If you mean recording a screen and a webcam together, add both as sources to an OBS scene and record the composed scene. If you need audio inputs to remain separately editable, assign them to separate audio tracks as well; OBS does not automatically save each visual source as its own editable video file.
The useful distinction is between the picture you compose in the preview and the audio tracks you configure for editing. Set up the scene for the image you want, make deliberate audio assignments, then record a short test and inspect the file rather than trusting the preview alone.
Choose between a composed video and separate audio tracks
An OBS scene is a layout: it can combine a display, application window, game, camera, media file, text and other sources. The recording shows that assembled scene. A webcam placed over a screen recording is therefore part of the same composed video image, not a separate visual recording you can reposition later in an editor.
That distinction matters when you plan the edit. If your aim is a finished tutorial with your face in a corner, one composed recording may be exactly what you need. If you expect to crop, move or replace the webcam picture after recording, plan a workflow that records those visuals independently; do not assume that adding two sources in OBS creates two editable video files.
Audio is a different matter. OBS can assign audio sources to separate recording tracks, which lets compatible editing software work with those inputs separately. For example, you might put microphone audio on one track and desktop audio on another, while the video remains the single scene composition. The OBS multiple audio track guide explains this workflow and the playback caveat.
Before opening settings, write down what you want the finished file to contain. “One picture with the screen and webcam, plus separate microphone audio” is specific enough to configure. “Multiple sources” on its own is not: it could mean several visible elements, separate audio for editing, or independent video files, which are different outcomes.
If the goal is a continuous YouTube channel rather than a local recording session, the working arrangement may be different. A guide to keeping an OBS YouTube stream running after a power cut is relevant when you are planning for a long-running broadcast; this article concentrates on local recordings and their source tracks.
Add each input as a source in an OBS scene
Create a scene for the recording or select an existing one. In the Sources dock, use the plus button and choose the source type that corresponds to what you are capturing. Add each input separately: a display or window for screen content, a video capture device for a webcam, and an audio input or media source where appropriate. OBS lists the available types and their purpose in its Sources Guide.
Choose the capture type by the actual input, not by a rule that every setup needs extra hardware. A webcam can be added as a video capture source. A capture card is useful only when your particular external video input calls for one; it is not a universal requirement. For screen capture, the options available depend on the operating system and the kind of content. OBS documents Game Capture for Windows, while macOS 13 and later users should use macOS Screen Capture for display, window or app capture.
| What you want to capture | Source to consider | Practical point |
|---|---|---|
| The whole computer screen | Display capture | The recording may include anything that appears on that display, including notifications. |
| One application | Window capture | Check the selected window and its behaviour before a longer recording. |
| A game on Windows | Game Capture | Use the source intended for games rather than assuming display capture is equivalent. |
| A webcam or external video device | Video Capture Device | A capture card is relevant only for some external inputs. |
| A saved clip, graphic or title | Media, image or text source | Add only what belongs in the finished composition. |
| Microphone or other sound input | Audio input source | Confirm the device is active and avoid duplicate capture paths. |
After adding a source, check that it appears in the preview and that the correct device or window is selected in its properties. A black rectangle, frozen picture or unexpected application is a reason to troubleshoot now, not after recording a long session. Source names also help when the list grows: rename “Video Capture Device 2” to something identifiable such as “Webcam” if that makes your intended layout clearer.
A source can be added to more than one scene, but make sure you understand which scene is selected when you begin. If you will switch layouts during a recording, test those transitions. The OBS Studio overview covers how scenes and sources form the configured output.
Arrange and size visual sources in the preview
The preview is where you compose the image that will be recorded. Select a visual source and drag it to position it; use its handles to resize it. For a screen-plus-webcam layout, you might keep the screen as the background and place the smaller webcam image in a corner where it does not cover menus or text the viewer needs to see.
The Sources list is also a layer stack. Items higher in the list appear above items lower down, so an opaque source at the top can cover the screen below it. Reorder sources if an element disappears behind another; use the eye control to show or hide an element without removing it from the scene. These controls affect the composed picture, not whether OBS creates a separate video file for a source.
Take a moment to check the edges and proportions. A camera image stretched to fill a wide space can look distorted, and a screen source cropped too tightly can hide useful context. If the webcam frame obscures a toolbar, move or reduce it. If an image or title should sit behind the camera, put it lower in the layer order. Preview the scene at the size and layout you intend to record, rather than relying on source names to tell you what the output will look like.
If you are recording a loop or a pre-made presentation for a channel, distinguish the scene composition from the programme itself. A property listing loop using a spare laptop may combine a video with overlays, while the visual arrangement still needs to be checked as a single output. That example is useful for thinking through screen layout, but it does not change OBS's treatment of the composed image.
Assign audio sources to separate recording tracks
First make sure the intended audio inputs are present and active. Speak into the microphone or play the desktop sound you expect to capture, then look for movement on the corresponding Audio Mixer meters. A meter moving confirms that OBS is receiving a signal, though it does not yet prove that the recording file contains it on the track you intend.
