If OBS says “Some files are missing since you last used OBS,” first check that the media still exists and its drive is connected. Then restore the path OBS expects or relink the file in OBS. A Windows update may be the timing clue, but the available evidence does not establish that updates generally cause OBS media files to go offline.
Why OBS media files go missing
An OBS Media Source points to a local audio or video file through its Local File setting. If the file is moved, renamed, deleted, or stored on a drive Windows no longer mounts at the same path, OBS may not be able to find it. The file can still be intact; the reference to its location may simply no longer resolve.
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OBS says updates should leave settings intact and notes that other software can interfere with OBS after an update. That does not prove an update caused a missing-media problem. Check the file, drive, path, and source before treating the update as the cause. OBS Help Portal
Fix missing media in OBS
- Check the file in Windows. Open File Explorer and browse to the audio or video file. Confirm it exists and opens. If it is on an external or secondary drive, reconnect that drive and make sure Windows can browse its contents.
- Compare the current path with OBS’s saved path. Look for a changed drive letter or a renamed or moved folder. For example, a file formerly on one drive letter may now appear under another. In that case, the file may be present while OBS still points to the old location.
- Relink the missing source. In OBS, use the missing-files workflow. The dialog includes Search Directory… and Select file… controls and reports how many files it found. Search the folder containing the moved media, or select the replacement file or folder as appropriate. OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes the source’s local-file properties and supported formats: Media Sources.
- Save and verify. Save the repaired scene collection, reopen the affected scene, and play the source to confirm it resolves and behaves as expected. This check helps catch a wrong replacement or a path that still is not available.
Keep the media path stable
For prevention, store media in a folder on a volume that is reliably available and keep that folder and path unchanged. If you use removable media across computers with OBS portable mode, the OBS portable-mode guide recommends assigning the storage the same drive letter on each PC. It is a community guide from 2016, so treat it as guidance rather than a current Windows requirement: OBS and OBS-Studio: Portable Mode on Windows.
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Choose a consistent drive letter
This can be straightforward for a removable drive used on multiple PCs: give it the same letter on each computer so the path OBS expects remains consistent. It depends on that letter staying available and the drive being connected whenever OBS needs the files.
Use a folder mount point
Windows can make a drive available through a folder path instead of relying on its drive letter. Microsoft documents Disk Management, command-line, and PowerShell methods. A folder mount point requires the volume to be formatted as NTFS or ReFS. Choose a path carefully: changing paths can affect other applications that already rely on them. See Microsoft’s instructions for assigning a mount point folder path.
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| Approach | Useful when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent drive letter | Removable storage is used across PCs and you can reserve the same letter on each. | The drive must be present, and the expected letter must remain available. |
| Folder mount point | You want OBS to use a folder path rather than depend on a particular drive letter. | Windows requires NTFS or ReFS for the mounted volume, and setup changes should account for other software using the path. |
If other OBS features broke after the update
If more than local media paths are failing, check OBS’s general update troubleshooting. OBS notes that security software may scrutinize an updated application and recommends checking its whitelist settings. That is relevant to broader OBS problems, but it does not show that antivirus or security software changed a media file’s path. Start with the specific symptom and avoid changing unrelated settings without a reason. OBS Help Portal
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