Where Does OBS Studio Save Recordings and Config?
OBS default recording folders per OS plus where scenes, profiles and logs actually live.
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OBS separates output from setup. Recordings default to the OS videos location, while scenes, profiles, plugin settings and logs live in an obs-studio config folder in AppData or its equivalent.
That split explains the two most common confusions. A full drive usually means recordings, while a lost setup after reinstall means the config folder was never backed up.
Where OBS Studio stores this, by platform
C:\Users\[Username]\Videos
Default recording path, changeable under Settings > Output > Recording Path. Config at %APPDATA%\obs-studio with scenes in basic/scenes and profiles in basic/profiles. Install itself at C:\Program Files\obs-studio.
/Users/[Username]/Movies
Default recording path. Config at ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio with the same basic/scenes and basic/profiles layout. Change output under Settings > Output.
/home/[Username]/Videos
Default recording path. Config under ~/.config/obs-studio in most packagings. Portable ZIP builds instead keep settings beside the app folder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change where OBS saves recordings?
Open Settings > Output and set Recording Path to the new folder. Existing files stay put, so move them manually if you want one archive.
What do I back up to keep scenes and profiles?
The obs-studio config folder: %APPDATA%/obs-studio on Windows or the Application Support equivalent on Mac. It holds scenes, profiles, plugin_config and logs.
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