Why Webcam Lagging in OBS & How to Fix

The Elgato Facecam is a popular choice for content creators and streamers. It’s long been the best companion to OBS, a software for live streaming. However, even the best hardware can run into problems.

If you've invested in an webcam, only to find your video stream lagging or stuttering when recording in OBS, you're not alone. Let's explore the most likely reason and solutions to fix it.

Why Is My Webcam Lagging in OBS?

1. GPU is maxed out.

Webcam lagging is common when people try to stream and record themselves while playing games, especially for GPU-intensive games on Windows computer.

When games use nearly 100% of GPU resources with uncapped FPS, OBS struggles to render the webcam smoothly, causing lag.

2. Too many USB devices.

Overloading USB bandwidth can slow down or interrupt webcam data transmission. For example, if you have connected mouse, keyboard, headphones, microphone, game controller, and external hard drives to your PC, your webcam will definitely be affected.

3. Race of multiple applications.

Some apps may control the webcam simultaneously. For example, OBS and Logitech camera software both trying to adjust settings can cause conflicts and lag.

4. Low light conditions.

Please noted that the webcam's sensor has to work harder to capture enough light if your room is dark. As a result, you may see perceived lags.

5. Outdated OBS

Some users said that when they use older versions, webcam lag or rendering lag can appear suddenly even without changes to encoding or settings. Bugs or incompatibility issues are the main cause.

How to Fix Webcame Lagging on Windows?

1) Update dedicate webcam software.

If you're using Elgato, you can install Elgato Camera Hub if you want firmware updates.

2) Use a suitable USB cable to connect the webcam and computer.

3) Adjust webcam settings like resolution, frame rate, brightness, contrast, etc.

4) Change settings of OBS.

In the "Video Capture Device" properties in OBS, try different "Video Format" options. MJPEG often uses less CPU but more USB bandwidth. You can test it and find the bes setting for the webcam.