How to Completely Remove Faulty OBS Studio Plugins

If a buggy or incompatible plugin is causing OBS Studio to crash, freeze, or fail to launch, you need to remove it entirely to restore stability. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step process to locate and completely delete faulty OBS Studio plugins from both Windows and macOS systems, ensuring your streaming software runs smoothly again.

Step 1: Close OBS Studio Completely

Before deleting any files, ensure OBS Studio is not running in the background. Close the application, and check your Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS) to make sure all OBS processes are fully terminated.

Step 2: Locate and Delete Plugin Files on Windows

OBS Studio plugins on Windows are typically installed in one of two locations depending on how they were installed. You will need to delete both the .dll file and its corresponding configuration folder.

Location 1: The Program Files Directory (Global Installation)

  1. Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\
  2. Open the 64bit folder.
  3. Locate the .dll file associated with the faulty plugin and delete it.
  4. Go back to the main obs-studio folder and check the data\obs-plugins\ folder. If there is a folder with the name of the faulty plugin, delete it as well.

Location 2: The AppData Directory (User-Specific Installation)

  1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type %appdata%\obs-studio\plugins and press Enter.
  3. Find the folder or files named after the faulty plugin and delete them.

Step 3: Locate and Delete Plugin Files on macOS

On macOS, OBS plugins are stored in specific Library folders.

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Click Go in the top menu bar, hold down the Option key, and click Library.
  3. Navigate to: Application Support/obs-studio/plugins/
  4. Locate the plugin file (usually ending in .plugin or .so) and drag it to the Trash.
  5. Empty the Trash to complete the uninstallation.

Step 4: Use the Official Uninstaller (If Applicable)

If you installed the plugin using an executable installer (like an .exe on Windows or a .pkg on macOS), it may have registered an uninstaller. * On Windows, check Settings > Apps > Installed Apps to see if the plugin is listed individually for uninstallation. * On macOS, check the original download folder of the plugin for an uninstall script or tool.

Step 5: Restart OBS Studio and Verify

Once the files are deleted, launch OBS Studio. If the crashes or errors stop, the faulty plugin has been successfully removed. If OBS still crashes, you may need to check the OBS crash logs (found under Help > Log Files > View Current Log) to see if another file or plugin is causing the conflict.