OBS Studio 28 was a major release because it changed what the software could do and what it could run on, not just how its interface looked. Its HDR and 10-bit options, Qt 6 migration, Apple Silicon builds and platform-specific capture features each came with compatibility conditions.
That release dates to 2022, so it is a historical reference rather than a guide to the current OBS version or today’s service support. If you are deciding whether to upgrade or build a 24/7 channel, check your operating system, encoder, plugins and delivery target against the versions you intend to use.
Why OBS Studio 28 was a major release
OBS Project published OBS Studio 28.0 on 31 August 2022, marking the software’s tenth anniversary. The release brought several changes to the application’s foundations and workflows at once. It moved the interface framework from Qt 5 to Qt 6, added native Apple Silicon builds, integrated obs-websocket 5.0 into OBS downloads, and introduced options for HDR and 10-bit video.
Those changes matter differently depending on how you use OBS. A creator recording a standard 1080p SDR scene might notice little from the HDR options. Someone moving an existing setup to a new OBS build could notice much more if a Qt 5 plugin stopped working. A Mac user with a plugin available only for an Intel build might have to choose between that plugin and running the native Apple Silicon version.
For a 24/7 channel, software compatibility is part of the operating plan. An overnight stream may rely on a scene collection, media sources, audio routing, an encoder and a reconnect workflow that have already been tested together. A major upgrade can change one link in that chain without making the rest obviously fail during a short daytime test. If your plan is to keep a dedicated computer running, the practical questions in how to build a 24/7 YouTube music stream using a spare PC remain relevant: the machine and its software need to suit the job, not just launch the application.
OBS’s official 28.0 release notes describe the feature requirements and the limitations at launch. They should be read as a snapshot of that release, not as a promise that every feature, operating system or streaming service still works the same way today.
HDR and 10-bit: what changed
OBS 28 added colour format and colour space settings that made HDR and 10-bit output possible. At release, OBS said those workflows required an AV1 or HEVC encoder. For HDR, it recommended the P010 colour format and Rec. 2100 PQ colour space. A 10-bit SDR recording was also possible with P010 and an SDR colour space such as Rec. 709 or Rec. 601, again with AV1 or HEVC encoding.
The distinction between HDR and 10-bit is useful. Ten-bit describes the precision of the colour data; HDR describes a wider brightness and colour presentation. Ten-bit video is not necessarily HDR: OBS 28 could produce 10-bit SDR with an SDR colour space. Conversely, choosing HDR settings does not make an ordinary source, encoder or destination compatible with HDR by itself.
The release notes gave specific hardware conditions for 10-bit HEVC encoding: an NVIDIA 10-series, AMD 5000-series or newer GPU was required. Intel QuickSync and Apple VT were not yet supported for that particular feature at the time. These are historical requirements, so check the documentation for the OBS version, operating system and encoder you plan to use rather than assuming the same limits apply now.
For an HDR game placed in an SDR scene, OBS 28 could tonemap the image to SDR. This is useful when the source is HDR but the intended broadcast is not. It is not the same workflow as delivering an HDR stream: you are converting the source for an SDR output, and you should inspect the result for washed-out highlights or dull colours before committing to a long broadcast.
There were also important feature gaps. OBS said HDR preview did not work on macOS or Linux at that time, and that several inputs and encoders still needed updates. Its release notes listed Apply LUT, Chroma Key, Color Key, Image Mask/Blend, Luma Key and Sharpness as filters that would not function on HDR-rendering sources. If your scene depends on one of them, test the whole scene rather than judging the output by a simple source preview.
External HDR capture is a separate case from capturing a game inside the computer. OBS’s HDR support article says an external capture device needs to support a 10-bit format such as P010, and describes device-based HDR capture as supported on Windows at the time of publication. A capture card is relevant only if your source is an external console or camera and your setup needs that path. It is not a requirement for ordinary SDR streaming, and you should check current device specifications before buying anything.
Other workflow and infrastructure changes
OBS 28’s Qt 6 migration was a foundation change intended to keep the application aligned with newer toolkit updates, operating systems and architectures. For streamers, that had a direct cost: OBS 28 dropped support for Windows 7 and 8, macOS 10.13 and 10.14, Ubuntu 18.04, and 32-bit operating systems. People on those systems could not treat version 28 as a routine upgrade. Do not infer from this historical list what a current OBS build supports; consult its current download and system requirements.
On Windows, OBS 28 added application audio capture. It lets you capture the output of a selected process rather than relying only on general desktop audio. For example, you can route a game’s sound into the stream while keeping unrelated system sounds out. The feature was Windows-specific in the release notes, so do not assume an identical workflow on macOS or Linux.
On macOS 12.5 and later, OBS added support for Apple’s ScreenCaptureKit framework. OBS described improved capture performance, and noted direct audio capture without third-party solutions on macOS 13 and later. The version conditions matter: the release did not make those capabilities universal across every Mac running OBS 28. It also listed Apple VT encoder improvements and support for CBR, CRF and Simple Mode on Apple Silicon, with CBR requiring macOS 13 or later.
For automation, the OBS 28 download included obs-websocket 5.0 as a first-party plugin. OBS’s announcement of the integration described a rewritten protocol, additional features and improved reliability, and said integration would help standardise official API support for third-party scripts and tools. If you use a remote control, scene switcher or custom script, check whether it expects the version 5 protocol before upgrading. An older integration may need changes even if the OBS scenes themselves still open.
