The replay buffer grabs your whole scene, but sometimes you want a clean, isolated recording of just one source, your gameplay without the webcam and overlays, or your camera alone for a reaction clip. The Source Record plugin for OBS does exactly that, recording individual sources to their own files while you stream your full layout.
What Source Record does
Source Record is a filter you add to any source. It records that single source, or a chosen scene, to a separate file independent of your main recording or stream. That means you can broadcast your composited layout to Twitch while simultaneously saving a clean 1080p capture of just the game, ready for editing without overlays baked in.
Why isolated captures matter
Editors love clean sources. A game clip without your facecam covering the corner is far more flexible, you can reposition your reaction, add captions, or crop for vertical video. Recording sources separately at capture time saves hours of masking later.
Installation and setup
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Install the Source Record plugin, restart OBS |
| 2 | Right-click a source, choose Filters |
| 3 | Add a Source Record filter |
| 4 | Set path, format (MP4/MKV), and encoder |
| 5 | Choose to record continuously or with a hotkey |
Configuring for quality and performance
In the filter settings, point the recording path to a fast drive (an SSD if you record 1080p60, which can run 20–40 Mbps). Choose an encoder, if your GPU has spare capacity, hardware NVENC keeps CPU load low while you also stream. Set the resolution to match the clean source you want; you can even upscale a smaller webcam to a standard size. Record to MKV to protect against corruption from a crash, then remux to MP4 for editing.
Hotkey vs continuous
Source Record can run the whole session or start and stop on a hotkey. Continuous is safest so you never miss a moment; hotkey saves disk space if you only want specific segments. Pair it with the replay buffer for the best of both, instant clips plus clean full recordings.
Watch your resources
Every extra recording is more encoding and disk I/O. If you stream, record the full scene, and run Source Record on two sources at once, monitor your encoding overload warning and CPU/GPU usage. Offload some tasks to hardware encoders and use a dedicated capture drive to avoid dropped frames.
Organizing and using your isolated captures
Isolated recordings pile up fast, so build a naming and folder habit from day one. Point Source Record to a dated folder and give each source a clear filename (game, cam, mic) so you are not guessing later. When you sit down to edit clips, having a clean game capture and a separate facecam file means you can lay them out however the vertical or horizontal format demands, no masking required.
Pairing with the replay buffer
Source Record and the replay buffer complement each other. The replay buffer grabs the last 30–60 seconds of your full scene on a hotkey for instant highlights, while Source Record continuously saves clean isolated sources for deeper editing. Running both gives you quick shareable moments and high-quality raw material from the same session.
Storage planning
Clean 1080p60 captures can run 20–40 Mbps each, and recording two sources plus your main file adds up quickly, potentially tens of gigabytes per hour. Record to a dedicated fast drive with plenty of space, and offload or cull footage after each editing session so your capture drive never fills mid-stream and causes dropped frames.
FAQ
Does Source Record hurt my stream performance?
It can if you overload your encoder. Use hardware encoding for the extra recordings and a fast separate drive, and watch OBS stats. On a capable PC the impact is minimal.
What format should I record in?
MKV during capture for crash safety, then remux to MP4 in OBS afterward for editing compatibility.
Can I record more than one source at once with it?
Yes, you can add a Source Record filter to multiple sources and capture each to its own file simultaneously. Be mindful of the load, though: every extra recording is more encoding and disk activity on top of your stream. Use hardware encoding for the additional captures, record to a fast dedicated drive, and watch the OBS stats for encoding overload so the extra recordings do not cause dropped frames.
Bottom line
Source Record lets you save clean, isolated captures of individual sources while streaming your full layout. Install the plugin, add the filter, point it to a fast drive with hardware encoding, and record to MKV. Your future editing self will thank you.
