How To Fix OBS Studio No Source Selected / Not Showing

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to resolve the "No Source Selected" or "Not Showing" issue in OBS Studio. This common problem can prevent your scenes from displaying correctly during live streams or recordings. We will walk through the necessary steps to check your capture settings and ensure your sources are set up properly.

Step 1: Check Your Scene Configuration

• Open OBS Studio and ensure you have a scene created.
• If you don’t have a scene:
  • Click on the "+" button in the "Scenes" panel to create a new scene.
• Once your scene is created, proceed to add a source.

Step 2: Add a Source

• In the "Sources" panel, click on the "+" button to add a new source.
• Choose the type of source you want to add:
  • Display Capture: Captures your entire screen.
  • Game Capture: Captures a specific game window.
  • Window Capture: Captures a specific application window.
• After selecting, follow the prompts to configure the source settings.

Step 3: Configure Source Settings

• After adding a source, make sure it is properly configured:
  • For Display Capture:
    • Ensure the correct display is selected if you have multiple monitors.
  • For Game Capture:
    • Select the specific game from the dropdown list.
    • Make sure the game is running before adding this source.
  • For Window Capture:
    • Choose the application window you want to capture.

Step 4: Check Source Visibility

• Ensure the source you added is visible:
  • In the "Sources" panel, ensure there is an eye icon next to your source. If it is crossed out, click it to make it visible.

Step 5: Adjust Source Order

• Drag and drop the sources in the "Sources" panel to adjust their order:
  • The order here matters; make sure your desired source is above any overlapping sources.

Step 6: Troubleshoot Common Issues

• If your source is still not showing:
  • Restart OBS Studio.
  • Check if your graphics card drivers are up to date.
  • Run OBS Studio as an administrator.
  • Ensure no other applications are interfering with screen capture.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the "No Source Selected" or "Not Showing" issue in OBS Studio. Always verify your scene and source configurations, and troubleshoot common issues as needed. If problems persist, consider checking online forums or the OBS support community for additional help. Happy streaming!