Guide to Using Scene Transitions in OBS Studio

Using scene transitions in your video content or live streams enhances professionalism, visual appeal, and overall flow. They keep viewers engaged by providing smooth, seamless changes between segments, which helps maintain interest and clarity. Additionally, custom transitions can reinforce your brand identity, direct viewer attention to key points, and contribute to a polished, professional presentation that retains audience attention.

Here is my step-by-step guide!

Step 1: Open OBS Studio

• Launch OBS Studio on your computer. Ensure that you have already created multiple scenes to transition between.

Step 2: Access the Scene Transitions Panel

• Locate the “Scene Transitions” panel at the bottom right of the OBS main window.

Step 3: Choose a Transition

• Default Transition: OBS Studio comes with several default transitions like Cut, Fade, Slide, etc.
  • Click the dropdown menu in the “Scene Transitions” panel to choose a different transition type.

Step 4: Adding a New Transition

• Click the “+” (plus) button in the “Scene Transitions” panel to add a new transition.
• A list of transition types will appear:
  • Fade: Smoothly fades from one scene to another.
  • Swipe: Swipes the new scene over the old one from a specified direction.
  • Slide: Slides the old scene out while bringing the new scene in from a direction.
  • Stinger: Uses a custom video file for transition.
  • Luma Wipe: Uses a pattern to transition between scenes.
  Choose the desired transition and name it.

Step 5: Customize the Transition

• Fade Transition: Adjust the duration (in milliseconds) of the fade using the slide bar or input box. For example, setting it to 300ms means the transition will take .3 seconds.
• Swipe or Slide Transition: Choose the direction (left, right, up, down) and adjust the speed.
• Stinger Transition: Select the video file for the transition, and specify the transition point (in milliseconds) to determine when the new scene should appear during the video.
• Luma Wipe Transition: Choose a pattern and adjust the softness and duration.

Step 6: Apply the Transition

• Once customized, your new transition will be available in the “Scene Transitions” panel. Select it from the dropdown menu.

Step 7: Switching Scenes

• When you switch scenes by clicking different scenes in the “Scenes” panel or using hotkeys, OBS will use the selected transition effect.
• You can see a preview of the transition in the OBS main window.

Step 8: Advanced Settings (Optional)

• For more control, click the “Settings” (gear) icon next to the scene transition dropdown and select “Properties”, where you can further adjust the behavior and look of the chosen transition.

Step 9: Quick Transition (Optional)

• If you want to switch to a different transition temporarily:
  • Use the “Quick Transition” button (represented by a lightning bolt icon) to manually select a different transition for the next scene switch.

Step 10: Test Your Transitions

• Test your transitions to ensure they look smooth and professional. Make any necessary adjustments in the transition properties to achieve the desired effect.

By following these steps, you can effectively use scene transitions in OBS Studio to make your video content or live streams more engaging and professional.