Getting started

Beginner guide to VDO.Ninja with push and view links, OBS setup, remote guests, rooms, screen sharing, and first-stream best practices.

VDO.Ninja can send live video and audio from a browser, phone, tablet, or computer directly into OBS Studio, a browser source, or another viewer link. This getting-started guide is the best entry point if you want to use VDO.Ninja for remote guests, a phone-as-webcam workflow, screen sharing, or basic live streaming.

Core concepts

• WebRTC: VDO.Ninja uses WebRTC for low-latency browser-based video and audio transport.

• Peer-to-peer: Most of the heavy lifting happens in the browser, reducing server dependence for normal guest workflows.

• Two URL types:

  • PUSH URL: Used on the sending device, such as a smartphone, webcam, or screen-share source.

  • VIEW URL: Opened on another device, browser source, or production machine to receive the stream.

Resources for beginners

• VDO.Ninja basics (with screenshots)

• What are stream IDs?

• The power of the URL parameter

• Multi-Person Chat

• Rooms

• Even higher quality video

• Mobile phone camera into webcam

• Most common Parameters

Quick start

1. Open VDO.Ninja: Visit https://vdo.ninja/ in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.

2. Choose your source: Select "Add your Camera to OBS" to use a webcam or phone camera, or "Share your Screen" to stream a desktop or application window.

3. Grant permissions: Allow camera and microphone access when prompted.

4. Start streaming: Click "Start" and copy the provided VIEW link.

5. Share or capture:

   • Direct sharing: Send the VIEW link to anyone who should watch the stream.

   • OBS integration: Add the VIEW link as a Browser Source in OBS Studio.

Common use cases

• Smartphone as webcam: Turn a phone into a wireless camera for OBS or browser-based meetings.

• Remote guests: Bring in interview guests, podcast guests, or co-hosts.

• Screen sharing: Share a desktop, game, browser tab, or application window.

• High-quality audio: Stream music, podcasts, or voice feeds with low latency.

• