OBS Screen Recording on Arch Linux: Professional Setup Guide
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Need to capture your screen on Arch Linux without the headache of black screen issues or lag? Whether you want to record a quick tutorial, share your terminal workflow, or capture gameplay, OBS Studio is the most reliable tool, provided it is configured correctly for the Arch ecosystem.
Welcome back to MusaBase! In today's guide, I will show you the most efficient way to install OBS Studio using Pacman and, more importantly, how to fine-tune your Output and Video settings for professional-grade results right from the first boot.
In this guide, we will cover:
- Installing OBS Studio and critical dependencies via Pacman
- Navigating the First-Boot Auto-Configuration for optimal results
- Fine-tuning Bitrate and Encoders based on your hardware
- Adjusting Canvas and Output Resolution for crisp video quality
By the end of this tutorial, your OBS Studio will be fully optimized and ready to record your Arch Linux workflow with maximum efficiency. Let’s get started!
What is OBS Studio?
OBS Studio is a free and open-source, cross-platform streaming and recording solution. It is the industry standard for content creators, allowing you to capture high-quality video from your screen, webcam, or games, and mix them with professional audio filters. On Arch Linux, it stands out for its efficiency, giving you total control over hardware encoding without the telemetry bloat found in other operating systems.
Prerequisites
Before we jump into the installation, it is important to ensure your system is ready. I am currently using KDE Plasma on Arch Linux, which means most graphical dependencies and portal services are already pre-installed, making the process a simple one-line command for me.
However, if you are starting from a minimal CLI environment or a lightweight Window Manager (like i3 or Sway), OBS requires a few extra "portal" dependencies to communicate with your hardware. If you are still in the early stages, you can check out my complete Arch Linux installation to get your base system ready. Or, if you want to skip the headache of manual configuration and get a polished desktop like mine, you can follow my KDE Plasma setup guide first. If your system is already set up, feel free to skip this section and head straight to the installation.
System Requirements:
- Processor: Any x86_64 compatible processor.
- RAM: 4GB minimum (8GB or more recommended for 60FPS streaming).
- Disk Space: 500MB for installation (Additional space for recordings).
- Desktop Environment: KDE Plasma, GNOME, or any X11/Wayland compositor (Optional but recommended).
Step 1: Install OBS Studio & Required Dependencies
In this step, we will use the Pacman package manager to install OBS Studio along with the necessary backend portals required for a seamless recording experience. But first, let's perform a quick system update to ensure our local package database is fully synced with the official repositories, preventing any potential installation conflicts.
- Run:
sudo pacman -Syu1.1: Install OBS and Virtual Camera
We will install the core obs-studio package along with the v4l2loopback-dkms driver. This combination not only gives you the full recording suite but also enables the Virtual Camera feature, allowing you to use your OBS scenes as a webcam in third-party apps like Discord or Zoom.
- Run:
sudo pacman -S obs-studio v4l2loopback-dkms
Install Required Desktop Portals (For Wayland / Minimal WM Users)
If you are using a minimal setup with a Window Manager running on Wayland such as Sway or Hyprland, OBS will not be able to capture your screen out of the box. Wayland does not allow direct screen access, so you must install the XDG Desktop Portals to handle screen sharing and permissions properly. Since I am on KDE Plasma, these components are already pre-installed, but for a minimal Wayland setup, you need to install them manually.
- Run:
sudo pacman -S xdg-desktop-portal qt6-waylandDepending on your compositor or desktop environment, you will also need one of the following backend packages to avoid the Black Screen issue in OBS:
Step 2: OBS Studio First-Boot Optimization
After a successful installation, it's time to launch OBS Studio for the first time. In this step, we will explore the initial interface and navigate through the Auto-Configuration Wizard to select the best baseline settings for your hardware, ensuring your recording environment is ready for action.
Launch OBS
To launch OBS, we can simply run obs in the terminal, or if you have installed a desktop environment like KDE Plasma, you can also open it from the application menu.
- Run:
obs
OBS First Boot Optimization
- When you launch OBS for the first time, it will ask how you intend to use the software.
- Since I need OBS specifically for recording, I am selecting "Optimize just for recording, I will not be streaming."
