Use OBS Virtual Camera with Local Video Players

This guide explains how to configure and use the OBS Studio virtual camera as a video input source for local video player applications. You will learn how to set up the virtual camera in OBS, configure a compatible local media player to recognize the feed, and manage settings to achieve a seamless video routing experience.

Step 1: Activate the Virtual Camera in OBS Studio

To begin, you must start the virtual camera output from within OBS Studio. This creates a system-wide virtual webcam that other applications can detect as a hardware camera.

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Set up your sources and scenes with the content you want to send to your video player.
  3. Locate the Controls dock, which is typically positioned in the bottom-right corner of the interface.
  4. Click the Start Virtual Camera button.

Step 2: Configure Your Local Video Player

Most standard media players only play pre-recorded files, but advanced local players like VLC Media Player or PotPlayer can open live capture devices.

Using VLC Media Player:

  1. Open VLC Media Player.
  2. Click on Media in the top menu bar and select Open Capture Device… (or press Ctrl + C on Windows).
  3. Set the Capture mode dropdown to DirectShow (on Windows) or AVFoundation (on macOS).
  4. In the Device selection section, set the Video device name to OBS Virtual Camera.
  5. Click Play at the bottom of the window to start the live feed.

Using PotPlayer:

  1. Open PotPlayer.
  2. Right-click inside the player window and navigate to Open > Device Settings….
  3. Under the Webcam tab, select OBS Virtual Camera as your Device.
  4. Click Open Device to display the video feed.

Routing Audio (Optional)

Because the OBS Virtual Camera only transmits video signals, you must route audio separately if your source includes sound. To do this, install a virtual audio driver (such as VB-Cable). Set your OBS Audio Monitoring device to the virtual cable in the OBS Advanced Settings, and then select that same virtual cable as the audio input device in your local video player’s capture settings.