add a microphone. Then try Game Capture if that is the job. Then try Virtual Camera if a meeting app needs the mixed output. First scene: first scene. Record: record. Virtual camera: virtual camera.
There is no account for local record. Streaming to a platform uses that platform's login. If two copies run, quit extras. Do not stack a portable zip next to a winget copy for the same job until you know which one you mean to keep. Leaving Win+G: off Game Bar.
If the recording is black, try the other capture type for that window before you download a second copy. If NVENC is missing from the encoder list and the GPU is NVIDIA, read current release notes and update the driver from NVIDIA.
Update and uninstall
Use the same door you used to install. Upgrade with winget upgrade -e --id OBSProject.OBSStudio, or take a new installer from GitHub Releases. Uninstall from Apps settings, or winget uninstall OBSProject.OBSStudio. Extra unsigned exes on the Desktop belong in the recycle bin after the official copy works. Extra copies: off Game Bar. Safe notes: is it safe.
Scene collections and recordings you saved are files in the folders you chose. They do not vanish just because the app is gone. Back them up first if you still need them. Repo facts: GitHub. Guides index: guides.
Take the steps in order on one Windows x64 PC so OBS Studio, Game Bar, and any portable folder do not fight over the same capture job in the same hour.
Work through the checklist on a single Windows x64 machine so OBS Studio remains the capture tool of record, with one install door and one scene collection, rather than a mix of portable folders and Game Bar hooks competing for the same window.
Frequently asked questions
What does it need on this computer?
Windows x64, and winget or the GitHub installer. No account. Portable zip lists VCRedist 2015+ x64. Recordings stay on the PC. That answer stays tied to OBS Studio on Windows x64, the current GitHub release, and the winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio mapped in this guide.
Why is there no window after install?
Match x64 to the PC. Mixing x64 with ARM64 is a common miss. Confirm the Start menu shortcut from the installer. Portable users run bin/64bit/obs64.exe inside the unpacked folder. That answer stays tied to OBS Studio on Windows x64, the current GitHub release, and the winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio mapped in this guide.
Is obsproject.com allowed?
Yes. obsproject.com is the project homepage. obsproject.com/download is official. the guides still map winget and GitHub Releases because winget-pkgs already points at the GitHub Windows x64 exe. That answer stays tied to OBS Studio on Windows x64, the current GitHub release, and the winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio mapped in this guide.
Can I keep a portable zip and a winget copy?
You can, but pick one for the job you are doing. Two copies is how people edit the wrong scene collection. That answer stays tied to OBS Studio on Windows x64, the current GitHub release, and the winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio mapped in this guide.
Where do I file a product bug?
obs-studio issues. Wiki: wiki. Help: obsproject.com/help. That answer stays tied to OBS Studio on Windows x64, the current GitHub release, and the winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio mapped in this guide. Match the Windows x64 installer or winget id OBSProject.OBSStudio against the current GitHub release before you change anything else.