Mac OS · macOS

How To Fix OBS Studio Window Capture Black Screen (Mac OS)

Original source date

Answer

First, close OBS, preferably force quit the application to ensure it’s not running in the background. Next, open up your System Settings. Click on the Apple icon in your Menu bar and select System Settings. On this window, navigate to the Privacy & Security section. Scroll down a bit and select Screen Recording.

Force Quit OBS

First, close OBS, preferably force quit the application to ensure it’s not running in the background.

Force Quit Applications
Force Quit Applications

Allow OBS Screen Recording

Next, open up your System Settings. Click on the Apple icon in your Menu bar and select System Settings. On this window, navigate to the Privacy & Security section. Scroll down a bit and select Screen Recording.

System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording

This will show you a list of applications you can use to record your screen

This will show you a list of applications you can use to record your screen. Toggle the option for OBS.

Allow apps to record your screen
Allow apps to record your screen

If OBS is not showing up in this list, click on the plus icon, which will open yo…

If OBS is not showing up in this list, click on the plus icon, which will open your finder window. Navigate to Applications and select open OBS in this list.

Finder > Applications > OBS
Finder > Applications > OBS

Re-Add Window Capture

You can then proceed to re-open OBS Studio on your Mac. In some cases, the black screen problem will persist as you must remove and replace the previously used Window Capture source.

Update OBS Studio

Some users are experiencing the black screen problem due to the OBS or Mac OS version they are using. While using OBS, click on Help in the Menu bar and select Check for Updates. This will take a second to check if any updates are available, and you can install the latest update.

OBS > Help > Check for Updates
OBS > Help > Check for Updates

Update Mac OS

Back in your system settings, navigate to the General section, and select Software Update. Download the latest update. You will be required to restart your Mac once the download is completed.

System Settings > General > Software Update
System Settings > General > Software Update

Close other Screen Recorders

Lastly, ensure no other screen recorder is running on your Mac, as this could prevent OBS from working correctly.

Video walkthrough

If it does not work

  • What causes the OBS Studio window capture black screen on Mac OS?. There could be several reasons behind this issue, including compatibility issues with Mac OS, outdated software, or incorrect settings in OBS Studio.
  • Is it a common issue among Mac OS users?. Yes, the OBS Studio window capture black screen issue is a common issue among Mac OS users and can be easily fixed.
  • Are there any alternative software options to OBS Studio for Mac OS users?. Yes, there are alternative software options like Ecamm Live, XSplit, and CamTwist, but OBS Studio is one of the most popular and widely used software for screen and game capture on Mac OS.
  • Will this fix work for all Mac OS versions?. The steps to fix the OBS Studio window capture black screen on Mac OS have been tested on recent versions of Mac OS and have shown to be effective.