OBS Studio 26.0: Use an OBS scene as your webcam

OBS Studio 26.0 adds a built-in virtual camera for Windows. It makes OBS's composed video output available as a camera in other apps, so you can build a scene with your webcam, a title or an application window before choosing it in a video call. The virtual camera sends video, not microphone audio; select your microphone separately in the call app.

OBS released version 26.0 on 29 September 2020. This guide describes that release as it stood on 7 October 2020. The 26.0 release notes list the Virtual Camera for Windows and say support for other operating systems would come in future versions.

What the virtual camera does

A video-call app normally takes its picture from a webcam. OBS 26.0 adds another camera device: OBS Virtual Camera. Instead of sending a single camera image, you can first compose the picture in an OBS scene, then select that output in an app that accepts a camera input.

This does not start an OBS livestream. The call app is still responsible for sending video to other participants. The virtual camera is also video-only: an OBS project administrator said there was no virtual audio output device in 26.0. Keep your microphone selected in the call app's audio settings.

At launch, the native feature was Windows-only. If you use macOS or Linux, OBS 26.0 does not provide this built-in camera output.

Prepare a scene for a call

Start with the image you want people to see. In OBS, select an existing scene or create a new one, then add and arrange only the sources you need. For example, a call scene might combine a webcam with a short name label or a window you intend to present.

Check the main OBS output before connecting it to a call. A full-display capture can show notifications, open windows or other details you did not mean to share. A simple scene is easier to review than a busy one.

Send the OBS picture to your video-call app

1. Install OBS Studio 26.0 on Windows and select the scene you want to use.
2. In OBS, click Start Virtual Camera on the main interface. You do not need to click Start Streaming for a video-call camera feed.
3. Open the call app's camera settings and choose OBS Virtual Camera.
4. Check the app's own preview. Choose your microphone separately in its audio settings, then test the setup before joining a call.

You can change what the call sees by changing the active OBS scene. Keep the call app's preview open while you do this so you can confirm the result.

If OBS Virtual Camera is missing

OBS staff explained during the 26.0 release discussion that the Windows installer registers the camera device. A ZIP installation requires manual registration. If you used the ZIP build, follow the registration guidance in the OBS 26.0 support thread before troubleshooting the meeting app.

Compatibility can depend on the call app. In that same September discussion, an OBS administrator cautioned that some Windows Store apps, including Skype, might not detect the new device. Test the exact app you plan to use before relying on it for a meeting.

The practical distinction is simple: OBS prepares the picture, the call app selects and shares it, and the call app handles your microphone. OBS Studio 26.0's built-in virtual camera is a useful extra route when a composed scene is more helpful than a plain webcam image.

Sources

• OBS Studio 26.0 release notes , released 29 September 2020.
• OBS Studio 26.0 release discussion , including OBS staff replies about Windows setup, audio output and app compatibility.