Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, which is one of the options below. Facts about Windows, macOS and other products were checked on 23 October 2026 and can change. SofaDeck is not affiliated with or endorsed by the OBS Project; all trademarks belong to their owners.
Short answer: set OBS hotkeys in File → Settings → Hotkeys. If they stop working while you're in a game, the usual cause is that the game runs as administrator and OBS doesn't; run OBS as administrator and set Hotkey Focus Behavior to "Never disable hotkeys". Below: the hotkeys worth setting, every common fix, and how to move them onto buttons on your phone so you never have to remember a combination mid-stream.
The OBS hotkeys worth setting
| Action | Where it is in Settings → Hotkeys | Suggested combo |
|---|---|---|
| Start / stop streaming | Top of the list | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F1 / F2 |
| Start / stop recording | Top of the list | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F3 / F4 |
| Save replay buffer | Replay Buffer (after you enable it in Output) | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F5 |
| Switch to a scene | Under each scene's name | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+1, 2, 3… |
| Show / hide a source | Under the scene that holds it | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W (webcam) |
| Mute / unmute mic | Under your Mic/Aux device | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M |
| Push-to-talk / push-to-mute | Under your Mic/Aux device | A mouse side button or spare key |
| Studio Mode transition | Transition | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T |
Three modifier keys plus a function or number key is ugly to press but almost never clashes with a game, a browser or Discord. If you'll press them from a phone or a deck, the ugliness doesn't matter. Push-to-talk and push-to-mute also need switching on per device in Settings → Audio → Advanced, where you can add a short release delay so your last word isn't cut off.
OBS hotkeys not working: the fixes, in order
- Run OBS as administrator (right-click → Run as administrator, or Properties → Compatibility → Run this program as an administrator). Windows won't let a normal program read keys pressed in an elevated window, and many games and launchers run elevated.
- Check Hotkey Focus Behavior in Settings → Advanced → Hotkeys. "Disable hotkeys when main window is not in focus" makes them work only while OBS is in front; choose "Never disable hotkeys".
- Avoid keys the game uses. Some games swallow keys they bind themselves, so OBS never sees them. Add Ctrl+Alt+Shift or use F13–F24, which no keyboard has.
- Check for a second program with the same combo. GPU overlays, recording tools and Discord can all grab a key first.
- On a Mac, allow OBS under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility (and Input Monitoring if listed), then restart OBS.
- Test with a game in front: start a recording by hotkey while the game is focused, then check the OBS window afterwards.
Put your OBS hotkeys on your phone
Remembering eight three-modifier combinations under pressure is the hard part. A phone in a stand next to your keyboard fixes that: each action becomes a big, labeled button. SofaDeck does it two ways.
Direct OBS control (Pro, Windows)
From SofaDeck 1.0.9, an OBS Studio button talks to OBS's built-in WebSocket server (OBS 28 or later). No hotkeys at all, and no admin-rights problem. In OBS, open Tools → WebSocket Server Settings, tick Enable WebSocket server and note the port (4455) and password. In SofaDeck's Deck page on the PC, open OBS, enter them and click Test connection. Then add buttons to switch scenes (the scene list comes straight from OBS), start, stop or toggle recording and streaming, and show or hide a source. Buttons show ● REC, ● LIVE and ON AIR, so you can see at a glance that you really are recording. Voice works too: "switch to scene Gameplay", "start recording", "go live", "hide source webcam". OBS control is part of SofaDeck Pro ($9.99 once).
Hotkey buttons (free and Pro)
On a Mac, or if you'd rather not turn on the WebSocket server, make hotkey buttons instead. Single keys are free: bind OBS actions to F13–F24 by clicking the hotkey box in OBS and tapping a SofaDeck button that presses F13. Combinations such as Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F1 need Pro. A Pro macro can chain them: switch to "Starting soon", start streaming, wait five seconds, open your chat pop-out.
Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser.One email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/getNext: automatic and one-tap OBS scene switching, the OBS phone remote guide and a full streaming deck layout.
Frequently asked questions
Where are hotkeys in OBS Studio?
File → Settings → Hotkeys. Use the filter box at the top to find an action, click its box and press the key combination. Each scene, source and audio device has its own entries, alongside Start/Stop Streaming, Start/Stop Recording and Save Replay.
Why don't my OBS hotkeys work in a game?
Usually because the game runs as administrator and OBS doesn't, so Windows blocks OBS from seeing the keys. Run OBS as administrator too. Also check Settings → Advanced → Hotkeys → Hotkey Focus Behavior is set to "Never disable hotkeys", and pick combinations the game doesn't use itself.
Why do OBS hotkeys only work when OBS is in front on a Mac?
macOS has to allow OBS to watch the keyboard. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and allow OBS under Accessibility (and Input Monitoring if it is listed there), then restart OBS.
Can I control OBS from my phone instead of hotkeys?
Yes. SofaDeck Pro on Windows (1.0.9 or later) connects to OBS's built-in WebSocket server, so phone buttons switch scenes, start and stop recording or streaming and show or hide sources without any hotkeys, and they show ● REC and ● LIVE.