How to Map MIDI Controller to OBS Studio Hotkeys

Using a MIDI controller to control OBS Studio is an excellent way to manage your live streams with physical buttons, faders, and knobs. While OBS Studio does not support MIDI input natively, you can easily bridge the gap using free third-party translation software. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of converting your MIDI signals into keyboard shortcuts (hotkeys) that OBS Studio can recognize, transforming your musical hardware into a custom stream deck.

What You Need

• A MIDI controller connected to your computer via USB.
• OBS Studio installed on your system.
• A MIDI-to-Keystroke translation tool. For Windows, Midikey2Key is a highly recommended free option. For macOS, MidiStroke works similarly.

Step 1: Install and Connect Your Software

1. Plug your MIDI controller into your PC.
2. Download and install your chosen MIDI translator (e.g., Midikey2Key).
3. Open the translator software. It should automatically detect your connected MIDI controller. Select your controller as the active MIDI input device.

Step 2: Map MIDI Inputs to Keyboard Shortcuts

In this step, you will assign a specific button on your MIDI controller to act as a keyboard shortcut.

1. In your MIDI translator software, turn on the “Listen” or “Log” function to detect incoming MIDI signals.
2. Press the button or turn the knob on your MIDI controller that you want to use. You should see a MIDI command code appear on your screen.
3. Select that command and choose the option to assign a Keyboard Action.
4. Assign a unique, complex keyboard shortcut that you do not use during normal PC operation (for example, Ctrl + Shift + F1).
5. Save the mapping and repeat this process for all the buttons you want to use.
6. Ensure the translation software remains open and running in the background.

Step 3: Configure Hotkeys in OBS Studio

Now that your MIDI controller is successfully sending keyboard inputs, you need to map those inputs to actions inside OBS Studio.

1. Open OBS Studio.
2. Go to Settings in the bottom-right corner, then select the Hotkeys tab on the left.
3. Scroll through the list to find the action you want to control (such as “Switch to Scene,” “Mute Mic,” or “Start Streaming”).
4. Click on the input field next to the desired action.
5. Press the physical button on your MIDI controller. The software in the background will instantly translate this into the assigned keyboard shortcut, and OBS will register it (e.g., showing Ctrl + Shift + F1 in the field).
6. Click Apply and then OK to save your settings.

Alternative Method: Using the OBS-MIDI-MG Plugin

If you prefer not to use external translation software running in the background, you can use a direct OBS plugin.

1. Download and install the OBS-MIDI-MG plugin from the official OBS Resources forum.
2. Restart OBS Studio.
3. Navigate to Tools > OBS-MIDI-MG Setup in the top menu.
4. Enable your MIDI controller under the “Devices” tab.
5. Go to the “Bindings” tab, press a button on your controller, and map it directly to OBS actions (like changing scenes or toggling sources) without needing to configure keyboard hotkeys at all.