How to Use OBS Projector on a Second Monitor

This guide provides a straightforward walkthrough on how to use the projector feature in OBS Studio to send your video feed, scenes, or specific sources to a secondary monitor. You will learn how to access both fullscreen and windowed projectors, how to display different types of outputs, and how to manage these displays during a live stream or recording session.

Types of Projectors in OBS Studio

OBS Studio offers two main types of projectors, which can be applied to different aspects of your production:

• Fullscreen Projector: Sends the video output directly to a selected monitor, filling the entire screen without any window borders or taskbars.
• Windowed Projector: Opens the video output in a resizable, draggable window that you can place anywhere, including on a secondary monitor.

You can project four different outputs: 1. Program (Output): The final feed that your viewers see. 2. Preview: The staging area (only visible when Studio Mode is enabled). 3. Scene: A specific scene from your collection, regardless of whether it is currently live. 4. Source: A single camera, capture card, image, or media source.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up a Fullscreen Projector

Using a fullscreen projector is the most common method for dedicating a secondary monitor as a confidence monitor or video feed.

1. Identify your target display: Ensure your secondary monitor is plugged in, turned on, and recognized by your computer’s operating system.
2. Choose what to project:
   • For the Program/Preview feed: Right-click anywhere on the main black preview window in OBS Studio.
   • For a specific Scene: Right-click the desired scene in the Scenes dock.
   • For a specific Source: Right-click the desired source in the Sources dock, or right-click the source directly in the preview window.
3. Select the Projector option: Hover your mouse over Fullscreen Projector (Preview), Fullscreen Projector (Program), Fullscreen Projector (Scene), or Fullscreen Projector (Source) depending on your choice in step 2.
4. Choose the secondary monitor: A sub-menu will appear listing your connected monitors (e.g., Display 0, Display 1). Click on the monitor you want to send the video feed to.

The video feed will immediately render in fullscreen on that monitor.

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up a Windowed Projector

If you do not want the video to take up the entire screen, or if you want to resize it alongside other applications on your second monitor, use the windowed projector.

1. Open the context menu: Right-click on the preview window, scene, or source you wish to project.
2. Select Windowed Projector: Click on Windowed Projector (Preview), Windowed Projector (Program), Windowed Projector (Scene), or Windowed Projector (Source).
3. Position the window: A new window containing your video feed will pop up. Drag this window over to your secondary monitor.
4. Resize: Click and drag the edges of the window to scale it to your preferred size, or double-click the title bar to maximize it.

How to Close and Manage Projectors

Managing active projectors is simple once they are running:

• To close a Fullscreen Projector: Press the Escape (Esc) key on your keyboard while clicking on the projected monitor, or right-click on the projected screen and select Close.
• To close a Windowed Projector: Click the standard X close button in the top-right (or top-left on macOS) corner of the projector window.
• To save projector states: By default, OBS Studio can remember your windowed projector positions. You can configure this behavior in Settings > General > Projectors.