OBS Studio can record an entire monitor with Display Capture or one app with Window Capture. Configure the intended audio and recording path, then inspect a short privacy-safe test before recording important work.
Close password managers, personal messages, notifications, and browser tabs you do not intend to record. A screen capture records what is visible in the chosen display or window.
2
Run OBS Auto-Configuration
Open OBS, choose Tools, then Auto-Configuration Wizard. Select recording as the priority and let OBS choose an initial configuration for the computer.
In Sources, click +. Choose Display Capture for a whole monitor or Window Capture for one application, then select the exact display or window you intend to record.
4
Frame the preview
Use the OBS preview to confirm that the source fills the canvas and that private windows are absent. Resize or crop only the selected source rather than capturing a different monitor by mistake.
5
Confirm the audio meters
Check the Audio Mixer while the relevant app plays. OBS captures desktop audio and microphone by default; choose devices in Settings > Audio if a meter is missing or the wrong device is active.
6
Set the path and recording format
Open Settings > Output, choose a writable Recording Path, and select MKV. OBS recommends MKV so an unexpected interruption does not corrupt the whole recording.
Click Start Recording, perform the representative task briefly, stop, then play the saved file. Check text readability, cursor visibility, audio, and file location before the real recording.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
If OBS records the wrong screen, remove only the incorrect capture source and add the intended display or window again; do not rely on a preview you have not checked.
If audio is absent, check which mixer meter should move and select the correct device in Settings > Audio before recording again.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.
