OBS IP Camera: Add a Security Camera Feed to OBS

You can add an OBS IP camera feed by creating a Media Source, switching off "Local File", and pasting the camera's local RTSP address into the input box. This only works if your camera model exposes an RTSP stream and the computer running OBS is on the same network as the camera. The stream you see in the phone app travels through a different, app-only connection and cannot be pasted into OBS. If your model has no RTSP, the fallback is to capture the window of the desktop client or emulator instead.

This guide covers getting the picture into OBS and keeping it stable: delay, a black source, freezes and dropped frames. Finding the camera's IP address and testing the address itself are covered in our separate RTSP guide, linked below.

Why OBS cannot use the app stream directly

The phone app and the desktop client usually reach your camera through a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection. The app signs in to your account, finds the camera by its device ID, and opens an encrypted link to it, even from outside your home. That link is private to the app: there is no web address you can copy, so OBS has nothing to open.

OBS can only read a standard video stream. On cameras that support it, that stream is RTSP, often advertised alongside ONVIF. It is a separate output from the camera, and on most models it runs in parallel with the app, so using OBS does not stop you watching on your phone.

So there are two routes:

1. RTSP into a Media Source (best quality, lowest effort once it works), if your model exposes RTSP.
2. Window Capture of the desktop client (works with any model the client supports, but lower quality and the client must stay open and visible).

Check the manual, the box or the product listing for "RTSP" or "ONVIF" before you start. Support varies by model and firmware, so a friend's camera working is no guarantee yours will.

Before you open OBS: test the address in VLC first

OBS gives very little feedback when a stream fails. A wrong password, a wrong path and an unsupported model all look the same: a black or empty source. VLC tells you much more, so prove the address works there first.

Our guide to finding your camera's IP address and opening it in VLC walks through the full process. In short, you need:

• The camera's local IP address, from your router's device list. Set a DHCP reservation so it does not change after a restart, or your OBS scene will go black next week.
• The device password set in the camera's security settings in the app, which on many models is different from your app account password.
• The stream path, which is set by the firmware. For cameras used with the Yoosee app, paths such as /onvif1 (main stream) and /onvif2 (lower-quality stream) are often reported, but test them on your model.

The address usually looks like this worked example, assuming the router gave the camera 192.168.1.50 and it uses the common default port 554:

rtsp://admin:YourDevicePassword@192.168.1.50:554/onvif1

When this plays in VLC on the same computer that runs OBS, you are ready.

Step by step: add the camera as a Media Source

Menu labels below are from recent OBS versions on Windows and Mac. Older versions may name things slightly differently.

1. Open OBS and pick a scene. Create a new scene if you want the camera on its own, for example "Front door".
2. Add a source. Click the plus button under the Sources panel and choose Media Source. Give it a clear name such as "Shop camera" and click OK.
3. Untick "Local File". The properties window changes to show an Input box instead of a file browser.
4. Paste the RTSP address into Input. Leave Input Format empty; OBS detects it.
5. Set the playback options:
   • Tick Restart playback when source becomes active, so the stream reconnects when you switch to this scene.
   • Tick Use hardware decoding when available. It takes load off the processor, especially with several cameras.
   • Leave Show nothing when playback ends unticked while testing, so you can tell whether the source ever played.
6. Lower Network Buffering if you care about delay. A smaller buffer means less delay but more risk of stutter on weak WiFi. Start low and raise it only if the picture breaks up.
7. Click OK and wait a few seconds. RTSP sources often take a moment before the first frame appears.
8. Resize and position the camera in the preview. Right-click the source and choose Transform, then Fit to screen if it appears at an odd size.

If your OBS version has an FFmpeg Options field in the Media Source properties, you can type rtsp_transport=tcp there. That forces the stream over TCP, which fixes many grey or broken pictures on WiFi. If you cannot find the field, check that your OBS is up to date; the option's location can vary by version.

Alternative: the VLC Video Source

If VLC is installed on the same computer, OBS can also offer a VLC Video Source. Add it, click the plus button next to the playlist, choose Add Path/URL, and paste the same RTSP address. Some people find it reconnects more reliably than the Media Source for certain cameras. If one source type gives you trouble, try the other before assuming the camera is the problem.

Step by step: Window Capture when your model has no RTSP

If your camera does not expose RTSP, you can still show it in OBS by capturing the screen of the desktop client. See our guide to the Yoosee app for PC download for getting the Windows client or an Android emulator running.

1. Open the desktop client (or the app in an emulator), sign in, and open the camera's live view. Make the window as large as you can and close any side panels.
2. In OBS, add a source and choose Window Capture (on a Mac, macOS Screen Capture with the window option).
3. Select the client's window from the list.
4. Crop away buttons and borders: hold Alt (Option on a Mac) and drag the edges of the source in the preview.

