# Hide OBS window in Display Capture source?



## zamar71 (Nov 21, 2020)

Hello guys,

In Display Capture source, OBS Studio shows its own window resulting in multiple enclosed displays captured. How to exclude the OBS window from Display Capture?


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## Mr. Porxy (Nov 21, 2020)

Hi Zamar,
you have to choose Window Capture instead of Display Capture in order to capture the desired application. You can even minimise this window when chosen.


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## zamar71 (Nov 22, 2020)

It's not a suitable solution, since I need to capture the display, where clicking on some window options results in opening satellite windows with more options. It also doesn't make sense for OBS window to appear in Display Capture anyway, since its purpose is to show the captured display, and not itself multiple times. There must be some standard solution to this, that an OBS developer can suggest?


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## qhobbes (Nov 22, 2020)

OBS Settings, General, System Tray, Check boxes for Enable and Always minimize to system tray instead of task bar.
Hotkeys, Create hotkeys for Start and Stop Recording.
Advanced, Hotkeys, Set Hotkey Focus Behavior to Never disable hotkeys or Disable hotkeys when main window is in focus.
Restart OBS and then minimize OBS. You should now be able to Display Capture record without OBS in view unless you open the system tray.

I just did this and the only evidence of OBS was when I opened Task Manger and the system tray (just OBS icon with red dot). It doesn't even show in Alt+Tab when minimized.


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## zamar71 (Nov 22, 2020)

Following your steps, I also found its possible to hide an OBS window using "Hide" RMC option for OBS icon in system tray, then "Start Recording" and "Stop Recording" RMC options. It records the Display video without OBS window shown in it. Great, and should be in Online Help, as this is critical functionality.


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## zamar71 (Nov 22, 2020)

Is there a way to select a certain display zone to capture? For example, instead of using Window Capture option, I want to rectangle capture right half of the display, and exclude all installed apps icons on the left side and Windows Taskbar?


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## qhobbes (Nov 23, 2020)

Hold ALT + drag the bounding box to crop the Display Source.


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## RedDrop (Jul 18, 2021)

qhobbes said:


> OBS Settings, General, System Tray, Check boxes for Enable and Always minimize to system tray instead of task bar.
> Hotkeys, Create hotkeys for Start and Stop Recording.
> Advanced, Hotkeys, Set Hotkey Focus Behavior to Never disable hotkeys or Disable hotkeys when main window is in focus.
> Restart OBS and then minimize OBS. You should now be able to Display Capture record without OBS in view unless you open the system tray.
> ...


how do i disable the running in the background, everytime i open obs it just flashes a tab for a second and then it disappears, it still records when i press my hotkeys but now i cant adjust andything at all


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## omar17166 (Nov 8, 2021)

zamar71 said:


> Following your steps, I also found its possible to hide an OBS window using "Hide" RMC option for OBS icon in system tray, then "Start Recording" and "Stop Recording" RMC options. It records the Display video without OBS window shown in it. Great, and should be in Online Help, as this is critical functionality.


What is this "Hide" RMC option? I don't get it! where is it? Can you please explain a bit more?


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 17, 2022)

27.2 is supposed to have this feature "Hide OBS window", according to a Youtube video showing how to set it up, but I downloaded and installed 27.2 just now and it's missing from the menu.


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## koala (Feb 17, 2022)

The function to hide OBS from display capture is in Settings->General->General->Hide OBS windows from screen capture.
And it works. Quite creepy function, if you ask me.


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 18, 2022)

In the Youtube video, it was a third checkbox under Open stats dialog on startup, but as you can see here on my copy, it's missing.


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## koala (Feb 18, 2022)

Make sure you're actually running OBS version 27.2.0 or above. I assume it also requires reasonably updated Windows 10 and 11, and may be it also requires Direct3D 11 renderer in Settings->Advanced->Video.
For me, it's there on a Windows 10 and a Windows 11 machine:





Funny thing is, this also makes OBS vanish from any screenshots.


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 19, 2022)

This is the version under the Help... about menu:




D3D11 is the ONLY available option on that dropdown:




Are there any other settings which much be in place for this to appear? Dependencies in the configuration of OBS?

I was thinking that maybe some folks are running an early release version (which got a log of complaints of system lockups), so maybe OBS removed the feature to make it more stable in the current download?


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## koala (Feb 19, 2022)

I updated with the internal updater when 27.2.0 became available. Nothing special. Perhaps it will work for you if you uninstall and download+install from the website. Your settings will be kept.


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 19, 2022)

The internal updater didn't notify of any new versions, so I had to download and install the new version as you mention, from their website. I wonder if the feature was quietly removed after a day because of all the complaints of system crashes? My version clearly is missing this feature.


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## amssm (Feb 19, 2022)

I can't seem to find the third checkbox as well.


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## koala (Feb 19, 2022)

I reget I cannot help any further. I even installed OBS in my Hyper-V based virtual testing VM with the standalone installer, and the option is available. Worked on Windows 10 21H2 (Build 19044.1526) as well as on Windows 11 21H2 build 22000.493 - both the most recent versions currently available from Windows update.


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 20, 2022)

I went to the OBS website today to download the latest version and it's ... 27.1.3! Looks like they pulled 27.2?









