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To use Streamlabs Desktop as a webcam, install and start its Virtual Webcam, then choose Streamlabs Desktop as the camera in your video-call app. That sends your composed Streamlabs scene—not just an unmodified webcam feed—to the call. Zoom is Streamlabs’ documented example; support can vary by conferencing app and version.
Set up Streamlabs Virtual Webcam
- Open Streamlabs Desktop and go to Settings > Virtual Webcam.
- Select Install Virtual Webcam. If prompted, allow the installation to complete.
- Return to the main Streamlabs Desktop window and select Start Virtual Webcam.
- Open your conferencing app and check its camera preview. If Streamlabs does not appear automatically, open the app’s camera or video-device menu and select Streamlabs Desktop.
These steps follow Streamlabs’ feature guide, updated April 25, 2025: Streamlabs Virtual Camera.
Choose what appears in the call
The virtual camera outputs the active Streamlabs scene, so it can show a layout rather than a bare camera image. You can add a logo, images, a green-screen composite, or an intermission scene; those are creative options, not requirements for turning on Virtual Webcam.
Add a physical webcam to a scene
- In Streamlabs Desktop, open Sources and add Video Capture Device.
- Choose your webcam from the device list and configure its available options.
- If this is your first launch, grant Streamlabs camera and microphone access when your operating system prompts you.
Streamlabs’ onboarding documentation, dated July 22, 2026, covers camera permissions and adding a video source: Streamlabs Desktop quick setup guide.
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Adjust the scene resolution
In Streamlabs Desktop, go to Settings > Video > Base Canvas Resolution. Streamlabs recommends the highest available resolution, ideally matching your computer’s native resolution. The available choices depend on your setup; the guide does not specify a universal resolution or frame rate for every call app.
Fix a camera that is missing
Streamlabs Desktop is missing from the call app’s camera list
- Confirm Virtual Webcam is installed and that you selected Start Virtual Webcam in Streamlabs Desktop.
- Open the conferencing app’s camera dropdown and explicitly select Streamlabs Desktop, rather than relying on automatic selection.
- If it still does not appear, close and reopen the app after starting Virtual Webcam, then check the device list again. App-specific compatibility and causes are not exhaustively documented in Streamlabs’ feature guide.
Your physical webcam is missing inside Streamlabs
This is a different problem from the virtual output being absent in a call app. Streamlabs’ webcam troubleshooting article, last updated December 17, 2021, suggests checking that the camera’s drivers or manufacturer software are current, that another app or duplicate scene source is not already using it, and that the selected custom resolution is supported by the camera. Also check your operating system’s camera privacy permissions and whether security software is blocking access. The article’s Windows 10 menu path and security-software examples are dated, so use the current labels for your version of Windows. See Streamlabs webcam troubleshooting.
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Or let it run in the cloud
Streamlabs Virtual Webcam is for sending a Streamlabs scene into a video call. If what you need instead is a prerecorded video looping as a 24/7 YouTube live stream, StreamNeo runs that stream from the cloud: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the uploaded file as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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