How to Fix the OBS Studio Woops, OBS Has Crashed Error in Windows 10 & 11

 Posted on June 29, 2024  |  6 minutes  |  1112 words  |  Reinaldo Massengill

OBS Studio is the software many users utilize for screencasting and video streaming. However, some users have reported that software crashes in Windows 11/10 with a “Woops, OBS has crashed” error message. Users can’t launch and utilize OBS Studio because of that crashing error.

Are you familiar with the “Woops, OBS has crashed” error message? If yes, don’t give up on OBS Studio just yet. You might be able to fix the “OBS has crashed” error with one of these potential resolutions.

1. Run a System File Scan

Corrupted system files cause many, many software crashes in Windows. So, it might be the case that OBS Studio is crashing because some system files need repairing on your PC. Running a System File Checker scan will restore missing or corrupted files. Our guide on how to run the SFC tool includes instructions for applying this potential solution.

2. Reset the AMD or NVIDIA Graphics App to Default Settings

Some OBS Studio users have said they fixed OBS crashing by resetting AMD or NVIDIA graphics app settings to default. So, that’s a resolution worth trying if your PC has an AMD or NVIDIA graphics adapter. This is how you can reset the AMD and NVIDIA apps to default:

How to Reset AMD Settings

For AMD graphics cards:

  • Right-click on the Windows desktop area and select AMD Radeon Graphics.
  • Select System in the AMD Radeon Graphics window.
  • Press the Reset button for the GPU settings.

    • How to Reset NVIDIA Settings

    For NVIDIA GPUs:

  • Bring up NVIDIA Control Panel by right-clicking somewhere on the desktop background and selecting the app’s context menu shortcut.
  • Double-click 3D Settings to extend that category.
  • Select Manage 3D settings.
  • Click the Restore option.

    • 3. Run OBS Studio in Compatibility Mode

    Some OBS users have fixed this crashing issue by running the software in compatibility mode. This is because the “OBS has crashed” error can appear due to compatibility issues with specific Windows versions. These are the steps for running OBS Studio in compatibility mode:

  • Click the pinned File Explorer shortcut on the taskbar.
  • Open the OBS Studio installation folder.
  • Right-click the OSB Studio EXE (application) file for opening the software to select Properties.
  • Select Compatibility to access the settings on that tab.
  • Click the Run this program in compatibility mode box to enable that setting.
  • Then select the Windows 7 platform in the menu.
  • Also, select Run this program as administrator just below the compatibility mode setting.
  • Click Apply to set the new compatibility options you’ve selected.
  • Close the OBS Studios Properties window by clicking OK.

    • 4. Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter for OBS Studio

    If running in compatibility mode doesn’t do the trick, try troubleshooting compatibility instead. You can do that by running a Program Compatibility Troubleshooter that sets recommended settings for software. Check out our guide on the Compatibility Troubleshooter for Windows for details about how to run and utilize that troubleshooting tool in Windows.

    5. Temporarily Turn Off the Windows Firewall

    The Windows Defender Firewall can cause OBS Studio app issues if that software isn’t allowed through it. So, try temporarily disabling Windows Defender Firewall before launching OBS Studio. If that works, turn the firewall back on and enable OBS Studio through it. Our guide about allowing apps through Windows Defender Firewall includes instructions for how to stop the firewall from blocking the programs.

    The same applies to third-party Windows firewall software. If you have installed a firewall, select to temporarily turn it off. Note that some more general antivirus security software also have firewalls. So, check the settings within third-party antivirus software to see if includes a firewall component you can disable.

    6. Install the Latest Graphics Driver for Your GPU

    Installing a new graphics driver might remedy OBS Studio crashing if your PC’s GPU has an old driver. You can install the latest driver for your graphics adapter by manually downloading the latest one or utilizing third-party software that updates drivers. Our guide on updating graphics drivers in Windows provides step-by-step instructions for how to apply this solution manually and with NVIDIA and AMD software.

    7. Disable Background Third-Party Apps

    Some background apps with recording or overlay features can feasibly conflict with OBS Studio to cause this crashing issue or others. So, disabling background third-party apps could fix the “OBS, has crashed” error for some users. You can terminate background software with the methods in our guide for disabling background apps on Windows.

    Alternatively, disable background startup items by setting Windows to clean boot. You can do that by disabling unneeded third-party startup apps and services in Task Manager and System Configuration (otherwise MSConfig). Then restart your PC and try launching OBS Studio.

    8. Disable and Re-enable Your Dedicated GPU

    Some users have said that temporarily disabling discrete (high-performance) graphics adapters on PCs with two GPUs can resolve the “OBS has crashed” error. If you have a PC with dual graphics adapters, then that might be worth a try. You can apply that potential fix as follows:

  • First, activate the Power User menu, with its Win + X keyboard shortcut.
  • Select Device Manager on the Power User menu.
  • Double-click Display adapters to extend that graphics device category.
  • Right-click a dedicated AMD or NVIDIA GPU to select Disable device.
  • Click Yes when asked to confirm disabling it.
  • Then try launching OBS Studio with the GPU disabled.
  • Return to Device Manager after launching OBS Studio.
  • Right-click the disabled GPU to select Enable device.

    • 9. Reinstall OBS Studio

    Reinstalling OBS Studio can potentially fix a wide variety of crashing issues. So, that’s something worth trying if other possible resolutions don’t work for you. You can uninstall the OBS Studio UWP app and desktop software via Apps & features as instructed in this guide on how to uninstall Windows software.

    You can reinstall either the OBS Studio desktop software or the UWP app. Open the OBS Studio download page and click Download Installer to get the setup wizard for the desktop software. Then you can reinstall OBS by opening its setup wizard from whatever folder it downloaded in.

    To install the UWP app, click the Get it from Microsoft link on the download page. Select Open in Microsoft Store to bring up the OBS Studio page in that app; then select the Install option for OBS Studio.

    Get Streaming with OBS Studio Again

    So, you can fix the “Woops, OBS has Crashed” error in various ways. Go through all the potential resolutions outlined above in the order listed to find one that works for you. However, you can also post on the OBS support forum for further troubleshooting guidance if they’re not enough to fix OBS crashing on your PC.

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