After some hunting around, I found 27.2 on Github and downloaded it again. Installed it again over the 27.2 I've got. Same problem. Hide OBS item missing from menu.


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## amssm (Feb 21, 2022)

To add more context, I'm missing this option in the MAC version.


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## cyclemat (Feb 21, 2022)

@amssm you are in the windows forum !!!!! windows is not mac version !


@Mark Weiss please wait for an new release !


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## koala (Feb 21, 2022)

amssm said:


> To add more context, I'm missing this option in the MAC version.


According to the patch description, the hide OBS window function is a Windows function only and requires at least Windows 10 version 2004.


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## amssm (Feb 21, 2022)

*cyclemat *sorry, I'm new here, I didn't notice this!


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## amssm (Feb 21, 2022)

koala said:


> According to the patch description, the hide OBS window function is a Windows function only and requires at least Windows 10 version 2004.


Thank you.


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## Mark Weiss (Feb 21, 2022)

koala said:


> According to the patch description, the hide OBS window function is a Windows function only and requires at least Windows 10 version 2004.



Oh, that's helpful. I'm stuck on Windows 10 build 1809 due to legacy hardware that stopped working when Windows updated to a newer build. Can't work without my Wacom Intuos tablet, Edirol MIDI patch bay and Nikon Coolscan ED4000 slide scanner.


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## bearcatjamboree (Feb 27, 2022)

Same here.  I'm on a Mac M1 with OBS Studio version 27.2.1 and there is no such option to "Hide OBS windows from screen capture"


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## Harold (Feb 27, 2022)

bearcatjamboree said:


> Same here.  I'm on a Mac M1 with OBS Studio version 27.2.1 and there is no such option to "Hide OBS windows from screen capture"


It's a windows exclusive feature as mentioned before


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## bearcatjamboree (Mar 1, 2022)

Sorry I didn’t see the full thread for some reason or I wouldn’t have asked


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## NumTuber (Mar 13, 2022)

Mark Weiss said:


> I went to the OBS website today to download the latest version and it's ... 27.1.3! Looks like they pulled 27.2?
> 
> View attachment 80620
> 
> ...


You might have to download it from the obs site





						Open Broadcaster Software | OBS
					

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Stream to Twitch, YouTube and many other providers or record your own videos with high quality H264 / AAC encoding.




					obsproject.com


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## Mark Weiss (Mar 15, 2022)

I have an update on this situation:
Do to a couple of software requirements that prevent installation on 1809 build, I was finally forced to bite the bullet, spend thousands of dollars on new hardware that's compatible with 21H2, I finally got up and running, and NOW I see the checkbox to hide OBS.

However, it is finicky. Some times when I start OBS, OBS window is visible in the output. I have to check Settings and I see the hide option IS checked, but I have to toggle it to get it to hide OBS. Yesterday, it hid OBS main window, but not the child windows I had open, such as Multiple output. Today, I started OBS and all OBS related windows are indeed hidden.

I realize this is a new feature and as such may have some unresolved issues, so I'm reporting what I observed in the hope that it will help the programmers identify a possible issue that needs attention.


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## Mark Weiss (Mar 15, 2022)

More info on the child window hiding:

Child windows are only "blacked out" but not hidden. I didn't notice at first, because my desktop wallpaper was dark background in that area, but I noticed it when I put OBS in front of Blender and noticed a black rectangle where the multiple stream window. Info for the bug fixers.


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## Mark Weiss (Mar 31, 2022)

I found a reproduceable bug with the Hide OBS function.

If I minimize OBS at the taskbar and restore it, the OBS window is no longer hidden. I have to uncheck the Hide OBS, click OK, then open settings again, Hide OBS and click OK. Then all windows are hidden. If I minimize OBS and restore it, it becomes visible again.


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## R1CH (Mar 31, 2022)

Thanks for the report, a fix for this should be in the next release.


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## AdmiralFunghie (Apr 11, 2022)

R1CH said:


> Thanks for the report, a fix for this should be in the next release.


Please can we add Multiview to the Windows that can be hidden? :-)


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## WBE (Apr 11, 2022)

AdmiralFunghie said:


> Please can we add Multiview to the Windows that can be hidden? :-)


Ideas, suggestions and enhancement requests can be posted here: https://ideas.obsproject.com/ People can upvote ideas as well.


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## AdmiralFunghie (Apr 11, 2022)

WBE said:


> Ideas, suggestions and enhancement requests can be posted here: https://ideas.obsproject.com/ People can upvote ideas as well.


Thanks yes sorry about that, I went to that area signed in with my GitHub but cannot see any way to actually post anything. Anyway, no need to reply again. Thanks again. :-)


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## Haneesh (May 10, 2022)

If you want this to happen go to OBS Settings > General  > Check Hide OBS windows from screen capture


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## bearcatjamboree (May 11, 2022)

Haneesh said:


> If you want this to happen go to OBS Settings > General  > Check Hide OBS windows from screen captureView attachment 83340


For anyone that can't find this... this is a Windows only option.


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## Harold (May 11, 2022)

bearcatjamboree said:


> For anyone that can't find this... this is a Windows only option.


Correct. This is a windows only option and is only available if the windows 10 capture method is used.


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## AdmiralFunghie (May 13, 2022)

Also, the hide windows doesn't work on Projector windows like the Multiview, that was the point. But Durblicht has added this.


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