In Streamlabs Desktop, media-file caching is an in-memory feature for looping media: it keeps decoded frames available so the app does not have to decode the same frames repeatedly. To toggle it, open Settings > Advanced settings and find the media-file caching option. The exact label or location may differ by version; the Streamlabs article documenting it does not specify a current build.
What media-file caching does
Streamlabs describes the feature as storing decoded media frames in memory. When a media source loops, Streamlabs can reuse those frames rather than repeatedly decoding the file. The intended tradeoff is less CPU work in exchange for memory use. This is not a disk folder of cached media files that you should delete.
Streamlabs reported a CPU-usage reduction of more than 35% from its internal measurements in 2019. Its article was last updated January 28, 2022, and does not give test hardware, a test protocol, or independent validation. Treat the figure as a historical vendor result, not a promised improvement on your computer. The same article says the cache limit is 2 GB; decoded frames exceeding that limit are not cached. It also says Streamlabs can reduce its cache use in response to local memory spikes. Streamlabs’ media-file caching explanation
Turn media-file caching on or off
- Open Streamlabs Desktop and select Settings.
- Open Advanced settings.
- Find the media-file caching option and toggle it on or off, depending on what you want to test.
The documented route comes from Streamlabs’ older article, which does not establish the exact current menu path for every release. If the option has moved or been renamed in your installed version, use that version’s labels or consult Streamlabs Support. Disabling caching is a troubleshooting test, not a guaranteed fix for stutter or high CPU use; results depend on the system and workload.
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Identify which cache you mean
| What you are troubleshooting | What it affects | Appropriate action |
|---|---|---|
| Media-file caching | Decoded frames kept in memory for media playback, especially looping sources. | Toggle the media-file caching setting in Advanced settings. |
| Browser-source cache | Web content rendered by a browser source; this is separate from decoded media frames. | Consider the Windows browser-cache-folder procedure below only if a browser source is the problem. |
| Clear Cache and Restart | A broad Streamlabs Desktop reset that can remove user data, including scene collections and settings. | Use only when narrower troubleshooting is insufficient, and export scene collections first. |
Clear the browser-source cache on Windows
Streamlabs’ public support repository documents this Windows cache folder:
%appdata%slobs-clientplugin_configobs-browserCache
- Close Streamlabs Desktop.
- In File Explorer’s address bar, enter
%appdata%slobs-clientplugin_configobs-browserCache. - Delete the contents of the
Cachefolder, not the entireslobs-clientdirectory. - Restart Streamlabs Desktop and check whether the browser-source issue remains.
This repository procedure is Windows-specific; it does not establish a macOS equivalent. Deleting this browser cache is not the same as clearing the decoded-frame cache used for media files. Streamlabs Desktop issues and solutions
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Before using “Clear Cache and Restart”
Streamlabs’ getting-started guide describes Settings > Get Support > Clear Cache and Restart as a way to start from scratch and says it wipes all user data, like an initial installation. Streamlabs’ going-live troubleshooting guidance separately warns that clearing cache data may lose scene collections and settings, and advises contacting support before doing so. The support repository recommends exporting scene collections as backups; a full user-data clear may also require signing in again and rebuilding settings or scenes. Streamlabs: Getting Started with Streamlabs Desktop · Streamlabs: Troubleshooting Going Live Issues in Streamlabs Desktop
- Export your scene collections before a broad reset.
- Try the specific media-file or browser-source step that matches the problem first.
- If a reset still seems necessary, contact Streamlabs Support and confirm what data may be removed.
A separate media-source memory setting in OBS
OBS documents a Close file when inactive option for media sources. It unloads a media file from memory while the source is hidden or off-scene, with a possible short delay when the file reloads. This is a distinct OBS behavior, not another name for Streamlabs’ decoded-frame cache. OBS Project: Media Sources
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