Is OBS Safe? Your Guide to Safe Screen Recording

OBS Studio is a free screen recorder that seems to do a lot at no cost, but is it too good to be true – is OBS safe? Let’s find out.

So, is OBS Studio safe to download and use? Yes, but you have to be careful where you download the software. You can safely download OBS from the Open Broadcaster Software website. If you’re not sure if you’re downloading it from the right site, don’t hit the download button. To be safe, we don’t recommend clicking on any links from third-party sites to download the program. Instead, open a new browser tab and type in the URL: obsproject.com. If you get the software from this site, it should be safe to download, install, and use.

Because of issues with third-party downloads, a lot of people have been asking, “Is OBS a virus?” The short answer is no, OBS is not a virus, and it doesn’t have any viruses built into its code. However, this comes with a big if. OBS does not have any viruses IF you download it from the official OBS website. Bad actors on other websites have been sneaking malware in with their OBS downloads. Some of these sites will have a “download OBS screen recorder” button that does not actually include OBS but will simply download malware onto your computer. But don’t assume you’re safe if you’ve successfully downloaded a version of OBS from one of these sites. With Trojan malware hidden in OBS’ code, it may not be safe to use OBS once you’ve downloaded it. To be safe, only download OBS directly from OBS’ website.

So, what site is OBS safe to download from? You can always go to obsproject.com to download a virus-free version of the open-source software for a Mac, Windows, or Linux.

Go to the OBS official website

If you’re an online gamer, you may have run into issues recording with OBS. In most cases, this happens when OBS trips a game’s anti-cheating system. These systems are in place to protect users, but they can be overzealous. This issue is common enough that OBS has added an anti-cheat compatibility hooking features to avoid triggering these systems. To record your gameplay without running into any anti-cheat issues, follow these steps:

1. Open OBS and click on Game Capture.

2. The Game Capture window will open. Scroll down until you see Use anti-cheat compatibility hook.

3. Click the checkbox to enable it.

Note that this feature is only meant to be used if a game’s anti-cheat system is interfering with your screen recording. OBS does not recommend turning this feature on if you aren’t having trouble recording your screen, as it can interfere with some security measures and may leave you vulnerable to hackers.

OBS is free because the OBS Project is a collective of volunteer developers and designers on a mission to create open-source software for a variety of uses, including screen recording and video editing. Like a lot of open-source software, while the price is right, there’s not a lot of customer support. Plus, learning to use OBS can be time-consuming and frustrating. If you’re looking for a free screen recording program, check out our article on the best OBS alternatives.

Read about the best OBS alternatives