How to Add a Webcam to Obs in 6 Simple Steps

OBS is a very powerful tool that is used by both casual gamers and streamers. While most users have OBS for its ability to record gameplay, you can also add your webcam in OBS. Adding a webcam to OBS is not a very complicated process and can be done in just a few easy steps. Before jumping into the topic at hand and learn how to add a webcam to OBS, I would strongly advise taking a webcam test first. A webcam test may be able to tell you if there is an overall problem with your webcam whereas if you would be adding it directly into OBS, you could not tell if it is a problem with OBS or with your webcam.

The following steps apply to most versions of OBS including the most recent ones. If you find that your OBS has a different setup process, you may not have the most recent version installed. Make sure that it is updated first before moving forward with the steps to add a webcam. Regardless if you have a Microsoft Windows PC or a Mac, these steps will be the same.

1. Open OBS Studio. On Windows just press the Start button and type OBS then click on the first search result. On macOS, look in the Applications folder.
   
2. Look for the “Source” menu. It should have a “+” sign. Click on the sign and a new menu should appear.
3. In the new menu, you will see a wide selection of devices and options. Look for “Video Capture Device” and click on it.
4. A new window will appear titled “Create/Select Source”. There will be a text box. In the text box, give your webcam a name. Make sure the “Make source visible” check box is checked and hit “OK”
5. The next step in how to add a webcam to OBS is to configure your webcam. A new window should appear in which you need to select the device. There is a drop-down menu. Click on it and select your webcam.
6. Do not play around with any other settings in this menu. Once you have selected your webcam, hit “OK”.

Following the above 6 steps should have your camera all ready for use in OBS. If you are not happy with the image quality. At step 5, look for the “Configure Video” button and click on it. It will bring up a new window with image settings. You can set the brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, sharpness, and a few other settings. Leave the “PowerLine Frequency” set at 60Hz. Once done, hit “OK” and finish the setup for your camera.

Additionally, if you want to add a microphone along with the webcam, you can do so after the setup. Since some webcams come with a built-in microphone, you will want to know how to do this as well. The quick version of the setup is to go to the “settings” from the main screen in OSB. Go to the Audio section and look for the Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device”. When you click on the drop-down menu, you might get a couple of options. Select the microphone you want to use and hit OK. If you followed the above steps and this quick guide for the microphone, you should be all set and done. Now you have learned how to add a webcam to OBS and add a microphone if it comes with one. If you are not happy with the image quality, you can find video guides that can show you how to tweak it. Also, you may want to play around with the position of the webcam.

In the unfortunate event that your webcam does not work in OBS, you should test it in other applications as well. If it works in other applications but in OBS it encounters issues, you may have configured it incorrectly. Go through the guide once more and make sure you follow the steps. If it still does not work, you could take a webcam test that might be able to tell you what is wrong with your computer or webcam. If the webcam passes the test and you manage to follow the above steps, you should by now have a clear picture of how to add a webcam in OBS.