How Do I Change the Video Background on OBS?

You can easily change your video background in OBS Studio by adding an image as a source and correctly positioning it within your scene's layers. This method allows you to use static images or even animated GIFs as your visual backdrop.

Changing Your Video Background to an Image in OBS

OBS Studio offers flexible ways to customize your live streams and recordings. A common request is to replace your real-world background with a custom image. This process involves adding an "Image" source to your scene and ensuring it's placed beneath your main video capture (like your webcam).

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding an Image Background

Follow these straightforward steps to set up your desired background image in OBS:

1. Open OBS Studio and Select Your Scene: Launch OBS and navigate to the "Scenes" dock. Click on the scene where you want to change the video background.
2. Add an Image Source:
   • In the "Sources" dock, click the + (plus) icon at the bottom or right-click within the sources area.
   • Select "Image" from the list of source types.
   • A new window will appear. You can either create a new image source or add an existing one if you've used it before. Give your new image source a descriptive name (e.g., "My Background Image"). Click OK.
3. Select Your Background Image File:
   • In the properties window for your new Image source, click the "Browse" button next to "Image File".
   • Navigate to the location on your computer where your desired background image is stored.
   • Select the image you want to use. OBS supports various image formats, including static image files such as PNG or JPG, as well as animated GIFs.
   • Once you've selected your image, click Open.
4. Confirm Visibility and Add to Scene:
   • In the Image properties window, leave the box next to "Make source visible" checked and click OK. This ensures your background image appears in your scene.
5. Arrange Source Layer: This is a crucial step for your image to function as a background.
   • In the "Sources" dock, you'll see a list of all sources in your current scene. Sources at the top of the list appear "on top" of sources below them.
   • Click and drag your newly added background image source to the very bottom of the sources list. This will ensure that your webcam feed, game capture, or any other primary content appears in front of the background image.
   • You can then resize and position your background image as needed within the OBS preview window.

Tips for an Effective Video Background

To make your image background look professional and integrated with your video, consider these tips:

• Resolution and Aspect Ratio: Use an image with a resolution that matches or exceeds your OBS canvas resolution (e.g., 1920x1080 for 1080p streams). This prevents pixelation when the image is scaled. Ensure the aspect ratio (e.g., 16:9) matches your stream output.
• Image Quality: High-quality images will always look better. Avoid blurry or low-resolution files.
• Content Placement: If your background image has specific elements, arrange your other sources (like your webcam) so they don't obscure important parts of the background.
• Dynamic Backgrounds: As noted, you can use animated GIFs for a dynamic background. Ensure they loop smoothly and aren't too distracting.

Supported Background Image Formats

OBS supports a variety of image file types for your video background:

By following these steps, you can easily customize your video background in OBS Studio, enhancing the visual appeal of your streams or recordings.