How to Record Multiple Cameras in OBS

Before you start

OBS Studio records locally on your computer. It can combine several camera sources into one scene, but it does not host or transmit the recording by itself. Check that each camera is connected before opening OBS and that no other application is using the same camera exclusively. If a camera appears in another app, close that app first so OBS can access the capture source.

In your operating system settings, confirm that OBS has camera permission. Without that permission, a selected camera may not appear in the list of devices. USB cameras should be plugged into a direct port or a powered hub that can sustain all connected cameras at once.

Step-by-step instructions

1) Open OBS Studio and create or open the scene collection where you want the recording.

2) In the Sources panel, select the plus button and choose Video Capture Device.

3) Choose the first camera from the Device menu. If the menu is empty, close OBS, check camera permission in the operating system, and reopen OBS.

4) Select a resolution and frame rate that the camera supports. Using a resolution or frame rate that the device cannot deliver may leave the source blank or cause the selected camera to be ignored.

5) Name the source after the camera position, such as Main or Side, so later adjustments are easier to identify.

6) Add another Video Capture Device source and choose the next camera. Repeat this for each additional capture source.

7) Arrange the sources in the preview. Sources higher in the list appear above lower sources, so place a full-screen camera as the base and smaller camera feeds above it.

8) Select a camera source and click the lock icon if you want to move or resize it in the preview. You can also enter exact position and size values in the source properties or transform menu.

9) Open Settings and choose Output. Select a recording format that matches your editing workflow. Higher bitrate improves quality but creates larger files, while encoding settings affect CPU or GPU load.

10) Close Settings and select Start Recording when the scene is ready.

Check the output

Stop the recording and open the file in a media player. Confirm that every camera feed is visible, the audio is present where expected, and no source shows a black frame or frozen image. Check the recording format and file location shown in the Output settings if the file cannot be found.

For a longer test, record for one or two minutes while cameras are active. Watch for stutter, audio drift, or a camera that drops after several seconds. The preview can look smooth while the saved recording reveals encoding problems, so verify the actual file rather than relying only on the OBS preview.

Common problems and next steps

If a camera does not appear, the usual cause is another program holding the device or missing camera permission. It can also help to reduce duplication: remove and re-add the source after the camera has been released.

When output is stuttering, lower the frame rate, bitrate, or output resolution rather than adding more visual effects. A busy USB controller may also struggle with several high-resolution cameras, so reduce each camera's capture resolution or connect them to different controllers.

Poor lighting affects image quality before encoding settings do. Position lights so each camera faces a consistent source, then adjust exposure in the camera properties if the device exposes that control.

If one camera works in the preview but not in another scene collection, check the source properties for that scene. A source can be configured separately per scene, and a lower-resolution capture source may need to be replaced with the correct device.