Where apps hide your files

Finding your OBS recordings

Updated 2026-08-08 · 3 min read

OBS is the rare app that puts files somewhere sensible — and still loses them, because a two-hour stream is twenty gigabytes and nobody looks at the Movies folder until the disk is full.

The default, and where to confirm it

OBS → Settings → Output → Recording shows the recording path. The default on a Mac is ~/Movies. Files are named by timestamp: 2026-08-08 19-04-11.mkv.

MKV, and why your editor rejects it

OBS defaults to MKV because it survives crashes — an interrupted MP4 is often unreadable, an interrupted MKV plays to the point of failure. Most Mac editors want MP4. File → Remux Recordings converts without re-encoding in seconds. If you always remux, set Automatically remux to mp4 in Advanced settings.

The disk problem

Recording at a decent bitrate produces roughly 8 to 20 GB per hour. A weekly show fills a small SSD in months. Two habits fix it:

• Point the recording path at an external drive in Settings → Output.
• Once a month, sort recordings by size and delete the raw files for anything

already edited and delivered.

Sorting a whole disk's video by size is one query in an indexed search tool (kind:movie size:>5gb style filters); in Finder, a Smart Folder on kind and size does it for mounted drives.

If a recording is missing

Check the path in settings first — OBS profiles carry their own paths, and switching profiles switches folders silently. Then search by date: the timestamp naming means the filename itself says when it was made.

Common questions

Why does OBS record MKV instead of MP4?

Crash safety. An interrupted MKV remains playable; an interrupted MP4 is usually lost. Remux to MP4 afterwards for editing.

Can OBS record straight to an external drive?

Yes — set the recording path in Settings → Output. Use a drive fast enough for the bitrate, which any SSD is.