Tutorial

Chroma key in OBS Studio, step by step

Set up a clean chroma key in OBS Studio: lighting, the Chroma Key filter, similarity, smoothness and spill reduction, plus a virtual set behind you.

Steps

  1. Light the green screen evenly, separately from the presenter.
  2. Add your camera as a Video Capture Device source.
  3. Right-click the source → Filters → add Chroma Key; pick Green.
  4. Raise Similarity until the screen disappears, then Smoothness to soften edges.
  5. Increase Key Color Spill Reduction to remove green on hair and shoulders.
  6. Add your background (image, loop or 3D set render) below the camera source.

OBS's Chroma Key filter is a simple colour-distance keyer. Unlike a pro keyer, it cannot rescue bad lighting, so 80% of the result comes from the set.

Recommended starting values

SettingStart atNotes
Similarity350–420Too high eats into skin and hair
Smoothness60–90Softens the matte edge
Spill reduction100–150Removes green cast
Opacity100Keep at 100

Add a Crop/Pad filter before the key to remove anything outside the green, and a Color Correction filter afterwards to match the presenter to your background. See the full green-screen guide for lighting.