Open Advanced Audio Properties from the Audio Mixer gear menu, or from the Edit menu. In the track columns, select the recording tracks on which each audio source should appear. For a simple editing hand-off, you could assign a microphone to one track and desktop sound to another. Use distinct assignments where you need to isolate sources; if you need a combined listening track too, configure that deliberately rather than assuming the editor will combine them as you expect.
Then go to Settings → Output and enable the recording tracks you intend to write to the file. Assigning an audio source in Advanced Audio Properties is only one part of the setup: if its track is not enabled for recording output, the file may not include it as expected. Track numbering and the selected output mode should be checked against your own OBS settings and editing workflow.
There is a trade-off. Separate tracks are helpful when an editor will balance, mute or clean up the microphone and desktop sound independently. But many standard video players play only one audio track at a time. If the file must play back with all its sound in an ordinary player and no post-production, route all required audio sources to track 1. The OBS guide to multiple audio tracks describes why separate tracks are useful in an editor and why you should not assume a normal player will mix them.
Watch for duplicate audio paths. If you add a device as a source in a scene while also capturing that same device through a global audio setting, you may hear echo or doubled sound. OBS's audio sources documentation discusses source handling; review your configuration so each intended input is captured in the way you expect, rather than enabled twice without a reason.
Check recording output and audio track assignments
Before recording the real material, make a short test that includes every visual source and every audio input you plan to use. Start recording, speak, play the desktop audio or media, and interact with the screen if that is part of the final recording. Stop the test and open the resulting file in the editor or player you intend to use.
Check the actual file, not only the OBS preview. Confirm that the composed picture has the right sources, the webcam is visible and not covering important details, and the screen shows the intended window or display. Listen to the audio. If you assigned separate tracks, inspect or solo those tracks in an editor that exposes them, and verify that the microphone and desktop sound are on the intended tracks. A meter in OBS is useful evidence of an incoming signal, but does not verify the saved track assignment on its own.
Also test playback in the context that matters. A file that looks right in an editor may sound incomplete in a basic player if that player selects only one track. If you want a file that plays with all sounds immediately, use track 1 for all required audio and test it in the ordinary player you expect to use. If separate editing is the priority, confirm that your editor can access the tracks and preserve the separation.
If you find a problem, change one setting at a time and record another short test. A missing camera image points towards the selected source, its visibility or layer order; missing audio points towards the device, meter activity, track assignment or output track selection. Retesting after each adjustment is more reliable than making several changes and guessing which one fixed the result. OBS also recommends testing settings because capture behaviour and available resources vary by setup.
For repeated sessions, keep a small pre-recording checklist: correct scene, expected sources visible, meters active, output tracks enabled, and a file test opened successfully after any significant change. The YouTube live bitrate guide is about a separate part of a live workflow, but it is useful context if your local recording is feeding a broadcast; recording composition and live delivery settings should not be confused.
When your recordings are intended to become an always-on channel, the computer also has to remain involved for the duration of an OBS-based workflow. If keeping that machine running is the specific problem, StreamNeo removes that ongoing computer-running task for a YouTube channel made from an uploaded video, rather than helping create separate source recordings.
Keep the workflow proportionate to the job
For a one-off tutorial, lesson or announcement, a composed scene and a short verification recording are often enough. Keep the source list limited to what the viewer needs. More sources mean more choices to check: which device is active, what covers what, which sound reaches which track, and whether the recorded file matches the plan.
If you need separately editable visual inputs, decide that before you start, because ordinary scene composition is not that workflow. You may need a recording method that produces independent video files or a production arrangement designed for that purpose. OBS's multiple-audio-track feature solves an audio-editing need; it should not be treated as evidence that each visual source becomes a standalone recording.
For a channel that plays a prepared video continuously, a local OBS recording setup may not be the relevant solution at all. A guide to adding videos to a running loop stream addresses adding material to an ongoing stream. Choose the workflow based on whether you are producing a local editable file, composing a live scene, or maintaining a continuous YouTube broadcast.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Does OBS save every source as its own video?
No. OBS records the composed scene, so visual sources such as a webcam and screen appear together in the resulting picture. Separate audio tracks are a distinct feature; they do not make each visual source an independent video file.
Can I record my microphone and desktop audio separately?
Yes. Assign each audio source to its intended track in Advanced Audio Properties, then enable those tracks under Settings → Output. Make a test recording and inspect the tracks in your editor, because an OBS meter alone does not confirm the saved file's track layout.
Why can I hear only one sound in a video player?
Many standard players play only one audio track at a time rather than combining all tracks. If you need the file to play with all sound without editing, put the required sources on track 1 and test playback in the player you will use.
Do I need a capture card to add a camera?
Not necessarily. A webcam can be added as a video capture source, while a capture card is only useful for certain external video inputs. Choose the source that matches the device and operating system, then verify the image in a short test recording.