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--- resource:install_obs_plugin [2025/08/30 15:38] – Adding Windows install instructions for installing directly into OBS folders admin
+++ resource:install_obs_plugin [2026/03/15 13:26] (current) – [macOS] admin
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Installing An OBS Plugin ======
+When you download an OBS plugin you will either receive:
-When you download an OBS plugin you will either get an installer which will auto install the plugin or you will download a bunch of files to place into the correct directory/directories. This page tries to set out the steps required for manual installation.
+  * An installer that installs the plugin automatically
+  * A ZIP file containing files that must be copied into the correct OBS folders
-===== Windows - Standard Install =====
+This page explains how to manually install an OBS plugin from a ZIP file.
-==== Plugin Files ====
+===== Windows Plugin File Structure =====
-You should have a zip file that extracts into a folder that contains the plugin folder inside. This should be named ''obs-plugin-countdown''. It will contain two sub folders:
-  * A ''bin'' folder that will have the ''.dll'' and ''.pdb''files inside (the main plugin files)
+This section describes the folder structure used by plugins on Windows.
-  * A ''data'' folder containing the supporting files (e.g., ''.ini'', ''.json'', ''.data'', or folders with assets)
-Plugins are usually built for either 64-bit or 32-bit OBS. From v28+ OBS is only available in 64-bit on Windows.
+After extracting the plugin ZIP file you should see a folder named after the plugin.
+For example:
+<file>
+obs-plugin-countdown
+</file>
+Inside this folder there are usually two subfolders:
+  * ''bin'' – contains the main plugin files (''.dll'', ''.pdb'')
+  * ''data'' – contains supporting files (''.json'', ''.ini'', assets, etc.)
+-----
+===== Windows – Standard Install =====
+This is the normal installation method for OBS installed using the standard installer.
 ==== Install Steps ====
-OBS plugin files should be located in the following folder:
+=== Step 1 – Extract the Plugin ===
+Extract the plugin ZIP file.
+You should now have a folder named:
 <file>
-C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins
+obs-plugin-countdown
 </file>
->Note: The ''ProgramData'' folder is a hidden folder on Windows. To see hidden files and folders:
+=== Step 2 – Copy the Plugin Folder ===
->  - Open ''File Explorer'' from the taskbar.
->  - Select ''View > Show''.
+Copy the entire plugin folder into:
->  - Select ''Hidden items'' to view hidden files and folders.
-=== Step 1 - Main Plugin Files ===
-Copy the plugin folder, in this case named ''obs-plugin-countdown'' to the following folder location:
 <file>
 C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins
 </file>
-=== Step 2 - Restart ===
+Your final structure should look similar to:
-Restart OBS to detect the new plugin.
-===== Windows - Install Into OBS Folder =====
+<file>
-If you want to install the plugin for portable stand alone installs of OBS you can copy the files/folders into the OBS folder itself following these instructions.
+C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins\obs-plugin-countdown
+</file>
-==== Plugin Files ====
+> Note: The ''ProgramData'' folder is hidden by default.
-You should have a zip file that extracts into a folder that contains the plugin folder inside. This should be named ''obs-plugin-countdown''. It will contain two sub folders:
+>
+> To show hidden folders:
+>  - Open **File Explorer**
+>  - Click **View → Show**
+>  - Enable **Hidden items**
-  * A ''bin'' folder that will have the ''.dll'' and ''.pdb''files inside (the main plugin files)
+=== Step 3 – Restart OBS ===
-  * A ''data'' folder containing the supporting files (e.g., ''.ini'', ''.json'', ''.data'', or folders with assets)
-Plugins are usually built for either 64-bit or 32-bit OBS. From v28+ OBS is only available in 64-bit on Windows.
+Restart OBS.
+The plugin should now be detected automatically.
+-----
+===== Windows – Portable OBS Install =====
+If you are running a portable version of OBS (for example from a USB drive), the plugin files must be copied directly into the OBS folder.
