How to Fix OBS Video Capture Issue in Teams

Learn how to fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams that causes black screen, freezing, or crashing problems.

Problem

OBS Studio is a popular software for live streaming and video recording. Many users like to use OBS with Microsoft Teams, a communication and collaboration platform, to enhance their online meetings, presentations, or webinars.

However, some users have reported that OBS video capture does not work properly with Teams, resulting in black screen, freezing, or crashing issues. In this article, we will show you how to fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams using different methods. We will also provide some tips and tricks to make the process easier and more efficient.

Solution 1: Disable GPU Hardware Acceleration in Teams

One possible cause of the OBS video capture issue in Teams is the GPU hardware acceleration feature in Teams. GPU hardware acceleration is a feature that allows Teams to use the graphics processing unit (GPU) of your computer to improve the performance and quality of video and audio. However, this feature might interfere with OBS video capture, especially if you have an older or incompatible GPU driver.

To disable GPU hardware acceleration in Teams, follow these steps:

1. Open Teams and minimize it to the system tray (the area near the clock on the taskbar).
2. Right-click on the Teams icon and select Settings.
3. In the Settings window, uncheck the box that says Enable GPU hardware acceleration (requires restarting Teams).
4. Click on Save and restart Teams.

You should now be able to use OBS video capture with Teams without any issues.

Pros and Cons of Solution 1

The advantages of disabling GPU hardware acceleration in Teams are:

• You can fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams quickly and easily.
• You can avoid potential conflicts between Teams and OBS or your GPU driver.

The disadvantages of disabling GPU hardware acceleration in Teams are:

• You might experience some performance or quality degradation in Teams video and audio.
• You might need to enable GPU hardware acceleration again if you want to use other features or applications that require it.

Solution 2: Update Teams and OBS to the Latest Version

Another possible cause of the OBS video capture issue in Teams is the outdated version of Teams or OBS. Outdated versions of Teams or OBS might not support the latest features or bug fixes that are required for OBS video capture to work properly with Teams. Therefore, it is important to update Teams and OBS to the latest version regularly.

To update Teams to the latest version, follow these steps:

1. Open Teams and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select Check for updates from the menu.
3. Teams will automatically check for and install any available updates.

To update OBS to the latest version, follow these steps:

1. Open OBS and click on Help in the menu bar.
2. Select Check for Updates from the menu.
3. OBS will automatically check for and download any available updates.
4. Follow the instructions to install the updates and restart OBS.

You should now be able to use OBS video capture with Teams without any issues.

Pros and Cons of Solution 2

The advantages of updating Teams and OBS to the latest version are:

• You can fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams and enjoy the latest features and bug fixes of Teams and OBS.
• You can improve the security and stability of Teams and OBS.

The disadvantages of updating Teams and OBS to the latest version are:

• You might encounter some compatibility or performance issues with the new versions of Teams and OBS.
• You might need to adjust some settings or preferences in Teams and OBS after updating.

Solution 3: Use OBS Virtual Camera with Teams

A third way to fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams is to use OBS virtual camera with Teams. OBS virtual camera is a feature that allows you to use OBS as a webcam source in other applications, such as Teams. This way, you can stream or record your OBS output to Teams without using the screen or window capture mode, which might cause some problems.

To use OBS virtual camera with Teams, follow these steps:

1. Open OBS and click on Tools in the menu bar.
2. Select VirtualCam from the menu.
3. In the VirtualCam window, choose the settings that you want, such as the target camera, the horizontal flip, and the auto start option.
4. Click on Start to activate the virtual camera.
5. Open Teams and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
6. Select Settings from the menu.
7. In the Settings window, click on Devices in the left pane.
8. In the Camera section, select OBS-Camera from the drop-down list.
9. Click on Save and close the Settings window.

You should now be able to use OBS virtual camera with Teams without any issues.

Pros and Cons of Solution 3

The advantages of using OBS virtual camera with Teams are:

• You can use OBS as a webcam source in Teams and stream or record your OBS output to Teams.
• You can avoid the black screen, freezing, or crashing issues that might occur with the screen or window capture mode.

The disadvantages of using OBS virtual camera with Teams are:

• You might need to install a plugin or an update to enable the virtual camera feature in OBS.
• You might need to start the virtual camera in OBS before launching Teams, otherwise the virtual camera might not be recognized by Teams.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: Why does OBS video capture not work with Teams?

Answer: There are different reasons why OBS video capture might not work with Teams, such as:

• The GPU hardware acceleration feature in Teams might interfere with OBS video capture, especially if you have an older or incompatible GPU driver.
• The outdated version of Teams or OBS might not support the latest features or bug fixes that are required for OBS video capture to work properly with Teams.
• The screen or window capture mode in OBS might cause some problems with Teams, such as black screen, freezing, or crashing.

Question: How do I fix OBS video capture issue in Teams?

Answer: There are different ways to fix OBS video capture issue in Teams, depending on your needs and preferences. Some of the methods are:

• Disabling GPU hardware acceleration in Teams, which allows you to avoid potential conflicts between Teams and OBS or your GPU driver.
• Updating Teams and OBS to the latest version, which allows you to fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams and enjoy the latest features and bug fixes of Teams and OBS.
• Using OBS virtual camera with Teams, which allows you to use OBS as a webcam source in Teams and stream or record your OBS output to Teams.

Question: How do I use OBS with Teams for live streaming or recording?

Answer: If you want to use OBS with Teams for live streaming or recording, you can use one of the following methods:

• Using OBS virtual camera with Teams, which allows you to use OBS as a webcam source in Teams and stream or record your OBS output to Teams.
• Using OBS screen or window capture with Teams, which allows you to capture the Teams window or the entire screen and stream or record it with OBS. However, this method might cause some problems with Teams, such as black screen, freezing, or crashing.
• Using OBS display capture with Teams, which allows you to capture the entire display and stream or record it with OBS. However, this method might capture other windows or applications that are on the display, which might not be desirable.

Summary

In this article, we have shown you how to fix the OBS video capture issue in Teams using different methods. We have also discussed the pros and cons of each method and answered some frequently asked questions. We hope this article has helped you to find the best way to use OBS with Teams for your needs.