OBS Studio Replay Buffer & Temporary Video Cache (%AppData%\obs-studio)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to clear OBS Studio temporary video caches and crash logs. OBS Studio caches live Replay Buffer video clips and Chromium browser source cache data.

Why Does OBS Studio Video Buffer Exist?

Streamers and content creators use OBS Studio’s Replay Buffer feature to capture instant video clips of gameplay moments.

• Primary Purpose: Temporary RAM/disk buffer for live replay clipping and browser source rendering.
• Storage Impact: Unsaved replay buffers and old crash dumps inside %AppData%\obs-studio\crashes consume 2 GB to 30 GB+.
• Browser Source Cache: Stored in %AppData%\obs-studio\plugin_config\obs-browser.

What Happens If You Delete OBS Video Buffer Cache?

• System Safety: ✅ 100% Safe to Delete. Scene collections, profile settings, and saved MP4 recordings are preserved.
• Reclaimed Storage: Reclaims 2 GB to 30 GB+ of SSD space.

How to Clear OBS Studio Cache

# Clear OBS browser source cache and crash logs
Remove-Item -Path "$env:APPDATA\obs-studio\crashes\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Remove-Item -Path "$env:APPDATA\obs-studio\plugin_config\obs-browser\*" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will clearing OBS cache delete my streaming overlays or scene collections?

No. Scene collections and streaming profiles are stored in %AppData%\obs-studio\basic as JSON files and are not deleted when clearing cache folders.