How I Record Pro-Level Videos (for Free) Using OBS Studio

Loads of people ask me how I record my videos, tutorials, and live streams.

The tech setup. The tools I use. How I make it look slick without dropping a ton of cash.

So here's the full walkthrough of how I do all of it for free using OBS Studio — a bit of kit I’ve used, loved, and battle-tested over the years.

Let’s get into it. 👇

First things first: what the hell is OBS?

OBS Studio is a free app for recording and live streaming. Think of it like a digital control room for your videos.

When you first open it, it can feel like a spaceship cockpit — a bit much.

But once you know what you're looking at, it’s a breeze. Here's the breakdown:

• 🪞 Preview Window – Shows what’s being recorded or streamed

• 🎭 Scenes – Think of these like different layouts you can switch between

• 🎛️ Sources – The actual content inside a scene (camera, mic, slides, etc.)

• 🎚️ Audio Mixer – Adjust your mic or other sound inputs

• 🔄 Scene Transitions – Fancy fades and cuts between scenes

• 🕹️ Controls – Start recording, streaming, or using a virtual camera

Step 1: Set Up Your First Scene

We’re starting with the basics: just your face on camera.

🎥 Create a new scene

• Right-click > Rename it something like Front Camera

➕ Add your camera

• Add a new Video Capture Device

• Name it something useful (mine’s called Elgato Facecam)

• OBS should find your camera automatically

If the camera looks too big or cropped weird:

• You can resize it with the red corner handles

• Or better: change the resolution to 1080p so it fits your canvas

Step 2: Add Your Audio

Camera? ✅
Now let’s make sure people can hear you.

🎙️ Add your mic

• Add a new Audio Input Capture

• Name it something like Microphone

• Choose your mic from the list (mine’s a Shure Digital)

You’ll now see it show up in the Audio Mixer.

Make sure it’s sitting in the sweet spot on the meter — somewhere between -10 and -5 dB is usually ideal.

If it’s too quiet or too loud, tweak the mic volume in your hardware settings or nudge the slider in OBS.

Step 3: Set Up Screen Sharing

Want to walk people through your browser, slides, or anything else on your monitor?

Here’s how.

🖥️ Create another scene

• Name it something like Left Monitor

• Add a Display Capture

• Pick the monitor you want to share

Boom. Now you’ve got one scene for your face and another for your screen.

Step 4: Add Hotkeys for Fast Switching

To flip between scenes like a pro, use keyboard shortcuts.

• Go to Settings > Hotkeys

• Assign something like:

  • Ctrl + Shift + C for Camera

  • Ctrl + Shift + M for Monitor

Now you can jump between views without touching your mouse. Chef’s kiss.

Step 5: Superimpose Yourself (Circle Crop or Green Screen)

Let’s level it up.

You’ve got two ways to add your face on top of your screen share.

✅ Option 1: Circle Crop

This gives you that fancy “talking head in a bubble” effect.

1. Create a new scene (call it Camera Icon)

2. Add your Front Camera scene as a nested source

3. Right-click > Filters > Add Image Mask/Blend

4. Upload a PNG with a white circle on a black background

5. Choose Alpha Mask (Color Channel)

This crops you into a circle. You can then overlay that scene wherever you want on your screen share.

🌀 Pro tip: You can make different shapes — stars, triangles, even your logo — as long as the image is black + white.

✅ Option 2: Green Screen (If You’ve Got One)

Only do this if you already own a green screen and lights — don’t rush out to buy stuff unless you need it.

Here’s how:

1. Create a new scene (call it Green Screen Camera)

2. Add your camera as normal

3. Drop down your green screen

4. Right-click > Filters > Add Chroma Key

5. Tweak the settings until the green disappears

Use Alt (or Option on Mac) to crop out any messy edges.

Then just add that scene on top of your screen share. Now you’re fully superimposed.

Final Touches Before You Record

A couple more quick things:

🎚️ Add audio to every scene

If you create a new scene and forget to add your mic again — your audience will hear nothing.

Just go to Audio Input Capture, select the same mic, and you’re good.

🎥 Hit Record

Bottom-right corner: hit Start Recording.

To check where your video saves:

• Go to File > Settings > Output > Recording Path

It’ll show you the folder where your recording ends up.

📡 Want to stream?

You’ll need to connect OBS to your platform (YouTube, StreamYard, etc.) — that’s coming in a separate tutorial.

If OBS feels overwhelming at first — that’s normal. I was the same.

But once you get familiar with scenes, sources, and filters, it’s a powerful tool that saves you a ton of cash vs paid software.

And when you’re building your digital product stack?
That’s what we want: free tools that look pro and support your business goals.

This is one of the exact tools I use during the PLAN and BUILD phases of my Knowledge to Revenue (K2R) process — because when you’ve got clarity, content becomes way easier.

Found this post randomly and not in the middle of a project with me? You can book a call at www.helpwithdigital.com to get started.