How to Back Up OBS and Move Your Setup to a New PC

To move an OBS setup, export each scene collection and profile, then copy the media files those scenes use. On the new computer, reinstall any necessary plugins, import the collections and profiles, and check your file paths, devices and streaming settings. A backup can save a lot of rebuilding, but it does not guarantee that every source will work immediately on different hardware.

The export, import and missing-file steps below were tested in an isolated portable copy of OBS Studio 32.2.2 on Windows. Menu names and dialogs may differ in other versions or operating systems. This was a local migration simulation, not a transfer between two physical computers.

What to save

• Scene collections: scenes, sources and their settings. Each collection is separate.
• Profiles: output, video and stream settings. Profiles do not contain scenes.
• Media and fonts: copy overlay images, videos, audio, masks and installable fonts separately. A scene collection export references media; it does not package those files.
• Plugins: keep a list of installed plugins and any separate settings or files they require.

OBS explains the distinction between scene collections and profiles.

Export your scene collections and profiles

On your old computer, open OBS and select a collection. Use Scene Collection > Export and save the export to a backup folder. Repeat for each collection you want to preserve.

Next, select a profile and use Profile > Export. Choose a destination folder. In our Windows test, OBS created a subfolder for the profile containing its settings; keep that subfolder intact. Repeat for any other profiles. Keep both types of backup clearly named so you can distinguish them later.

On the new computer, install OBS and the plugins required by your setup. Use Scene Collection > Import, browse to the exported JSON file, check it in the import list and confirm. For Profile > Import, select the exported profile subfolder, not an individual file. If OBS reports that a profile with that name already exists, preserve your backups and give the existing profile a different name before importing. In our test neither import automatically selected the imported item: choose it in the respective menu and check the active names. Dialogs can vary between OBS versions.

Copy your media

Collect the images, videos, sounds and other files referenced by your scenes. Include overlays, waiting screens, webcam frames, alert media and image masks. Copy them to the new machine, keeping the folder structure where practical. Install any custom fonts separately.

The original file paths may include your old username or drive letter. If the new paths differ, some sources may be empty until you reconnect them. Store a copy of the asset folder alongside your OBS exports for future backups.

Find missing files

If OBS reports missing files after the move, use its missing-files dialog to look for the files in the copied asset folder. Choose Search Directory, select the folder containing the copied files, then choose Apply. You can also browse for an individual file. In our test OBS found a moved image and displayed it again after applying the new path. Check every affected scene. Some sources or filters may need individual attention.

OBS forum guidance explains that Search Directory asks for a folder rather than an individual file. See the OBS discussion.

Optional: back up the OBS settings folder

Copying the configuration folder can preserve collections, profiles and general settings together, but it does not automatically copy your media or install your plugins. Some plugins also keep data elsewhere.

On Windows, the usual settings folder is under %APPDATA%\obs-studio. OBS can open its settings folder through File > Show Settings Folder. The normal macOS location is ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio; on Linux it is commonly ~/.config/obs-studio, with different locations possible for sandboxed installations.

Close OBS before copying configuration files. On the new computer, back up its existing OBS settings separately before replacing anything, so you can undo the change. Keep the original backup until you have checked the new setup. Paths and behavior should be verified for your OBS version and installation.

Reinstall and check the rest

1. Install the plugins your setup needs from their official sources and check compatibility with the new OBS version.
2. Reconnect your streaming account or verify your stream key under Settings > Stream. Treat keys and private source URLs as secrets.
3. Review Settings > Output: your old encoder may not be available on different hardware.
4. Re-select your microphone, webcam and capture devices if necessary.
5. Check browser sources, alerts, fonts, filters and any plugin-specific settings.
6. Make a short test recording and inspect every important scene before going live.

If the old setup is already gone

Check an old drive, your own backups and synchronized folders for the OBS configuration and media. If the disk was erased and no backup exists, a complete recovery is not guaranteed. Download previously purchased assets again where available, then rebuild the essential scenes first.

For a temporary setup, explore free overlays, the free screen tools, and our OBS overlay installation guide.

Backup checklist

• Export every scene collection and profile you need.
• Copy media, fonts and any separate plugin settings.
• Keep the backup in a protected location separate from the computer.
• On the new machine, reinstall plugins and import the files.
• Reconnect missing assets and verify devices, encoder and stream settings.
• Record a test before relying on the new setup.

Frequently asked questions

Does a scene collection export contain my overlay media?

No. Copy image, video and sound files separately and reconnect them if their paths change.

Do plugins move with a profile export?

No. Reinstall the plugins and check whether they have separate settings to transfer.

Is a configuration backup safe to share?

Treat it as private: it may contain stream credentials, tokens, account information or private browser-source URLs. Never publish it openly. If a stream key has been exposed, rotate it through your streaming platform.

How often should I back up OBS?

Back up after important scene or profile changes, and before reinstalling your system or moving computers. Periodically check that the backup can be restored.