Capture a Single Virtual Desktop in OBS Studio

This guide explains how to configure OBS Studio to capture only a single virtual desktop in Windows. Because Windows Virtual Desktops share the same physical monitor, standard Display Capture will record whichever desktop is currently active on your screen. To isolate and capture just one virtual desktop without revealing your main workspace, you must use a virtual display workaround or specific window capture settings. Below are the direct steps to set this up.

The Limitation of Standard Display Capture

Windows Virtual Desktops are designed to organize workspaces on the same physical monitor. Because OBS Studio’s Display Capture tool hooks directly into your graphics card’s physical video outputs, switching between virtual desktops (using Ctrl + Win + Left/Right) will cause OBS to show whatever desktop is currently active on your physical screen.

To capture only a single, isolated virtual desktop using Display Capture, you must create a virtual physical monitor.

Step 1: Create a Virtual Monitor

To isolate a virtual desktop, you need to trick Windows into thinking you have an extra monitor connected.

  1. Option A (Software): Download and install a virtual display driver, such as the open-source IddSampleDriver, or use software like Virtual Display Manager. This creates a “ghost” monitor in your Windows display settings.
  2. Option B (Hardware): Plug an inexpensive HDMI Dummy Plug (EDID emulator) into an open port on your graphics card. Windows will instantly detect this as a second physical monitor.

Step 2: Configure Your Windows Display Settings

Once the virtual monitor is active: 1. Press Win + I to open Settings and go to System > Display. 2. Ensure your desktop is set to Extend these displays rather than “Duplicate.” 3. Press Win + Tab to open Task View. 4. Drag the applications you want to capture onto your newly created virtual/dummy display.

Step 3: Set Up Display Capture in OBS Studio

Now that your isolated workspace is running on its own virtual screen, you can target it in OBS.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. In the Sources box, click the + (Add) icon and select Display Capture.
  3. Name the source (e.g., “Virtual Desktop”) and click OK.
  4. In the properties window, click the Display drop-down menu.
  5. Select the virtual or dummy monitor you set up in Step 1.
  6. Click OK.

OBS will now exclusively capture the contents of that virtual display. You can freely switch virtual desktops on your main monitor without affecting the OBS recording or stream.

Native Alternative: Use Window Capture

If you do not want to set up a virtual monitor, the native way to capture only specific apps on a virtual desktop is to use Window Capture instead of Display Capture.

  1. Open the application on your secondary virtual desktop.
  2. In OBS, click + in the Sources box and select Window Capture.
  3. Select the specific application from the Window drop-down menu.
  4. Set the Capture Method to Windows 10 (1903 and up).
  5. Repeat this for any other windows on that desktop. This keeps your main desktop hidden, even if you switch away from the virtual desktop hosting those apps.