Limits to expect: the client must stay open and not minimised, the picture is only as sharp as the window, and any pop-up or menu in the client will appear in your output. It is fine for an occasional overlay, less so for an all-day stream.

Fixing the common OBS problems

Work out which symptom you have first; each one points to a different cause.

The source is black or empty

• The address does not play in VLC either. The problem is the address, password or model, not OBS. Go back to the VLC test.
• It plays in VLC but not in OBS. Re-paste the address carefully; a trailing space breaks it. If the password contains symbols such as @ or :, change the device password to letters and numbers only, because OBS has no separate login box to fall back on.
• Black only after switching scenes. Make sure Restart playback when source becomes active is ticked, and that Close file when inactive is not cutting the connection while you look away.
• Black with no error at all on some models. The camera may send H.265 video. Update OBS and your graphics drivers, and try with hardware decoding switched on and then off.

The picture is several seconds behind

Some delay is normal with any network camera. To reduce it:

• Lower Network Buffering in the source properties.
• Use the lower-quality stream path, which is lighter to send and decode.
• Check the camera's WiFi signal where it is mounted. A weak signal forces resends, which adds delay.

If the camera also lags in the phone app, the cause is at the camera or the network, not in OBS. Our guide to fixing IP camera live view lagging covers signal, upload speed and the order to check them in.

The picture freezes, smears or breaks into blocks

• Add rtsp_transport=tcp in FFmpeg Options.
• Raise Network Buffering a little. This trades a small extra delay for stability.
• Move the router or add a wired link. A camera at the edge of WiFi range is a frequent cause.

OBS shows dropped or skipped frames

Open View, then Stats in OBS. It separates the possible bottlenecks:

• Frames missed due to rendering lag point to the graphics card. Close other heavy programs and reduce the number of camera sources.
• Frames skipped due to encoding lag point to the encoder. Choose a hardware encoder in Settings, Output, or lower the output resolution.
• Dropped frames (network) point to your upload to the streaming service, not to the camera.

A camera source that stutters while the Stats window looks clean usually means the problem is the camera's own stream, which brings you back to WiFi signal and buffering.

It worked yesterday and is black today

The most likely cause is that the camera's IP address changed after a router restart. Check the router's device list, update the address in OBS, and set a DHCP reservation so it does not happen again.

Several cameras in one OBS scene

Each camera is a separate stream that the network and the computer must carry. To keep things smooth:

• Use the lower-quality stream path for every camera that is shown small, and the main stream only for the one shown large.
• Keep hardware decoding on.
• Put each camera in a nested scene so you can rearrange the layout without touching every source.
• Test the full layout for an hour before going live, watching the Stats window.

Privacy and safety before you go live

A security camera often shows more than you expect: neighbours, staff, customers, car number plates, a keypad by the door. Before streaming a camera publicly, check what is in frame, use the camera's privacy mask if your model has one, and check local rules on filming people. Never put the RTSP address, which includes your device password, in a stream title, chat or screenshot.

Do not open the camera to the internet with port forwarding just so OBS on another computer can reach it. Run OBS on a computer in the same building, or use a VPN into your own network.

If you need to move a camera to improve its signal or view, switch off power at the supply first, and leave mains wiring, ladders and roof work to a qualified electrician.

When to get help

Ask the seller or installer if the manual does not mention RTSP or ONVIF and none of the usual paths play in VLC. They can confirm whether your exact model and batch expose a stream. If you run OBS on Linux and the steps above do not match what you see, our guide to using Yoosee on Linux explains which routes work there. For problems inside OBS itself, such as crashes or encoder errors with no camera involved, the OBS community forums and documentation are the right place.

Frequently asked questions

Can I stream my security camera to a live platform with OBS?

Yes. Once the camera is a source in OBS, it streams like any other scene. The catch is privacy rather than technology: see the privacy section above, and run OBS on a computer at the camera's location rather than opening the camera to the internet.

Will adding the camera to OBS stop the app or the memory card from working?

On most models, no. The RTSP stream is a separate output, so the app and card recording keep working as normal. If you notice gaps on the card only while OBS is connected, disconnect OBS for a day, compare, and tell the seller which model and firmware you have.

Can I add my camera to OBS when I am away from home?

Not with the local RTSP address, because it only exists on your home or shop network. You would need a VPN into that network, or a computer at the camera's location running OBS. Avoid port forwarding, which exposes the camera to the whole internet.

Why does the camera sound crackle or drift out of sync in OBS?

Camera microphones are basic, and their audio can drift slightly from the video over long sessions. In OBS, open Advanced Audio Properties and use Sync Offset to line it up, or mute the camera audio and use a separate microphone. If you do not need sound, mute the source to avoid echo.

Can I use the camera as a webcam in video calls through OBS?

Usually yes. Put the camera in a scene, then use the Start Virtual Camera button in OBS, and pick the OBS virtual camera in your call app. Expect some delay, which is fine for showing a room but awkward for talking face to face.