- OBS asks this to automatically optimize its settings according to your preference, so you can get the best possible performance out of it.
- Simply select the option that fits your needs and click Next to proceed.
- In the next step, OBS will ask for the Base (Canvas) Resolution, which is your preview area, and the FPS you want for your recordings.
- By default, these values are automatically set according to your current display settings.
- Since these default values work perfectly for me, I am moving forward without changing anything. However, you can adjust them based on your hardware before clicking Next.
- After you select your initial preferences, OBS will perform a series of internal tests to analyze your system's performance.
- During this process, it checks your video and audio encoders, as well as your video resolution and target FPS, to automatically determine the most stable settings for your hardware.
- This ensures that the software is fully optimized to provide a smooth recording experience without manual trial and error.
- Once the testing and analyzing process is complete, and if no issues or errors are found, OBS will show you a quick overview of the newly optimized settings.
- If these settings meet your requirements and look good for your hardware, simply click on Apply Settings to finalize the configuration.
- Once you click Apply Settings, the wizard will close, and you will be presented with the main OBS Studio interface.
- At this stage, your OBS will be empty with no active Sources or Scenes, meaning you are now ready to manually add your screen, window, or camera to start your first project.
Step 3: OBS Studio Recording Configuration
Although the Auto-Configuration Wizard provides a good starting point, manual fine-tuning is essential for achieving professional-grade output. In this step, we will dive into the Settings menu to manually configure the output path, recording quality, and encoder settings to ensure the videos are crisp, high-quality, and perfectly optimized for post-production. Please note that these are my personal preferences; while these settings are not mandatory, if you are new to OBS, they can serve as an excellent starting point to help you get the best results.
OBS Settings for Best Video Quality
- Click on Settings at the bottom right corner of the OBS main interface.
3.1: Change Default Save File Location in OBS
- When you open the Settings menu, a new dialogue box will appear featuring a navigation sidebar on the left and detailed options on the right.
- From the left sidebar, select the Output tab to access your streaming and recording configurations.
- By default, OBS saves your videos in your Root (Home) folder, but since we are going to set the output to crisp and lossless quality, the file sizes will be massive.
- Personally, I prefer to save my recordings to a separate disk partition to keep my Root partition free for OS updates and system packages.
- To change this, scroll down to the Recording section on the right side, where you can browse and select your preferred storage location.
3.2: Configure OBS Video Recording Quality
- By default, OBS sets the video quality to High Quality, Medium File Size, which is a balanced option for general use.
- This default setting is decent for simple backgrounds or very long recordings where you want to keep the file size conservative.
- However, for my videos, I prefer to use Indistinguishable Quality, Large File Size. Even though this increases storage usage by about 20-30%, I prefer the extra space for a near-lossless and incredibly sharp video output.
3.3: Configure OBS Recording Video Format
- By default, OBS uses the Hybrid MP4 (.mp4) format. This is an excellent choice for users of Adobe Premiere Pro.
- If you are using DaVinci Resolve, the Hybrid MOV (.mov) format is highly recommended for better compatibility and stability.
- For Apple’s Final Cut Pro users, selecting the QuickTime (.mov) format will provide the most seamless workflow.
- Using Hybrid formats is safer; if your system crashes, your recording remains recoverable, unlike traditional MP4 files which would become corrupt.
3.4: OBS Video & Audio Encoder Configuration
- The default Video and Audio Encoders selected by OBS are generally the best for most users as they provide a solid balance between performance and quality.
- If you need highly specialized encoding options or professional-grade customization, you can expand OBS's capabilities by installing separate Plugins.
- Personally, I am leaving these as default because they are perfectly optimized for my workflow and provide the best results for my hardware.
- Keeping these on their default settings is recommended to ensure system stability while you get started with your recordings.
3.5: Applying Recording Settings
- After finalizing your recording configuration, click on the Apply button in the bottom right corner to save all your changes.
- Once applied, your new settings will be active, and OBS will be fully configured for high-quality recording.
OBS Output Video Resolution Settings
- In the Settings dialogue box, navigate to the left sidebar and click on the Video tab.
