Watch the video:

0:00 - Explanation
0:29 - Updated OBS Virtual Camera [Built-in]
0:42 - OBS Virtual Camera in Discord
1:39 - OSB VirtualCam plugin (Old method)
2:15 - Installing OBS VirtualCam plugin (Old)
2:50 - Using OBS VirtualCam (Old)
3:06 - OBS VirtualCam in Discord (Old)
3:56 - Horizontal Flip (Old)
4:40 - Audio with OBS Virtual Cam (Old and new)
5:12 - Uninstalling OBS VirtualCam (Old)

What is the Virtual Camera?

As a user of Open Broadcasting Software (OBS), you may be interested in using it as a virtual camera for programs such as Zoom, Discord, and Skype. With version 26.0.0 of OBS Studio, a new feature called “Virtual Camera” has been added, which allows users to use OBS as a virtual webcam without needing to download any additional plugins.

Using the Virtual Camera

To use OBS as a virtual camera, all you have to do is click on the “Start Virtual Camera” button in the OBS Studio interface. Any program that recognizes webcams will then see OBS as a digital webcam input, allowing you to use the current active scene in OBS as your virtual camera. This means that you can add in images, physical webcams, or NDI streams and use them as a webcam in various programs.

In addition, since this feature is now built into OBS, your virtual camera settings will match the screen size and fps settings within the OBS video section. This process is simple and works almost anywhere.

Older OBS versions

To install the plugin to use OBS as a virtual camera in older versions of OBS Studio, you can follow these steps:

Download OBS Virtual Cam 2.0.5:

1. Download from the link above
2. Scroll down on the page and find the section for “How to use this plugin”.
3. Scroll back up to the top of the page and click the “Go to Download” button.
4. This will take you to a direct download link from the official GitHub page for the project.
5. Close OBS Studio and open the downloaded .exe file.
6. Follow the prompts to install the plugin, such as selecting the location to install the program and the number of virtual cameras you want to register.
7. Once the installation is complete, you should notice an uninstaller inside the OBS Studio folder, indicating that the plugin has been successfully installed.
8. Open OBS Studio again, and head to the “Tools” section at the top. You should now see a “Virtual Camera” option, which is the obs output target camera.
9. You can then follow the instructions on the video to add new captures and start the virtual camera.

Use OBS Virtual Camera in Discord

Whether it’s the plugin or the official default version, the steps from here are the same. The names for the virtual camera may be different.

1. Open OBS Studio and set up your desired scene, which will be used as the virtual webcam in Discord.
2. Click on the “Start Virtual Camera” button in the OBS Studio interface.
3. Open Discord and head to the “User Settings” by clicking on the gear icon next to your username.
4. In the left sidebar, select “Voice & Video” and scroll down to the “Video” section.
5. In the “Video” section, select “OBS VirtualCam” from the camera dropdown menu.
6. The active scene in OBS will now be displayed as your video in Discord. You can test the video by clicking on the “Test Video” button.
7. Once you’re done, to stop the virtual camera and go back to your physical camera, simply click on the “Stop Virtual Camera” button in OBS Studio.

Use OBS Virtual Camera in Zoom

1. Open OBS Studio and set up your desired scene, which will be used as the virtual webcam in Zoom.
2. Click on the “Start Virtual Camera” button in the OBS Studio interface.
3. Open Zoom and sign in to your account
4. Click on the settings gear icon in the top right corner of the Zoom window
5. Click on the Video tab on the left side of the settings window
6. Under the Camera dropdown menu, Select “OBS VirtualCam”
7. The active scene in OBS will now be displayed as your video in Zoom. You can test the video by clicking on the “Test Video” button.
8. Once you’re done, to stop the virtual camera and go back to your physical camera, simply click on the “Stop Virtual Camera” button in OBS Studio.

Use OBS Virtual Camera in Skype

1. Open OBS Studio and set up your desired scene, which will be used as the virtual webcam in Skype.
2. Click on the “Start Virtual Camera” button in the OBS Studio interface.
3. Open Skype and sign in to your account
4. Click on the “Skype” menu on the top left corner of the Skype window.
5. Click on the “Settings” option
6. In the left sidebar, select “Audio & Video”
7. In the “Video” section, select “OBS VirtualCam” from the camera dropdown menu.
8. The active scene in OBS will now be displayed as your video in Skype. You can test the video by clicking on the “Test Video” button.
9. Once you’re done, to stop the virtual camera and go back to your physical camera, simply click on the “Stop Virtual Camera” button in OBS Studio.

The end

Overall, using OBS as a virtual camera is a convenient and easy way to enhance your video streaming and recording experience. With the latest version of OBS Studio, this feature is now built-in, making it easier than ever before.