Configure OBS Studio to Capture Android Using Scrcpy

This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to mirror your Android device’s screen to your computer using scrcpy and capture that high-quality feed directly into OBS Studio. By following these instructions, you will learn how to enable USB debugging, run scrcpy, and configure OBS Studio’s source settings to seamlessly stream or record your mobile device.

Step 1: Prepare Your Android Device

Before connecting to your computer, you must enable USB debugging on your Android device.

  1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
  2. Scroll down and select About phone.
  3. Find the Build number and tap it seven times until a message reads “You are now a developer.”
  4. Go back to the main Settings menu, select System (or Additional Settings), and open Developer options.
  5. Locate USB debugging and toggle it on.

Step 2: Connect the Device and Run scrcpy

  1. Connect your Android device to your computer using a compatible USB cable.
  2. If prompted on your phone, allow USB debugging authorization for your computer.
  3. Open your computer’s command line (Terminal on macOS/Linux or Command Prompt on Windows) or navigate to your scrcpy folder.
  4. Launch scrcpy by typing scrcpy and pressing Enter. For a smoother feed, you can run it with custom parameters, such as: scrcpy --max-fps=60 --video-bit-rate=16M
  5. A window displaying your Android device’s screen will appear on your desktop. Keep this window open.

Step 3: Set Up OBS Studio to Capture scrcpy

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Navigate to the Sources dock at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Click the + (Add) icon and select Window Capture.
  4. Name the source (e.g., “Android Screen”) and click OK.
  5. In the Properties window, click the Window drop-down menu and select the active scrcpy window (often named after your phone’s model or simply “scrcpy”).
  6. Set the Capture Method to Windows 10 (1903 and up) (or the equivalent graphics capture method for your OS) to ensure a smooth, black-screen-free capture.
  7. Click OK.

Step 4: Adjust the Capture Area in OBS

If the scrcpy window includes unwanted borders or black bars, you can crop the source in OBS:

  1. Select the “Android Screen” source in your OBS viewport.
  2. Hold down the Alt key (on Windows/Linux) or the Option key (on macOS).
  3. Click and drag the red bounding box handles inward to crop out the window borders.
  4. Release the key and drag the corners normally to resize the captured screen to fit your canvas.