How to Use Green Screen in OBS [Set up and Settings]

A green screen is a great accessory for streamers and content creators who want to hide their background or replace it with something else entirely. Once you have one, it can be tricky to learn how to set up a green screen, but once you have the instructions down, you’ll be able to appear like you are anywhere you wish!

Learning how to use the chroma key feature on OBS Studio will allow you to replace a solid green background with either a still image or another video source. Using any green-screen effect can fine-tune your content and allow you to get more laughs on your live stream.

This article will take you through the step-by-step process of setting up your green screen or chroma key in OBS.

How to Set Up Chroma Key Settings in OBS

The process of setting up your chroma key settings in OBS is quite simple and can be done within a few minutes. However, you should note that you will want to set up your equipment and turn on your lighting before adjusting the settings in OBS Studio. This way, you won’t have to adjust them again when you go live.

To set up a green screen in OBS, you will need to complete the following instructions:

1. Step 1

   Install and open OBS. Press the “Plus” icon located underneath the sources box from your main screen. 

2. Step 2

   

   Select “Video Capture Device from the available options. Name is whatever you would like to keep track of your sources.

3. Step 3

   

   If your webcam is installed, it should auto-populate in the fields. If it doesn’t, or you have multiple cameras, select the correct camera manually. 

4. Step 4

   

   Once you click “Ok”, right-click on your video capture device in the source box. Select “Filters” from the menu that appears.  

5. Step 5

   

   A pop-up box will appear. Click the “plus” icon under the Effect Filters box. Choose Chroma Key from the available options. 

6. Step 6

   

   Select the color of your screen, then adjust the similarity and smoothness bars until you land on the settings you need. Adjustments will vary from person to person depending on light, green screen quality, and distance from the screen. 

7. Step 7

   

   Save your settings when you’re finished. You should be ready to start streaming. 

Tip: Add an image layer or video source behind your webcam layer to have a new background. The chroma key effect will keep your real background removed and show your face and body in a new environment. Note that good lighting is important when using green screens.

Tips to Make Your Green Screen Settings Better

You can do a few things to make your green screen settings better in OBS studio. Try out the following techniques to make sure you are broadcasting a quality stream:

• Different Shades of Green

  If you are using different backdrops or a series of green items behind you (or if you are simply struggling to remove all the shadows which are altering the shades of green), you can use the chroma key source more than once to remove different shades, allowing you to get better background removal.

• Remove Any Green or Reflective Clothing

  Wearing green or reflective clothing while using the chroma key tool could “remove” parts of your body. Even blonde hair can sometimes have issues due to its reflective qualities.

• Play With Spacing

  If possible, play with the spacing between you and the green screen behind you. This can help you remove shadows to give your viewers a better show.

• Strong CPU

  Removing your background while streaming live can be CPU intensive. You may need to ensure your computer is powerful enough or upgrade some of its components.

• Chroma Key Works on Stills Too

  Not only will OBS Studio remove the background of your live video feeds, but you can also remove the backgrounds on pre-recorded videos and still images.

Should You Replace Your Green Screen Background in OBS?

Depending on the look you’re going for, you can either remove your background or replace it with something more visually interesting. There are many great webcam background ideas for Twitch. Here are just a few:

• Supermarket Aisle

  When Eljayem_ began streaming with a webcam, he used a backdrop of a milk aisle and made sure that his webcam overlay was large enough you could see the milk from a thumbnail. Many randoms would come into his chat just to ask about it or make a joke. Several would become a part of his community.

• Penthouse Suite

  Appear to live the life of luxury. You could also either wear a suit to blend into your environment or other apparel (such as scuba gear) that wouldn’t fit into the design.

• Driver’s Seat of a Car

  Note that a few viewers may potentially think you are actually driving. Make sure your mods know how to handle the situation. This background is another setting that is great for community engagement.

• Treehouse

  Remind people of childhood adventures in their own treehouses. Or use this backdrop as part of an all-night stream where you tell scary stories to your audience.

• Major League Sporting Stadium

  Not only should you have backdrops of you on the field, but you could also have others with you in the stands or on the stadium screen. Use each in a different part of your stream. Perfect for those who play sporting games.

• International Space Station

  Because, why not? Be the envy of Twitch by streaming from outer space! Or at least make it appear that way.

• Fighter Jet

  Like several others on this list, the fighter jet background is perfect for generating engagement.

• News Station

  Give your audience updates about your community or upcoming events behind the desk of a newscaster. Add newsy sound clips to bring the illusion home.

• Video Background

  Film something ahead of time or use stock footage to create a very fun look. T10Nat filmed herself walking around her room and plays the footage in her background. It makes for very interesting visuals and her viewers love it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Chroma Key Screen Have to Be Green For OBS?

Your green screen doesn’t technically have to be green in order to disappear with the chroma key filter. Many people will use blue, red, or any other color to remove in the baseline settings. What is important is that the reflective material is all the same color so that it will be removed together. You will also want to choose a color that you don’t typically wear.

Does OBS Allow Green Screen?

Yes, OBSdoes have chroma key filter effects that allow you to use green screens to either remove or replace your background. As long as you have a green screen set up behind you, OBS will allow you to remove it from your video capture source or replace your background with other image files.

Is Chroma Keying CPU Intensive?

Removing a green screen on OBS or any other live-streaming software will be CPU intensive. You will want to ensure that your computer setup can handle it so that you can still stream without quality issues.

Conclusion

Streaming with a green screen can open up many opportunities for increasing viewer engagement on your stream. With these simple OBS steps to use your chroma key filter to remove a green screen from a video source, you’ll be on your way in no time.