How to Install an OBS Plugin

Add that secret sauce to your live streams and videos with OBS Plugins!

OBS Plugins

If you’re reading this article, you probably already know what OBS is and maybe you saw a live stream where someone did something really unique. But when you asked them they said that they use OBS plugins to do it. And maybe you scratched your head and thought, “what’s a plugin?”

So, let’s get down to the basics first.

Plugin: A software add-on that is installed on a program, enhancing its capabilities.

So to put it simply, OBS has a set of base functionality, but you can expand that functionality by adding these plugins. Some of those added functionalities include different kinds of scene transitions, new types of sources, video filters, audio filters, VST’s, shader filters, etc.

Plugins are what will take your stream from average to savage as you can add different kinds of filters and sources together to create some really cool effects.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: At the time of writing this article, there is no way to install plugins into StreamLabs Desktop (a fork of OBS). If you are wanting to use plugins to enhance the functionality of your live streams, it is required that you switch over to OBS Studio.

Installing Plugins

Installing plugins is relatively easy. Most of them come with a .exe file that you double click and like magic you’re good to go. But just incase, here are some instructions on how to get plugins installed.

Step 1:

Go to https://obsproject.com/forum/plugins/

It’s important that you always get your plugins from trusted sources. I recommend only getting plugins from the official OBS Projects Forum linked above.

Step 2:

Find the Plugin that you are wanting to download.

The Move Transition Plugin is probably the most popular plugin for anyone that is doing anything with plugins inside of OBS. It’s the foundation for a lot of effects.

Step 3:

Click the white Download button in the top right.

Sometimes the button will say “Go To Download” instead of download. In this case it will usually take you to a GitHub page where you will then want to follow those instructions. Please be mindful of what you’re downloading. Plugins from other pages are always downloaded at your own risk.

Step 4:

Choose which installer you want.

When installing for Windows, it is recommended to go with the available installer option to limit the chance for mistakes to occur.

Step 5:

Choose the location where you want to save the plugin.

It doesn’t matter where you download this folder to. Installing the plugin will place the files into the correct directory for them to work.

Step 6:

Extract the .zip folder.

It doesn’t matter where you extract the file to. Installing the plugin will place the files into the correct directory.

Step 7:

Double click the installer.

You’re almost there!

Step 8:

Follow the installation process.

There is no need to change any settings. Just clicking next will get it all squared away for you.

Things to Note

Not all plugins are created equal. There are plugins out there that require slightly altered installation methods. In those cases, please follow the installation instructions found on the OBS forum page or the GitHub page from where you download the plugin.

Also note that you should practice caution whenever you’re downloading anything from public forums (especially GitHub). The OBS community in general is a great community that is always looking to help one another out, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any bad eggs that sneak in.

As with anything on the internet, please exercise caution and be sure to follow sound cyber security practices. A good rule of thumb that I try to follow is that if I don’t feel good about it, I don’t install it.

A good way to determine if a plugin is safe or not is to see what people are saying about the plugin. Looking up reviews from trusted YouTubers can help a lot as well as they usually have lots of experience with the plugins and often times have relationships with the developer of the plugin that they are reviewing.

Another good way is to go with plugins from trusted developers. Exceldro is widely accepted as the king of OBS plugin development, so anything that he puts out is going to be safe.

Conclusion

OBS plugins are a great way to expand the functionality of your OBS installation and can give you tools to really stand out from the crowd! And following this guide makes it easier than ever to install plugins into your OBS.

With OBS Plugins, the sky is the limit. They empower you to bring your creative dreams to life, increase your audience engagement, make your streams and videos far more entertaining, and help you to create something that you can be proud to show off to your users.