OBS Keyboard Shortcuts: The Cheat Code for Faster Streaming
- Teacher Nine
- Nov 14
- 3 min read
Pro streamers don’t click around mid-broadcast — they use shortcuts. When you’re live, every second counts. The last thing you want is to fumble through menus, drag sources around, or try to mute something while 200 people watch you struggle. That’s how accidents happen — awkward silences, missed cues, and “Bruh, she clicked the wrong scene again” moments.
OBS keyboard shortcuts (also called hotkeys) fix all of that.
With a single key press, you can switch scenes, mute your mic, trigger an overlay, roll a stinger transition, start or stop your stream, drop a lower third, or turn your webcam off instantly. No mouse. No searching. No panic. Just clean, intentional control — even in the middle of gameplay, a DJ mix, a teaching moment, or a chaotic “Just Chatting” debate.
Hotkeys make your stream look smoother, faster, and way more professional. And once you set them up, they become muscle memory — part of your natural flow on camera. Keyboard shortcuts also come in big handy when you don't have a streamdeck.
This guide breaks down the essential OBS keyboard shortcuts every streamer should be using, plus pro-level setups for creators who want to run their entire broadcast from their fingertips.
Let’s get into it.
How to Set Up Keyboard:
Shortcuts in OBS
You can assign your own hotkeys in seconds:
Open OBS Studio
Go to Settings
Select Hotkeys
Click the action you want to control
Press the key combo you want
Hit Apply
You can use:
Single keys (F1, F2, F3…)
Key combos (Ctrl+Shift+1)
Mouse buttons
Stream Deck buttons (if you want to get fancy)
Must-Know OBS Keyboard Shortcuts (Default)
OBS doesn’t come loaded with many default hotkeys, but you can set them manually. These are the most common ones streamers use:
Streaming Controls
Start Streaming → Set to something easy, like: Ctrl + Shift + S
Stop Streaming → Ctrl + Shift + X
Start Recording → Ctrl + Shift + R
Pause/Unpause Recording → Your choice
Start/Stop Virtual Camera → Ctrl + Shift + V
Scene Switching
Switch to Scene 1 → F1
Switch to Scene 2 → F2
Switch to Scene 3 → F3(Assign scenes based on your actual setup)
Audio Control
Mute/Unmute Mic/Aux
Mute Desktop Audio
Push-to-Talk / Push-to-Mute
Popular choices:
Push-to-Talk → Mouse Button 4
Mute Mic → Ctrl + M
Mute Desktop Audio → Ctrl + D
Source Visibility
Turn overlays, alerts, or text pop-ups on/off:
Toggle Source Visibility → Ctrl + 1, Ctrl + 2, etc.
Perfect for:
Popping your nameplate on/off
Triggering “BRB” text
Showing/hiding webcam
Turning DJ overlays on screen
Pro Hotkey Setups (Streamer Examples)
Gaming Streamers
F1 → Live Scene
F2 → Just Chatting
F3 → BRB
Ctrl + M → Mute mic
Ctrl + Shift + S → Start stream
Ctrl + Shift + X → End
DJ Streamers
F1 → Main DJ cam
F2 → Deck closeup
F3 → Crowd cam (or chat scene)
Ctrl + A → Turn music overlay on/off
Ctrl + M → Mute mic during blends
IRL / Camera-Only Creators
F1 → Face cam
F2 → Wide shot
F3 → Promo screen
Ctrl + 1 → Toggle nameplate
Ctrl + 2 → Toggle lower third
Teachers / Coaches
F1 → Lesson view
F2 → Slides
F3 → Chat Q&A
Ctrl + 3 → Toggle pointer graphic
Ctrl + 4 → Toggle captions
Advanced Hotkey Tips (That Most People Miss)
Use “Show Transition” Hotkeys
Assign different transitions to different scenes for custom vibes.
Use Hotkeys to Trigger Filters
You can toggle:
Blur filters
Color correction
Audio effectsPerfect for quick mood switches or dramatic moments.
Use Hotkeys for Stinger Transitions
Combine stingers with scene hotkeys for buttery-smooth switching.
Set “Global Hotkeys”
Enable actions even when OBS isn’t the active window — perfect for gaming.
Best Practices
Don’t use keys you hit by accident
Group shortcuts by category (F keys for scenes, Ctrl keys for audio)
Write them down for muscle memory
Test them before going live
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the fastest ways to level up your streaming workflow. Once you set them up, you’ll switch scenes smoothly, control your audio instantly, and run your entire broadcast like a pro — no Stream Deck required.
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