- By default, OBS often sets the Output (Scaled) Resolution, which determines the final resolution of your saved video file to 720p (1280x720).
- While this helps in reducing the file size, it results in a compressed and less sharp video compared to modern high-definition standards.
- I prefer my recordings to match my monitor's native resolution for maximum clarity; to do this, click on the Output (Scaled) Resolution dropdown and select the resolution that fits your specific needs (e.g., 1080p or 4K) and click on Apply.
Step 4: Record with OBS Studio
Now that we have finished the essential configurations, it's time to move toward our first recording. To do that we need to add a Source, a source is any visual or audio input we want to capture, such as the desktop screen, a specific application window, or a webcam. These sources are the building blocks of our video, allowing us to layer different inputs like adding a microphone for voice or an image for branding to create a complete scene. In this step, we will add these sources and finally start our first recording session.
Add Source
- To add a source, click on the + sign button located at the bottom in the second small box from the left.
- A list will appear displaying various source options such as Window Capture, Video Capture Device, and Audio Input.
- For this tutorial, I am selecting the Screen Capture (PipeWire) source to record the entire desktop.
- After selecting Screen Capture, a dialogue box will open where you can provide a custom Source Name and choose whether to capture your entire screen or a specific application window.
- In the properties window, you will find two primary capture methods: the first allows you to capture your Full Screen (your entire monitor), a Virtual Screen, or even specific Selected Rectangle Regions.
- The second option is to capture a Specific Window, which is ideal if you only want to record one particular application while keeping the rest of your desktop private.
- For this demonstration, I am choosing the Specific Window option and selecting my terminal window as the target.
- Once you have made your selection, OBS will display a final preview of the capture area; if everything looks correct, simply click OK to finalize the source.
- Usually, if you select a Specific Window as a source and its dimensions are smaller than your OBS base canvas resolution, OBS will automatically place it in one of the corners (top-left, right, etc.).
- This leaves the rest of the canvas area black, which results in unprofessional-looking videos with large empty borders.
- To fix this and ensure your source fills the entire frame, click on the source within the OBS canvas and press the Ctrl + F shortcut.
- This command instantly performs a Fit to Screen action, automatically scaling your lower-resolution source to fill the entire canvas and eliminating those unwanted black bars.
Hit Record
Now that everything is set, lets hit record button and test it:
Here is my recorded video for demonstartion:
Since its a very small dimension video, that why it is showing in a small box.
Changing Source to Full Screen
Frequently Asked Questions: OBS Studio on Arch Linux
What is OBS Studio and why should I use it on Arch Linux?
OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) is a free and open source cross platform solution for video recording and live streaming. On Arch Linux, it is the industry standard for content creators because it gives you complete control over hardware encoding, supports all major capture sources, and runs efficiently without unnecessary bloat. It is ideal for recording tutorials, gameplay, coding sessions, or any professional screen capture work.
How do I install OBS Studio on Arch Linux?
Installation is straightforward using the official Arch repositories. First update your system:
sudo pacman -Syu
Then install the core package along with the virtual camera driver:
sudo pacman -S obs-studio v4l2loopback-dkms
Pacman automatically pulls in essential dependencies like FFmpeg for encoding and Qt6 for the interface.
What is v4l2loopback dkms and why do I need it?
v4l2loopback dkms is a kernel module that creates a virtual video device on your system. It enables the Virtual Camera feature in OBS, which allows you to output your OBS scenes as a webcam feed to other applications like Discord, Zoom, or browser based tools. Without it, the Virtual Camera option will be missing or non functional.
Why do I need xdg desktop portal packages on Wayland or minimal setups?
On Wayland compositors (like Sway, Hyprland, or GNOME on Wayland), direct screen capture is restricted for security. The xdg desktop portal framework handles permission based screen sharing. For OBS to capture your screen on Wayland, you must install:
sudo pacman -S xdg-desktop-portal qt6-wayland
You may also need a backend specific to your compositor, such as xdg-desktop-portal wlr for Sway/Hyprland or xdg-desktop-portal gtk for GNOME. If you are on KDE Plasma, these portals are usually pre installed.
How do I launch OBS Studio after installation?
