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: OBS Studio has a built-in Automatic Scene Switcher under Tools that changes scene when a particular window comes to the front. For everything else — the Starting soon screen, BRB, a camera close-up — you switch by hand, and the fastest way to do that is a hotkey or a button. This guide sets up automatic switching, then makes manual switching one tap from your phone.
Three ways to switch scenes
| Method | How it decides | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Scene Switcher (built in) | The title of the window in front | Game scene when the game is in front, desktop scene otherwise |
| Advanced Scene Switcher (free plugin) | Many conditions: time, audio, idle, media, processes | Complex shows and unattended streams |
| Hotkeys | You press a key | Fast manual switching at the keyboard |
| Phone buttons (SofaDeck) | You tap a button or say the scene's name | Manual switching without memorising keys |
Set up the built-in Automatic Scene Switcher
- In OBS, open Tools → Automatic Scene Switcher.
- Pick a window from the drop-down (it lists open windows by title) and the scene to show when it's in front, then click +. Add one rule per game or app.
- Under When no window is matched, choose Don't switch (stay where you are) or Switch to a fallback such as your desktop or "Just chatting" scene.
- Leave the check interval at a few hundred milliseconds and click Start. The window shows when it is active.
Window titles change. Browsers put the page title in the window title, and some games add version numbers. If a rule stops matching, edit it and pick the window again. The switcher also stops when OBS restarts, so check it's active before you go live.
If you need rules like "switch to BRB after two minutes of silence" or "go to the ending scene at 10 pm", the free Advanced Scene Switcher plugin adds those conditions. It's a separate install from the OBS forum and takes some setting up; for most people, title rules plus quick manual switching is enough.
Make manual switching one tap
Most scene changes are decisions — you're starting, taking a break, showing your face. Those belong on buttons. With SofaDeck the phone next to your keyboard becomes a scene panel:
- In OBS, open Tools → WebSocket Server Settings and tick Enable WebSocket server (port 4455; keep authentication on and copy the password).
- In SofaDeck on the PC (Windows, 1.0.9 or later), open the Deck page → OBS, enter the port and password, and click Test connection.
- Add an OBS Studio button for each scene. The scene list comes live from OBS, so names match exactly. Add record and stream buttons too; they show ● REC and ● LIVE.
- Name buttons the way you'd say them. "Switch to scene BRB" or "go to the starting soon scene" works by voice from the phone's mic.
OBS control needs SofaDeck Pro ($9.99 once). With automatic profiles (also Pro, Windows) the phone itself follows along: when OBS comes to the front, the deck flips to your page named "Streaming" or "Scenes"; when a game takes over, it flips to "Games". The free version can still switch scenes with single-key buttons bound to F13–F24 in OBS's hotkey settings.
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/getA simple scene set that works
- Starting soon — music and a countdown; the button you press before going live.
- Gameplay — game capture plus webcam; the Automatic Scene Switcher can pick this when the game is in front.
- Just chatting — large webcam; the switcher's fallback when no game window matches.
- BRB — mic muted by the scene, a still image; one tap before you stand up.
- Ending — credits or a raid message; then the stop-stream button.
Fix hotkeys that don't fire in games with our OBS hotkeys guide, and see the OBS phone remote guide for a full streaming page.
Frequently asked questions
Does OBS have a built-in scene switcher?
Yes. Tools → Automatic Scene Switcher switches scenes based on the title of the window in front: add a window and the scene to switch to, choose what happens when no window matches, and click Start. For conditions such as time, audio level, idle time or media state, many streamers add the free Advanced Scene Switcher plugin.
How do I switch OBS scenes with a hotkey?
Settings → Hotkeys lists every scene with a "Switch to scene" entry. Click its box and press a key combination. Make sure Hotkey Focus Behavior in Settings → Advanced is set to "Never disable hotkeys" so it works while a game is in front.
Can I switch OBS scenes from my phone?
Yes. SofaDeck Pro on Windows (1.0.9 or later) connects to OBS's built-in WebSocket server and lists your scenes on the phone; tap one, or say "switch to scene Gameplay". The free version can press hotkeys you bound to F13–F24 in OBS.
Why does the Automatic Scene Switcher not switch?
Check that you clicked Start in its window (it shows Active), that the window title still matches (browser and game titles change), and that the check interval isn't very long. It only reads window titles; it can't see which app is merely running in the background.