---
title: 'OBS Broken After Update? Use a Portable Setup Instead'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=2f6CKOuPMzs'
video_id: '2f6CKOuPMzs'
date: 2026-07-28
duration_sec: 148
channel: 'Nilson1489'
---

# OBS Broken After Update? Use a Portable Setup Instead

> Source: [OBS Broken After Update? Use a Portable Setup Instead](https://youtube.com/watch?v=2f6CKOuPMzs)

## Summary

This video explains how to set up a portable version of OBS Studio to avoid problems caused by updates and plugin installations. The speaker demonstrates downloading OBS as a ZIP file, configuring it to run portably, and installing plugins by copying them directly into the portable folder. This method allows easy backup and restoration by simply copying the entire folder.

### Key Points

- **Common Mistake: Downloading Installer** [00:02] — Most people download the OBS installer, but the speaker recommends downloading the ZIP version instead to create a portable setup.
- **Portable OBS Setup** [00:32] — After unzipping, add a .txt file (with visible file extensions) to the folder to finalize the portable configuration.
- **Starting Portable OBS** [00:49] — Navigate to the 64-bit folder and run OBS64.exe. A shortcut can be created on the desktop for convenience.
- **Installing Plugins Correctly** [01:15] — Always download plugin ZIP files, not installers. Unzip, copy all contents, and paste into the portable OBS folder.
- **Easy Backup and Restore** [01:41] — Copy the entire portable OBS folder as a backup. If something breaks, delete the broken folder, rename the copy back, and everything is restored.

### Conclusion

Using a portable OBS setup provides a simple way to keep your streaming configuration safe from problematic updates and plugin conflicts. By copying the entire folder, you can quickly revert to a previous working state.

## Transcript

more updates, and plugins will certainly not be included in my setup. I've been reading this exact statement more often lately under my videos.  But why do we make most people are already making the mistake of
downloading the ZIP file.  Because once I've according to my intended use.  For example, OBS Twitch.  Go into the folder, then I get
a complete OBS Studio here, and here I only need to add one file, important to display the file extension at the end so that it really is a dot .txt file, and then simply press
the 64-bit folder, I have an OBS64 exe file, and I can use that to start my portable OBS.  But I'll show you why that makes so much sense in a moment.  Of course, I can also create a shortcut , drag it to the desktop,
simply start my portable OBS from there .  Everything I do now in this OBS Studio, which by the way is a complete OBS Studio as if installed via the installer, will now be installed in this OBS Twitch folder.  That means it
Twitch folder.  That means it I install.  For example, for the super popular Vertical Plugin.  When downloading plugins, always make sure to download the
ZIP file, not the installer. You just need to unzip these plugin ZIP files, go to the unzipped folder, select everything there, press Ctrl+ X, then open your Portable OBS and press Ctrl+V. The plugin is installed, and the cool thing, and
what I actually wanted to tell you, is that I'm now building my entire setup right here in this Portable OBS.  I can
simply by pressing Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, then I have a complete copy of my install plugins and updates in my Portable OBS, and if anything breaks, it's so easy, you just throw away your Portable OBS.
simply delete.  Take your copy, rename it back to your OBS Twitch, and you'll have everything back to the previous state. You can copy it to a USB stick or an external hard drive.  So why not
certainly not plugins?  I don't understand it .