You can launch OBS from the terminal by typing:
obs
Or find it in your desktop environment's application menu by searching for OBS Studio. The first launch will open the Auto Configuration Wizard to help you set up optimal initial settings.
What is the Auto Configuration Wizard and should I use it?
Yes, it is highly recommended. The wizard asks whether you want to optimize for streaming or recording, then tests your hardware (encoders, resolution, FPS) and applies the best settings for your system. It saves you time and ensures a stable baseline. You can later fine tune these settings manually.
How do I change the default recording save location in OBS?
To avoid filling up your root partition with large video files, change the output path:
- Open Settings → Output.
- In the Recording section, click Browse next to Recording Path.
- Select a folder on a separate drive or partition (e.g., /mnt/data/recordings).
- Click Apply to save the change.
How do I configure recording quality in OBS for best results?
For high quality recordings with minimal loss:
- Go to Settings → Output.
- Under Recording, set Quality to Indistinguishable Quality, Large File Size.
- This setting produces near lossless video, ideal for editing. File sizes will be larger but quality is preserved.
Which video format should I choose in OBS for compatibility with editors?
The best format depends on your editing software:
- Hybrid MP4 (.mp4): Recommended for Adobe Premiere Pro.
- Hybrid MOV (.mov): Ideal for DaVinci Resolve (better compatibility and stability).
- QuickTime (.mov): Best for Apple Final Cut Pro.
Hybrid formats are safer because they remain recoverable even if your system crashes during recording, unlike traditional MP4 files which can become corrupted.
How do I adjust the output video resolution in OBS?
By default, OBS may set the output resolution to 720p to save space. To match your monitor's native resolution:
- Go to Settings → Video.
- Under Output (Scaled) Resolution, choose your desired resolution (e.g., 1920x1080 or 3840x2160).
- Click Apply. Your recordings will now be saved at that higher resolution.
How do I add a screen capture source in OBS?
To capture your desktop or a specific window:
- In the main OBS window, click the + button under the Sources box.
- Select Screen Capture (PipeWire) (or Screen Capture (XSHM) if on X11).
- Name your source and click OK.
- Choose whether to capture the entire screen or a specific window, then click OK again.
How do I fit a source to the canvas in OBS to remove black bars?
If your source appears small with black borders:
- Click on the source in the preview window to select it.
- Press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + F.
- This instantly scales the source to fill the entire canvas, removing any unwanted black areas.
My OBS screen capture shows a black screen, how do I fix it?
Black screen issues are common on Wayland or when portals are missing. Try these steps:
- Ensure you have installed the required portal packages: xdg-desktop-portal and the backend for your compositor (e.g., xdg-desktop-portal wlr).
- Restart OBS and try the Screen Capture (PipeWire) source again.
- If on X11, use Screen Capture (XSHM) instead.
- Check that your user has permissions to access the screen; sometimes a logout/login or reboot helps.
Can OBS use hardware encoding on AMD or NVIDIA GPUs?
Yes. OBS automatically detects available encoders. For AMD, it will use VAAPI or AMF (with appropriate drivers). For NVIDIA, NVENC is supported out of the box if the proprietary drivers are installed. In Settings → Output, you can select the hardware encoder from the Encoder dropdown. Hardware encoding reduces CPU load and is recommended for high resolution recording.
How do I update OBS Studio on Arch Linux?
Regular system updates will keep OBS up to date. Simply run:
sudo pacman -Syu
This will upgrade all packages including OBS Studio and its dependencies. If a new kernel is installed, reboot to ensure the v4l2loopback module loads correctly.
Explore More
With OBS Studio now fully configured, your Arch Linux system is officially a content creation powerhouse. You have successfully navigated from a minimal terminal setup to a professional-grade recording environment. The advantage of setting this up on Arch is the lean performance, every bit of your hardware is now dedicated to producing the highest quality video without unnecessary background bloat.
That’s a wrap on our OBS Studio guide for Arch Linux! Whether you are recording tutorials, gameplay, or coding sessions, you now have the perfect foundation. If you face any issues with encoders, PipeWire capture, or audio syncing, drop a comment below, I’m here to help you troubleshoot.
101 out, I’ll see you in the next one!