+==== Example Portable Location ====
+For example, OBS may be located at:
+<file>
+D:\obs
+</file>
+The instructions below refer to this location as ''OBS_Portable''.
 ==== Install Steps ====
-OBS plugin files should be located in the following folder
+=== Step 1 – Copy Plugin Binary Files ===
+Locate the plugin binary files inside the extracted plugin folder:
 <file>
-C:\Program Files\obs-studio
+obs-plugin-countdown\bin\64bit
 </file>
-=== Step 1 - Main Plugin Files ===
+Copy the ''.dll'' and ''.pdb'' files into:
-Copy the ''.dll'' and ''.pdb'' files (located in the main zip folder under ''obs-plugins\64bit'' or ''obs-plugins\32bit'' to:
 <file>
-C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit (or 32bit if 32 bit plugin)
+{{OBS_Portable}}\obs-plugins\64bit\
 </file>
-=== Step 2 - Data Folder ===
+Example:
-The data folder will most likely be located in the following directory in the plugin folder:
 <file>
-plugin-folder\data\obs-plugins\{{obs-data-plugin-folder}}
+D:\obs\obs-plugins\64bit\
 </file>
-Copy the folder you find in ''data\obs-plugins'' to:
+=== Step 2 – Copy Plugin Data Files ===
+Locate the plugin data folder:
 <file>
-C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\data\obs-plugins\64bit (or 32bit if 32 bit plugin)
+obs-plugin-countdown\data
 </file>
-=== Step 3 - Restart ===
+Go to:
-Restart OBS to detect the new plugin.
-===== Mac OS =====
+<file>
+{{OBS_Portable}}\data\obs-plugins
+</file>
-==== Plugin Files ====
+Create a new folder with the plugin name:
-Generally, you should have the following types of files for the plugin:
-  * A ''.plugin'' file (the main plugin)
+<file>
+obs-plugin-countdown
+</file>
+Example final location:
+<file>
+D:\obs\data\obs-plugins\obs-plugin-countdown\
+</file>
+Copy the contents of the plugin ''data'' folder into this location.
+=== Step 3 – Restart OBS ===
+Restart OBS to detect the plugin.
+-----
+===== macOS =====
+Plugins on macOS are packaged differently from Windows plugins.
+Instead of folders such as ''bin'' and ''data'', macOS plugins are usually distributed as a single ''.plugin'' bundle.
 ==== Install Steps ====
-=== Step 1 - Plugin Folder ===
+=== Step 1 – Copy Plugin File ===
-Copy the ''.plugin'' file into the following folder on your Mac:
+You should have a plugin file with the extension:
+<file>
+.plugin
+</file>
+Copy this file into:
 <file>
 ~/Library/Application Support/obs-studio/plugins
 </file>
-**Note: The ''Library'' folder is a hidden folder on MacOS. Use the following command to toggle the view of hidden files and folders. **
+=== Step 2 – Restart OBS ===
-<code>CMD + SHFT + .</code>
+Restart OBS.
+The plugin should now be detected automatically.
-=== Step 2 - Restart OBS ===
+> Note: The ''Library'' folder is hidden on macOS.
-Restart OBS to detect the new plugin.
+>
+> Press the following shortcut in Finder to toggle hidden files:
+>
+<code>
+CMD + SHIFT + .
+</code>
+-----
+===== Troubleshooting – Older Windows Plugin Versions =====
+From ''version 2.0.12'' onwards the plugin no longer provides a Windows installer.
+Older versions installed files directly inside the OBS installation folder.
+If you previously installed an older version you may need to remove those files once.
+Delete the following if they exist:
+  * ''C:\Program Files\obs-studio\data\obs-plugins\obs-plugin-countdown''
+  * ''C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\obs-plugin-countdown.dll''
+  * ''C:\Program Files\obs-studio\obs-plugins\64bit\obs-plugin-countdown.pdb''
+After this cleanup, future plugin updates will simply overwrite the folder in:
+<file>
+C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins
+</file>

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