How to Build an OBS Scene and Arrange Sources
A scene is the complete picture you prepare in OBS. Sources are its individual elements, such as a camera, image, captured window, or audio input.
Build a simple layout first, then add only the elements that serve your recording or permitted live-stream format.
Create the scene
- 1.Click + in the Scenes panel.
- 2.Give the scene a clear name.
- 3.With it selected, click + in Sources.
- 4.Choose the source type and configure it.
Use a video capture source for a webcam, Image for a graphic, and an appropriate window or screen source for computer content. Capturing the whole desktop is not necessary just to show a camera.
Arrange the layer order
Sources near the top of the Sources list appear in front of those below them. A full-size image above the camera can hide it completely.
Drag sources in the list to change the order. For example, keep a background at the bottom, a camera above it, and an approved decorative overlay above the camera.
Use the eye icon to hide or show a source. This is different from deleting it.
Position, fit, and crop
Click a visual source to display its selection handles. Drag it to move it and drag a corner to resize it.
Right-click and open Transform for commands such as Fit to Screen, Center to Screen, and Edit Transform. Fit keeps the source's proportions; Stretch can distort them.
To crop by dragging, hold Alt on Windows or Option on Mac while adjusting an edge. Check what is lost at the edges before using that framing for a full session.
Reuse a source intentionally
When OBS offers an existing source, choosing it reuses that source rather than creating an independent device feed. This is useful for placing the same camera in different scenes.
Its source-level properties and filters are shared. Changing the camera or a source filter can affect other scenes that use it, even though its position or size in each layout can differ.
Check sound and output separately
Visual layout does not determine everything in the audio mix. Check the Audio Mixer and make a recording with all intended sound sources.
Also inspect the base canvas and output settings. If you later change the base canvas shape or resolution, revisit the layout rather than assuming every element still fits.
Before a live session, check that the destination permits your overlays, captured material, and scene types. A layout working in the OBS preview is only the production part of the setup.