Virtual Camera Driver: How to Install and Use the OBS Virtual Camera

The short answer

A virtual camera driver is software that makes your computer show a camera that doesn't physically exist. Video apps see it in their camera list just like a webcam, but the picture comes from another program. With OBS Studio, that program is OBS: whatever is in your OBS output can be sent to Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, Discord or a browser as if it were a webcam.

Current versions of OBS Studio include their own virtual camera, so you usually don't need to download a separate driver. You install OBS, allow any system component it asks for, click Start Virtual Camera, and then choose OBS Virtual Camera as the camera in your call app. Older guides describe a separate plugin for this. That plugin is no longer needed for a normal OBS setup.

"Virtual camera driver" can also mean drivers from other products, such as webcam vendor utilities or background-effect apps. They work on the same principle but are installed and managed differently. This guide covers OBS only.

Before you start

• Get OBS Studio from its official project site or your operating system's official app store or package manager. Avoid repackaged "driver download" sites.
• Use an account that can approve installations. On most systems the virtual camera component needs administrator approval once.
• Set up at least one scene in OBS with a visible source, such as your webcam, a screen capture or an image. Otherwise the virtual camera shows a blank or black picture.
• Close the video-call app before you install or update OBS. Many apps only check for cameras when they start.

Installing and enabling the virtual camera

Windows

The standard OBS installer registers the virtual camera during installation. Run the installer and approve the administrator prompt. After that, the OBS Virtual Camera device should be available to other apps. If it's missing later, run the OBS installer again with administrator rights. This usually repairs the registration.

macOS

On recent macOS versions, the OBS virtual camera runs as a system extension that you have to approve. The first time you click Start Virtual Camera, macOS may say a system extension was blocked or needs permission. Open System Settings and look in Privacy & Security, or in the extensions section under General, depending on your macOS version. Allow the OBS camera extension there. You may need to restart OBS or the computer before call apps can see it.

Linux

On Linux, OBS uses a kernel module called v4l2loopback to create the virtual video device. Install it through your distribution's package manager if it isn't already installed. When you start the virtual camera, OBS may ask for your password so it can load the module. If the button does nothing or reports an error, the module is usually missing or failed to load. Secure Boot settings can also stop unsigned kernel modules from loading.

Sending OBS video to your call app

• 1. Open OBS and select the scene you want other people to see.
• 2. In the Controls panel, usually at the bottom right, click Start Virtual Camera. The button label changes to Stop Virtual Camera while it's running.
• 3. Open your video-call app or website. If it was already open, quit it fully and reopen it.
• 4. Go to the app's video or camera settings and choose OBS Virtual Camera.
• 5. If you're using a browser, allow camera access for that site when the browser asks. Also check that the operating system's camera permission is on for the browser itself.
• 6. Check the app's camera preview before you join a call.

How to check that it worked

Each check below confirms something different, so do them in order.

What you see | What it confirms | What it doesn't confirm

OBS Virtual Camera appears in the app's camera list | The driver is installed and the app can detect it | That any video is coming through

The app's preview shows your OBS scene | The app is receiving the OBS feed | How the video will look to other people in a real call

Another participant or a test call shows your scene clearly | The video is reaching the other end | Anything about your audio

A useful test is to change something in OBS, such as switching scenes or covering the webcam source. If the app's preview changes at the same moment, the routing works.

Common problems and what to try

• OBS Virtual Camera isn't in the list: quit the call app completely and reopen it. If it's still missing, reinstall OBS (Windows), approve the system extension (macOS) or check v4l2loopback (Linux).
• The camera is listed but the picture is black: make sure the virtual camera is actually started in OBS and the current scene has a visible source. Also check that your physical webcam isn't being used by another app at the same time.
• The browser shows nothing: check the site's camera permission in the browser, then the operating system's camera permission for the browser.
• The image looks mirrored: many call apps mirror your own preview but send unmirrored video to other people. Check the app's mirror setting before you change anything in OBS.
• One particular app won't accept the camera: some apps or app versions don't support virtual cameras. Check that app's documentation. We couldn't confirm a reliable list of which apps support them.

What the virtual camera doesn't do

The OBS virtual camera carries video only. Microphone audio and any audio sources you add in OBS aren't sent along with it. In the call app, choose your microphone as usual. Seeing a microphone in the list and seeing its level meter move are separate checks from someone actually hearing you clearly. If you need to send OBS's mixed audio into a call, you'll need a separate virtual audio device. That is outside the scope of this guide.

Backgrounds work the same way. A background you build in OBS, such as a chroma key or an image behind you, is part of the video feed. The call app's own blur or background effect is a separate layer added on top. Using both can cause odd edges or flicker. If that happens, turn one of them off.

Limits of this guide

This guide describes general behavior that applies to current OBS Studio releases. It doesn't list exact version numbers, supported operating-system versions or app-by-app compatibility, because we couldn't confirm those details. Menu names in macOS settings and in individual call apps change between versions. If a step doesn't match what you see, look for the camera, extensions or privacy section with a similar name.