Transfer OBS Settings from Intel Mac to Apple Silicon

Moving your OBS Studio configuration, including scenes, profiles, and sources, from an older Intel-based Mac to a newer Apple Silicon (M-series) Mac is a straightforward process when done correctly. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough on how to locate, backup, and restore your OBS data folder to ensure a seamless transition without losing your custom stream layouts or configurations.

Step 1: Locate and Copy the OBS Config Folder on your Intel Mac

All of your OBS profiles, scenes, and settings are stored in a specific system folder. You need to copy this folder to transfer them to your new Mac.

1. Open Finder on your Intel Mac.
2. Click on Go in the top menu bar, then select Go to Folder… (or press Cmd + Shift + G).
3. Type or paste the following path and press Enter: ~/Library/Application Support/
4. Locate the folder named obs-studio.
5. Copy this entire folder to an external drive, USB flash drive, or upload it to a cloud storage service like iCloud, Google Drive, or AirDrop it directly to your new Mac.

Step 2: Install OBS Studio on the Apple Silicon Mac

Before restoring your settings, you must install the correct version of OBS Studio on your new Mac.

1. Go to the official OBS Studio website.
2. Download the Apple Silicon installer (do not download the Intel version, as the native Apple Silicon version offers significantly better performance).
3. Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag OBS Studio into your Applications folder.
4. Launch OBS Studio once to let it generate the necessary system folders, then close the application completely.

Step 3: Restore the Config Folder on the Apple Silicon Mac

Now you will replace the default configuration files on your new Mac with the backup from your Intel Mac.

1. Open Finder on your new Apple Silicon Mac.
2. Click on Go in the top menu bar, select Go to Folder…, and enter: ~/Library/Application Support/
3. Locate the newly created obs-studio folder and delete it (or rename it to obs-studio-old as a backup).
4. Paste the obs-studio folder that you copied from your Intel Mac into this directory.

Step 4: Handle Plugins and Virtual Cameras

Because you are transitioning from an Intel (x86_64) architecture to Apple Silicon (ARM64), there are a few compatibility factors to keep in mind regarding plugins:

• Native Apple Silicon Plugins: If you run the native Apple Silicon version of OBS, any third-party plugins you used on your Intel Mac must also have Apple Silicon native versions. You will need to download and install the ARM64/Apple Silicon versions of these plugins manually on your new Mac.
• Incompatible Plugins: If a plugin does not have an Apple Silicon version, it will not load. If you absolutely require an older Intel-only plugin, you can force OBS to run under Rosetta 2 emulation by right-clicking the OBS app icon in Finder, selecting Get Info, and checking Open using Rosetta. However, this will result in lower performance compared to running OBS natively.
• Media Sources: If your scenes use local media files (like overlays, videos, or audio files), ensure those files are moved to the exact same file paths on the new Mac, or you will need to manually re-link them inside OBS.