Record Webcam and Gameplay to Different Files at the Same Time

OBS Studio lets you send your webcam video to one file and your game to another file during the same recording session. You do this by creating two separate recording outputs instead of one — each output points to its own file and captures different sources. When you hit record, both files save at the same time, so your webcam and gameplay stay perfectly synced without you having to record twice.

This approach is useful if you want to edit them separately later, adjust the webcam size or position without affecting the game footage, or upload them as distinct layers to a video editor. The setup takes about five minutes and uses OBS's built-in Advanced Output mode, which is available in the free version.

Key Takeaways

  • Switch OBS to Advanced Output mode in Settings > Output, then create two recording outputs with different file paths and source selections.
  • Assign your game capture or window to Output 1 and your webcam source to Output 2 so each records independently.
  • Both recordings start and stop together when you press the record button, keeping them in sync without extra work.
  • Check your file paths before recording to make sure you know where each video saves and that you have enough disk space for both files.
  • If one output fails to record, the other continues — check the OBS log file to see which one had a problem.

Switch OBS to Advanced Output Mode

By default, OBS uses straightforward Output mode, which records everything in your scene to a single file. To record separate outputs, you need to switch to Advanced Output mode. Open OBS, go to Settings (bottom right of the main window), then click Output on the left sidebar.

At the top of the Output tab, you will see a dropdown that says "Output Mode" — it is set to "straightforward" by default. Click the dropdown and select Advanced. The Output tab will now show more options, including a section called "Recording" with tabs for Output 1, Output 2, and Output 3. Click explore at the bottom right, then OK to close Settings.

Configure Output 1 for Your Game

Click the Output 1 tab in the Recording section. You will see fields for Type, Recording Path, and Recording Format. Make sure Type is set to "Standard" — this is the default and works for most setups.

In the Recording Path field, type or browse to a folder where you want to save your game footage. For example, C:\Videos\Gameplay on Windows or /Users/YourName/Videos/Gameplay on Mac. The filename will be added automatically based on your format settings. Leave Recording Format set to "mkv" unless you have a reason to change it — mkv is reliable and handles variable frame rates well.

Scroll down to the Recording section (not to be confused with the Recording tab itself). You will see a field called Encoder — leave this on "Default" unless you have a specific reason to change it. Below that, find the Rescale Output checkbox. Leave it unchecked unless you want to shrink the resolution of this output. Then click explore to save these settings.

Configure Output 2 for Your Webcam

Click the Output 2 tab. Repeat the same steps: set Type to "Standard", choose a different Recording Path (for example, C:\Videos\Webcam), and leave Recording Format as "mkv". The key difference is that Output 2 will record only your webcam source, not your game.

Scroll down to the Recording section again. You will see a field called Audio Track — set this to "1" if you want audio in your webcam file, or "None" if you want video only. Most people leave it at "1" so they have their voice or microphone audio in the webcam file. Click explore.

Assign Sources to Each Output in Your Scene

Now you need to tell OBS which sources go to which output. This is done through the Properties panel of each source in your scene. In the main OBS window, look at the Sources panel on the left (below the preview window). You should see your game capture or window source and your webcam source listed.

Right-click your game source (for example, "Game Capture" or "Window Capture") and select Properties. A window will open. Look for a section called Output or Recording Output — this may be near the bottom. Set it to Output 1. Click Close.

Right-click your webcam source and select Properties. Find the same Output section and set it to Output 2. Click Close. Now your game will record to Output 1 and your webcam to Output 2.

Check Your Settings Before Recording

Before you hit record, verify that your sources are in the right place and your file paths are correct. In the main OBS window, look at your scene preview — you should see both your game and your webcam displayed. The preview shows what would be streamed live; the separate outputs ignore the scene layout and record only the sources you assigned to them.

Open Settings one more time and go to Output > Output 1. Confirm the Recording Path is where you want your game file to go. Then check Output 2 and confirm the path is different and points to where you want your webcam file. Make sure you have at least 10 GB of free disk space if you plan to record for more than 30 minutes — video files are large.

If you are using a slow hard drive or an external USB drive, you may see dropped frames. Use a fast internal SSD if possible. Click OK to close Settings.

Start Recording and Monitor Both Outputs

In the main OBS window, click the Start Recording button (red circle icon in the bottom right). OBS will begin recording both outputs at the same time. You will see a timer in the bottom right showing how long you have been recording.

While recording, check the OBS log to make sure both outputs are working. Go to Help (top menu) > Show Logs Folder. Open the most recent log file in a text editor and search for "Output 1" and "Output 2" — you should see messages saying both outputs started successfully. If one output failed, the log will show an error message explaining why.

When you are done, click Stop Recording. OBS will close both files. Navigate to your Recording Path folders and confirm that both files are there and have a file size larger than 0 bytes. If a file is 0 bytes or missing, that output did not record — check the log for the error.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

One output recorded but the other did not. Open the OBS log file (Help > Show Logs Folder) and search for the output that failed. The log will show an error like "Failed to open file" or "Permission denied". This usually means the folder does not exist, the path has a typo, or you do not have write permission to that folder. Create the folder if it does not exist, fix the path, and try again.

Both files are out of sync after recording. This should not happen if you use the same frame rate and audio settings for both outputs. Check that your game source and webcam source are both set to the same frame rate in their Properties. If one is 30 fps and the other is 60 fps, they will drift apart over time. Set both to the same value and re-record.

The files are very large or very small. Large files are normal for video — a 30-minute 1080p recording can be 5 to 10 GB. If a file is much smaller than expected, the output may have crashed partway through. Check the OBS log. If a file is 0 bytes, the output never started — check the Recording Path and make sure the folder exists.

OBS is dropping frames while recording both outputs. Recording two outputs at once uses more CPU and disk speed than recording one. If you see "Dropped Frames" in the OBS status, try lowering the resolution or frame rate of one output, or move your recordings to a faster drive. You can also close other programs to free up CPU.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record more than two separate outputs at once?

Yes. OBS Advanced Output mode supports Output 1, Output 2, and Output 3. Set up Output 3 the same way you set up Output 1 and Output 2 — assign it a file path, then right-click a source and set its output to "Output 3". All three will record at the same time.

Do I need to use different file formats for each output?

No. Both outputs can use the same format (mkv, mp4, flv, etc.). The format is set separately for each output, so you could record Output 1 as mkv and Output 2 as mp4 if you wanted, but there is no reason to. Stick with mkv for both unless you have a specific reason to change.

What if I want to record my webcam with audio but my game without audio?

In Output 2 (webcam), set Audio Track to "1" or "2" depending on which track has your microphone. In Output 1 (game), set Audio Track to "None". This way your webcam file will have sound but your game file will be silent. You can add game audio separately in your video editor if you want.

Can I use straightforward Output mode to record two separate files?

No. straightforward Output mode records everything in your scene to one file only. You must use Advanced Output mode to record separate outputs. The switch takes 30 seconds and is built into OBS.

How do I know if my recordings are actually synced?

Open both files in a video editor like DaVinci Resolve or Shotcut. Drag them both onto the timeline. If they start and end at exactly the same time, they are synced. If one is a few frames ahead or behind, it is usually close enough to sync in the editor by eye — just drag one clip slightly left or right until they line up.