How to Use OBS Color Key for Non-Standard Backgrounds

While the Chroma Key filter in OBS Studio is the go-to tool for removing green screens, it often struggles with non-standard background colors. This article provides a straightforward guide on how to use the “Color Key” filter as a highly effective alternative, allowing you to easily key out any custom background color and fine-tune your stream’s visual quality.

Why Use Color Key Instead of Chroma Key?

Chroma Key is mathematically optimized specifically for standard green and blue screens. If your background is a custom color—such as red, grey, magenta, or a specific shade of wall paint—Chroma Key will often distort your foreground image or fail to remove the background entirely. The Color Key filter offers broader color-matching capabilities and allows you to target any exact shade from your screen, making it the superior choice for non-standard setups.

How to Apply the Color Key Filter in OBS

Follow these steps to apply and configure the Color Key filter:

  1. Open Source Filters: Launch OBS Studio. In the Sources dock, right-click on your camera or video capture device and select Filters.
  2. Add the Filter: In the “Effect Filters” box on the bottom left, click the + (plus) icon and select Color Key. Give the filter a name and click OK.
  3. Choose Your Custom Color: In the filter settings, change the “Key Color Type” dropdown to Custom Color. Click the Select Color button, then click Pick Screen Color. Click directly on your background in the OBS preview window to select the exact shade under your current lighting.
  4. Adjust Similarity: Slowly drag the Similarity slider to the right. This slider controls how close a color must be to your selected shade to be filtered out. Increase it until your background becomes completely transparent.
  5. Adjust Smoothness: Use the Smoothness slider to clean up the edges around your body and hair. This helps eliminate color spill and prevents pixelated edges.
  6. Correct Color Bleed: If the filter has slightly altered your skin tone or clothing, use the Contrast, Brightness, and Gamma sliders at the bottom of the window to restore your camera’s natural colors.

Tips for the Best Results