How to Group Multiple Sources in OBS Studio

Managing a complex live stream or recording setup in OBS Studio can quickly become overwhelming when dealing with dozens of individual sources. Grouping your sources is the best way to keep your scenes organized, allowing you to move, resize, or toggle the visibility of multiple elements simultaneously. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step tutorial on how to create, manage, and use source groups in OBS Studio to streamline your broadcasting workflow.

Step-by-Step: Grouping Sources in OBS Studio

Grouping sources takes only a few clicks. Follow these steps to combine your sources:

1. Select the Sources: Go to the Sources dock at the bottom of the OBS Studio interface. Hold down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Cmd key (Mac) and click on each of the sources you want to group together.
2. Create the Group: Once the desired sources are highlighted, right-click on any of the selected sources. From the context menu, select Group Selected Items. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + G (Windows) or Cmd + G (Mac).
3. Name the Group: A new folder icon will appear in your Sources list with a text field. Type a descriptive name for your group (e.g., “Webcam & Overlay”) and press Enter.

Alternative Method: Creating an Empty Group First

If you prefer to organize your workspace before adding sources, you can create an empty group first:

1. Click the plus (+) icon at the bottom of the Sources dock.
2. Select Group from the pop-up menu.
3. Name your group and press Enter.
4. Drag and drop existing sources directly into the newly created group folder.

How to Manage and Control Groups

Once your sources are grouped, you can control them collectively or individually:

• Toggle Visibility: Click the eye icon next to the group folder to hide or show all sources within that group at once.
• Transform and Move: Clicking on the group name allows you to drag, resize, or reposition all grouped elements together in the preview window.
• Expand or Collapse: Click the small arrow icon to the left of the group name to expand the folder and adjust individual source settings, or collapse it to keep your Sources dock clean.
• Ungroup Sources: If you no longer want the sources grouped, right-click the group folder and select Ungroup. Your sources will remain in the scene but will return to being individual items.