The release also included additions such as an updated AMD encoder implementation on Windows, NVIDIA background removal integration on Windows, recording splits based on time or file size, and the Yami default theme. These are examples rather than a complete changelog. Platform conditions apply, and a cosmetic theme or recording feature may not affect a live channel that does not use it.
Check operating-system support
Start with the operating system and the exact OBS build you plan to run. OBS 28’s Qt 6 transition excluded the older systems listed above; later releases may have a different support floor. Read the current OBS system requirements and release notes before an upgrade, especially if the channel runs on an older computer that you do not routinely update.
Then check whether the operating system exposes the particular feature you want. Application audio capture in the 28.0 notes was for Windows. ScreenCaptureKit capture began at macOS 12.5, while direct audio capture required macOS 13 or later. HDR preview was unavailable on macOS and Linux at the time of release. These details mean that “OBS supports it” is not enough; the relevant OS version and route through the application have to support it too.
A practical test is to create a copy of your scene collection and run a short private or unlisted test with the planned OS, encoder and output settings. Check video, audio, filters, recording and reconnection behaviour, rather than only confirming that OBS starts. If the channel is a continuous playlist, compare that test with the workflow described in streaming a YouTube playlist with FFmpeg and an M3U file: the relevant choice depends on whether you need OBS’s scenes and live controls or a simpler file-based output.
Check hardware and plugin compatibility
For HDR or 10-bit output, verify the encoder path first. The source notes, GPU generation, codec, colour format, colour space and streaming destination all need to line up. A GPU capable of rendering a game is not automatically capable of the particular 10-bit encoding path you want. If one component cannot handle it, a conventional SDR workflow may be the more dependable choice for that channel.
Next, audit plugins and external tools before changing OBS versions. Plugins that depended on Qt 5 needed updates for Qt 6, and OBS warned that some could stop working after an upgrade. That does not mean every plugin broke. The outcome depended on its own update, operating system and architecture. Check the plugin author’s current compatibility notes and test the exact version you will use, especially where a plugin is central to audio routing, overlays or automation.
Apple Silicon introduces an architecture choice as well as an operating-system choice. OBS 28 offered native Apple Silicon builds, allowing the application to run without x86 emulation. OBS cautioned that some third-party plugins might not yet be available natively; it also said users could use x86 builds when they needed a broader selection of plugins unavailable for the native build. The sensible choice is the build that supports the complete workflow you depend on, not a presumed performance gain. OBS gave no benchmark in the reviewed release material to quantify one.
Make a small compatibility sheet before you upgrade: OBS version, OS version, CPU architecture, GPU or encoder, plugin versions, audio route, capture source and delivery target. Mark each item as verified, uncertain or not needed. Keep a known-working installer and configuration where practical, and test a rollback plan. This is particularly useful for a channel that cannot afford to discover a missing plugin at the start of an overnight run. For more on the trade-offs between keeping a local machine running and moving a continuous broadcast elsewhere, see YouTube 24/7 streaming software vs cloud streaming service.
What the release means for streaming services today
OBS 28’s release notes said HDR streaming at that time was supported through YouTube’s HLS service with an HEVC encoder. That statement describes the service support identified for the 2022 release; it is not evidence that every current YouTube ingest path, account, encoder or setting supports HDR today. Before building around HDR, check YouTube’s current live encoder settings and recommendations and current OBS documentation, then test the actual channel and ingest workflow you intend to use.
The delivery target matters because OBS produces an output, but the service has to accept and process it as intended. A setting visible in OBS is not proof that the platform will deliver the format to viewers. If your audience mostly watches on phones or older displays, or your source is standard SDR devotional music, a stable SDR broadcast may be a better fit than introducing HDR conversion and new compatibility dependencies.
For a 24/7 stream, the less visible workflow changes may matter more than HDR. Application-specific audio can help isolate a Windows program, while a macOS capture improvement applies only to the stated macOS versions. WebSocket integration may help automation, but only after tools have been checked against the new protocol. If a local OBS setup has to remain online around the clock, also plan for power, network interruptions, updates and recovery; configuring OBS to reconnect automatically to YouTube Live addresses one part of that operational picture.
StreamNeo removes the need to keep your own computer switched on for a file-based 24/7 YouTube broadcast: you upload the video, provide your stream key, and the broadcast is monitored and restarted if it drops. That is useful when the pain is maintaining a local machine overnight, but it is YouTube-only and does not replace an OBS workflow that depends on live scene changes, interactive sources or custom plugins.
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
Is OBS Studio 28 the current version?
No. OBS Studio 28.0 was published in 2022, and this article describes its historical changes. Check the official OBS release page and current system requirements before choosing a version to install.
Can OBS 28 stream HDR to YouTube?
The OBS 28 release notes described HDR streaming through YouTube’s HLS service with an HEVC encoder at the time. That does not establish today’s service compatibility, so verify the current YouTube guidance and test your complete output path before relying on HDR.
Do OBS 28 plugins still work after the Qt 6 change?
Some plugins needed updates from Qt 5 to Qt 6, but the effect depended on the individual plugin and platform. Check the author’s current compatibility information for the OBS version and architecture you intend to use, then test before upgrading a live setup.
Do I need an HDR capture card to use OBS 28?
No. A capture device is only relevant if you are bringing HDR video into OBS from an external camera or console. The OBS support notes describe specific 10-bit and platform requirements for that path; ordinary SDR streaming does not require an HDR capture card.