OBS Studio 28.0, released September 1, 2022, was a major update built around HDR and 10-bit encoding, native Apple Silicon builds, and a move from Qt 5 to Qt 6. The upgrade is not suitable for every older setup: it dropped support for several operating systems, and some plugins may need updates. Its HDR capabilities also depend on the encoder, hardware, operating system, filters, and streaming destination—not every OBS 28 workflow can stream HDR.
OBS 28 is a historical release; later versions have followed. Treat the operating-system details below as version-28-era compatibility information, not as the requirements for the current OBS release.
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Should you upgrade to OBS Studio 28?
Check your operating system and must-have plugins before upgrading. OBS 28 introduced the Qt 6 interface toolkit and ended support for some older platforms. On a supported system, review plugin compatibility and—if you use Apple Silicon—whether your plugins support the native build. For HDR, confirm the full workflow rather than assuming that enabling a setting is enough.
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- Older operating system: OBS 28 no longer supported Windows 7 or 8, macOS 10.13 or 10.14, Ubuntu 18.04, or any 32-bit operating system.
- Plugins: OBS warned that some plugins might not be compatible. Plugins relying on Qt 5 components could require updates for the Qt 6 transition. Check the OBS Plugin Compatibility information and verify essential plugins for your exact platform before using the upgrade in production.
- Apple Silicon Mac: OBS 28 offered a native Apple Silicon build, but third-party plugin availability could differ by architecture. The x86 build remained an option for access to a broader selection of plugins that had not yet been made native.
These are compatibility notes for OBS 28.0, not a current compatibility chart. See the OBS 28.0 release notes for the original version-specific details.
#1 Best Overall
- [XLR Mic Input] One XLR microphone input interface is set on the gaming audio mixer, which is great to up your audio quality with your XLR setup. The XLR mixer is a stepping stone to upgrade your live streaming. Audio mixer offered built-in 48V phantom power which opens up more choices for mics. Directly use it with your condenser microphone but do not solve added peripherals. (NOT available for USB mic)
- [Individual Channel Control] Gaming audio mixer for one mic recording with smooth volume slider fader take your streaming recording to a whole new level with full pleasure. Four independent channels set on the DJ mixer give audio volume of the MICROPHONE, LINE IN, HEADPHONE, and LINE OUT channels individual control. Configurable on the PC audio mixer instead of just operating on your game or streaming software.
- [Mute and Monitor] The front mute and monitor buttons but not at the back, make it easier to get the audio interface use. Ability to mute audio, the audio mixer for streaming prevents background noise from damaging your live broadcast. Real-time feedback between speaking and hearing will not distract your attention, which encourage you to speak more confidently. The sturdy-built control button allow you to operate freely and easily during live streaming.
- [Sound Effects] The computer sound mixer supports four pre-recorded customized button that can be recorded and activated at the press of button to post production. 6 kinds of voice changing modes change your output style. 12 auto tune changes the tone of your voice. The podcast mixer being able to add different and fun effects is a huge bonus for your streaming or game voice.
- [Controllable Vibrant RGB] RGB button on the audio mixer DJ meets different live streaming themes. Lights on the video mixer is vibrant but not harsh on your eyes. Flowing or frozen RGB color rotation in a decent pace presents a greatly strong impression as a "light show" to your audience. Even a streaming equipment accessory will not be dull looking when video production.
What were the headline changes in OBS 28?
HDR and 10-bit encoding
OBS 28 added HDR and 10-bit encoding for AV1 and HEVC. For HDR, the release notes recommended the P010 color format and Rec. 2100 PQ color space. HDR streaming in this release was limited to YouTube’s HLS service using HEVC; it was not a universal HDR streaming path across encoders and platforms.
Ten-bit HEVC had additional hardware restrictions: OBS named NVIDIA 10-series, AMD 5000-series, or newer GPUs, and said Intel QuickSync and Apple VT were not yet supported for that path. On macOS and Linux, HDR support was limited: HDR preview did not work, and some inputs and encoders still needed updates. OBS 28 could also tonemap HDR games to SDR when the composition itself was SDR.
Rank #2
- Analog mixing and equalization for pure sound
- Direct mixing of PC/gaming sounds into the streaming output
- Ultra-low noise analog mixer for streaming, podcasting and recording
- Stereo USB audio interface to connect your computer or mobile device
Filters that did not function on a source rendered with HDR included Apply LUT, Chroma Key, Color Key, Image Mask/Blend, Luma Key, and Sharpness. HDR capture also depended on the capture device supporting HDR. The release notes cited EVGA XR1 Pro, Elgato 4K60 Pro Mk.2, and AverMedia Live Gamer 4K as examples, not as requirements or endorsements.
Native Apple Silicon builds
The native build let Apple Silicon Macs run OBS without x86 emulation. Plugin compatibility was the practical trade-off: some third-party plugins might not yet have had native Apple Silicon versions. OBS therefore retained the x86 build as an option when plugin availability mattered more than using the native architecture.
Rank #3
- Compact, feature-rich livestreaming USB audio mixer provides high-quality sound for desktop audio production
- Plug-and-play connectivity to computer or mobile device (no special drivers required)
- Loopback function makes it easy to mix mic and instrument inputs with background music, game sounds, or other audio input from a computer – and send the stereo mix back to the computer for streaming
- High-performance A/D converter with resolution up to 24-bit/192 kHz provides crystal-clear output for voice and instruments
- Equipped with a single mic input (XLR or ¼"), two LINE inputs for guitar and keyboard, and USB-C input for connecting to a computer
Qt 6 and a built-in websocket plugin
The interface moved from Qt 5 to Qt 6, bringing the platform-support and plugin considerations described above. OBS 28 also included obs-websocket 5.0 as a first-party plugin. The OBS Project announced that version 5 would be included in OBS downloads beginning with 28.0.0; it had also been released as a standalone plugin intended for OBS 27.2. This integration does not establish that every existing automation client works without configuration changes. See the OBS Project’s websocket announcement.
