OBS Studio 32.0 added a new Plugin Manager that makes it way easier to manage plugins without having to rummage through OBS folders. With this new Plugin Manager, you can deal with problematic addons by quickly and easily disabling them whenever you need to test where a problem is coming from. It's also a quick and easy way to disable things that you don't currently need to use.

Takeaways:

  1. What does the new plugin manager inside OBS Studio actually do, and is it worth using?
  2. Is it possible to install and uninstall Plugins in OBS Studio using the new Plugin Manager?

What Is the OBS Plugin Manager?

The New Plugin Manager is a built-in tool for managing plugins in OBS Studio. It was added in OBS Studio 32.0 and has already had a fair few little updates. If you're completely new to OBS, Plugins are a superpower of OBS that allow you to add new sources, filters, outputs, encoders and other functionality. The only catch is that plugins need to be compatible with your version of OBS and your operating system.

This is where the Plugin Manager is super handy since it detects all plugins and makes it really easy to find problems and fix them without a ton of file explorer and control panel troubleshooting.

How to Use the OBS Plugin Manager

To find and use the Plugin Manager in OBS, do the following:

  • Open OBS Studio.
  • Click Tools in the top menu.
  • Select Plugin Manager.
  • You will see a list of plugins detected by OBS.

What can you do with the Plugin Manager in OBS Studio

Depending on your OBS version and the plugins you have installed, the information you'll see varies quite a lot.

How to Disable an OBS Plugin

One of the most useful reasons to use the Plugin Manager is for troubleshooting. If OBS starts behaving strangely after installing or updating a plugin, you can now disable it easily.

  • Open Tools > Plugin Manager.
  • Find the plugin you want to disable.
  • Use the option to disable the plugin.
  • Restart OBS if prompted.
  • Check whether the problem has been resolved.

OBS 32.1 also added the ability to enable or disable missing plugins, which can be useful when a plugin is no longer installed or cannot be loaded correctly.

What If a Plugin Isn't Working?

At this point in time, the Plugin Manager doesn't look after Plugin updates, so if something ends up getting out of date and causing issues, you will have to manually update it. Some plugins also work better than others.

If a plugin is not working correctly:

  • Check whether the plugin supports your version of OBS.
  • Check whether the plugin supports your operating system.
  • Look for an updated version from the plugin developer.
  • Disable the plugin in Plugin Manager and restart OBS.
  • If the problem started after an OBS update, check whether the plugin developer has released a compatible version.

It is also worth remembering that the built-in Plugin Manager is still a relatively basic tool. You may still need to visit the individual plugin's page to download updates or find installation instructions.

Can You Install Plugins From the Plugin Manager?

The Plugin Manager is pretty much only for managing plugins that OBS has detected. For plugins that need manual installation, OBS gives you a separate installation process for Windows, macOS and Linux. They basically just install as typical system programs, then OBS detects them and manages them. It's a pretty good system if you ask me.