An OBS scene collection can restore a familiar layout while recording still uses the wrong resolution, destination or encoder. OBS separates scene content from output configuration. A useful recovery package identifies the two settings sets that belonged together.

Capture a working pair

Before changing anything, note the active names in the Profile and Scene Collection menus. For example, an internal training setup might use a Training Layout collection with a Local Training Recording profile. Similar names alone do not prove that they were last used together.

A profile holds Stream, Video and Output settings, including the canvas resolution and connected streaming account. A scene collection holds its scenes and sources, including global audio sources configured under Audio. Neither replaces the other.

Use the export operation in each menu and give the resulting items a shared date and purpose. Keep the exported profile's complete output together. Separately preserve the images, video clips and other assets the scenes depend on; do not assume a settings export is a media archive.

Record the recording destination, intended canvas size and the microphone and camera names in a short accompanying note. Keep this package private because output configuration can concern an account or destination used for broadcasting.

Check recovery without an audience

On the intended installation, preserve its existing setup before importing. Select the matching imported profile and collection explicitly. Inspect output settings before recording and confirm that the destination is accessible on this computer.

Visit each important scene. Look for missing artwork, wrong windows and devices that no longer match their old names. A thumbnail that resembles the original is insufficient if its microphone or recording path is wrong.

Make a short local recording with harmless content. Check framing, audio, output dimensions and the saved file's location. Keep the original setup available until these checks work. Recovered scenes and a recovered profile become a usable setup only when their combination performs the intended recording task.

Sources: OBS documentation, OBS documentation.