OBS Studio 32.2 is out, and the biggest change is a new dialog for adding sources, replacing the old dropdown with something clearer to navigate. The update also adds a filter for composing SDR footage into HDR scenes, along with a handful of platform changes worth knowing about before you update, especially if you rely on third-party OBS plugins.
OBS Studio 32.2 replaces the old source dropdown with a dedicated Add Source dialog, making it clearer what each source type does before you add it to a scene, and rich previews of existing and recently added sources.
The new dialog also fixes right-click behavior on disabled sources and cleans up several layout issues based on user feedback. If you found the previous source picker cramped or hard to navigate, this should feel more straightforward.
OBS Studio 32.2 adds a filter that composes SDR sources into an HDR scene. Use it when you're recording or streaming in HDR but some sources, like your webcam, overlays, or alerts, are still SDR and start looking off (usually with blacks that seem washed out or lifted) once they're added into the HDR scene.
The filter exposes two settings that control how SDR sources look once composited into the HDR scene.
Gamma determines how SDR brightness translates into the HDR composite. It defaults to sRGB, matching how OBS already treats SDR sources, though this can leave blacks looking lifted since Rec. 2100, the color standard behind HDR, is built for dim room viewing. Power 2.4 simulates BT.1886, the same gamma curve used for Rec. 709 broadcast, which is also built for dim rooms and tends to restore deeper blacks. Power 2.2 sits between the two if 2.4 looks too dark for your setup.
SDR White Level sets the brightness, in nits, used for your SDR overlays and webcam inside the HDR composite. 100 nits matches traditional SDR reference white, 203 nits is the ITU-R BT.2408 reference level used in HDR production, and 300 nits is what OBS already recommends elsewhere for compositing SDR UI over HDR gameplay.
If you’re not sure where to start, leave Gamma on sRGB and match SDR White Level to whatever you already use in Advanced Settings. Switch to Power 2.4 only if your SDR elements look washed out against HDR gameplay.
This pairs well with HDR capture workflows. If you’re recording HDR gameplay with an Elgato capture card, our guide on Recording HDR Gameplay with OBS Studio covers the setup end to end.
OBS Studio has a beta feature called Dynamic Bitrate that automatically lowers your stream’s bitrate when your upload connection is struggling, then raises it back once bandwidth frees up, helping prevent dropped frames without you touching a setting mid-stream. Until 32.2, this didn’t work with multitrack video, the feature behind Twitch Enhanced Broadcasting that sends several quality renditions of your stream at once (covered in our guide on OBS Studio’s 30.2 update).
Multitrack sends multiple streams simultaneously, which uses substantially more upload bandwidth than a single stream, making it more likely to run into exactly the congestion Dynamic Bitrate is meant to solve. 32.2 closes that gap, letting each stream’s bitrate adjust independently instead of holding to a fixed value.
Dynamic Bitrate for multitrack video is still a beta feature. You’ll find it under Settings, Advanced, Network, the same location as standard Dynamic Bitrate, with no separate toggle needed for multitrack.
A few adjustments change how OBS behaves on specific platforms, and they’re worth knowing about before you update if you rely on third-party plugins.
macOS
If you're on an Apple Silicon Mac but still running the Intel build of OBS Studio (through Rosetta), 32.2 automatically switches you to the native Apple Silicon build. Any third-party plugin that hasn't shipped an Apple Silicon version will stop loading until it's replaced. Genuine Intel Mac hardware isn't affected. If your workflow depends on plugins beyond what ships with OBS, check with the plugin developer before updating.
Windows
OBS now loads its underlying program files more securely on Windows, closing a gap that could let a malicious file load in place of a legitimate one. Plugins load through that same system, so if you use a third-party plugin with a more complex setup, one that bundles its own extra files, it's worth testing before an important stream or recording.
Linux
A long-standing PipeWire issue that could break screen capture on NVIDIA GPUs is fixed. If you’ve avoided PipeWire capture on Linux because of unreliable NVIDIA support, this is worth revisiting.
Is it safe to update to OBS Studio 32.2?
The simple answer is yes. The main risks are plugin related: Apple Silicon Macs running the Intel build get switched to the native build automatically, and Windows plugins with unusual dependency setups may need testing. If you don’t rely on uncommon third-party plugins, updating is straightforward. Elgato's own plugins for OBS Studio, Stream Deck and Marketplace Connect are fully compatible already.
Can I roll back to OBS Studio 32.1.2 if something breaks?
Yes. Download the 32.1.2 installer from the OBS Studio website and reinstall over 32.2. Your scenes and profiles carry over as long as you backed them up first.
Does Dynamic Bitrate for multitrack video work with my GPU?
NVIDIA and AMD GPUs are confirmed working. Intel Arc GPUs had a bug during testing that could hang OBS entirely, so test it yourself before relying on it if you stream on Arc hardware.
Will OBS Studio 32.2 break my plugins on Mac?
Only if you’re on an Apple Silicon Mac still running the Intel build of OBS Studio through Rosetta. 32.2 switches you to the native build automatically, and any plugin without an Apple Silicon version stops loading until it’s updated. Genuine Intel Mac hardware isn’t affected.
What SDR White Level should I use in the new HDR compose filter?
Match whatever you already use for OBS’s general SDR White Level setting in Advanced Settings, commonly 300 nits. 100 and 203 nits are also valid reference points depending on your workflow.
To update, open OBS Studio's built-in updater, or download the latest installer from the OBS Studio website. As with any major update, back up your scene collection and profile first in case something doesn’t work as expected.
With 32.2 live, expect the new Add Source dialog and HDR compose filter to show up by default the next time you update. If you control OBS Studio scenes and sources from Stream Deck, our guide on Control OBS Studio from Stream Deck covers setting that up.
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