What else was added?
OBS 28’s release notes list additions across capture, recording, outputs, and accessibility. Availability can depend on the operating system, hardware, and—in the case of NVIDIA features—installed runtimes.
Rank #4
- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take with - With two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice and instruments without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to our Gain Halos
- Studio quality recording for your music & podcasts - Achieve pro sounding recordings with Scarlett 3rd Gen’s high-performance converters enabling you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - 2 low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback with 3rd Gen. Hear all the nuances of your tracks or music from Spotify, Apple & Amazon Music. Plug-in headphones for private listening in high-fidelity
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
| Area | OBS 28 addition and conditions |
|---|---|
| Audio capture | Capture audio from a single application process on Windows. On macOS, ScreenCaptureKit support began with macOS 12.5; direct application-audio capture without a third-party solution was available on macOS 13 and later. |
| Encoding | Updated the AMD encoder implementation on Windows. On Apple Silicon, Apple VT gained CBR, CRF, and Simple Mode support; CBR required macOS 13 or later. |
| NVIDIA effects | NVIDIA Background Removal on Windows required the NVIDIA Video Effects SDK Runtime. Room Echo Removal in NVIDIA Noise Suppression required the NVIDIA Audio Effects SDK runtime. |
| Recording | Split recordings automatically or by hotkey based on file size or duration. |
| Streaming and outputs | Added native SRT/RIST outputs, YouTube chat messaging from OBS, and separate video-mix selection for the virtual camera. |
| Accessibility and installation | Added settings to change the colors of certain interface elements and a Windows file-integrity check to validate and repair the current OBS installation. |
| macOS workflow | Improved the permissions flow at startup; settings changed through Configure for Video Capture Device sources were saved on Windows. |
| Interface | Added the Yami theme as the new default, a “What’s New” dialog on macOS and Linux, and an option to reset the whole UI. |
Which workflow refinements are worth knowing?
The 28.0 release also included a set of smaller changes that can matter in day-to-day production:
- Preview gained a source-rotation handle and spacing helpers; scene-item transformations could be copied and pasted.
- Multiview gained layouts without Preview or Program, cropped-selection borders became dotted, and visibility transitions gained copy-and-paste support.
- In vertical Studio Mode, Program moved above Preview. Studio Mode labels gained scene names, and the audio mixer gained a toolbar.
- Hotkeys began requiring exact modifier matches. Linux rendering switched from GLX to EGL.
- Reconnect behavior improved, and the default reconnect delay was reduced to two seconds.
- A low-latency audio-buffering option was added for outputs such as Decklink and NDI.
- The M3U8/HLS recording format was removed from Simple output and remained available in Advanced output.
- OBS 28 updated dependencies and allowed any Python 3 version on Windows and macOS instead of only Python 3.6.
How should you plan an OBS 28 upgrade?
- Check your OS and architecture. Confirm that the computer meets OBS 28’s version-specific platform support and identify whether you need the native Apple Silicon or x86 build.
- Make a plugin inventory. List plugins your scenes, audio routing, automation, or production workflow depends on. Check their compatibility with OBS 28, Qt 6, and your OS and CPU architecture. Do not assume a plugin works simply because OBS opens successfully.
- Validate automation separately. OBS 28 includes obs-websocket 5.0, but the release information does not guarantee compatibility with every client or existing configuration. Check the client documentation and test commands in a non-production session.
- Test the actual output path. If you intend to use HDR or 10-bit video, confirm the encoder, GPU, capture device, format, color space, operating system, destination, and filters all fit the workflow. Test a recording or private stream before relying on it live.
- Review recording settings. If you used M3U8/HLS in Simple output, note its removal there; select Advanced output if you still need that recording format.
What should you troubleshoot first?
- OBS 28 will not install or run on the machine: Check whether it uses a dropped OS version or a 32-bit system. OBS 28 ended support for Windows 7 and 8, macOS 10.13 and 10.14, Ubuntu 18.04, and 32-bit operating systems.
- A plugin disappears, fails to load, or behaves differently: Check for an OBS 28-compatible plugin build, including Qt 6 and the correct CPU architecture. On Apple Silicon, compare the native build with the x86 build if a required plugin is not available natively.
- HDR output is unavailable or incorrect: Verify that you are using AV1 or HEVC for 10-bit/HDR encoding, and use the release-notes recommendations of P010 and Rec. 2100 PQ for HDR. For ten-bit HEVC, verify GPU support; OBS 28 did not support Intel QuickSync or Apple VT for that path. Also account for its macOS/Linux limitations, YouTube HLS requirement for HDR streaming, HDR-capable capture hardware, and filters that do not work on HDR-rendered sources.
- Automation no longer connects as expected: OBS 28 bundles obs-websocket 5.0. Confirm that the client supports the bundled version and check its connection settings rather than assuming an older client configuration will carry over unchanged.
- A recording is not split when expected: Review whether splitting is enabled and whether the configured trigger is duration or file size; the feature can also be invoked by hotkey.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- 10 channel mixer with USB and SPX digital effects
- Featuring studio grade discrete class A D PRE amps with inverted Darlington circuit providing fat, natural sounding bass and smooth, soaring highs
- 3 band EQ and high pass filters give you maximum control and eliminate unwanted noise, resulting in a cleaner mix
- 1 knob compressors allow easy control resulting in livelier guitars, punchier bass lines, a tighter snare and a cleaner vocal sound
- MG Series mixers feature a rugged, impact resistant, powder coated metal chassis; Equivalent input noise 128 dBu, residual output noise 102 dBu
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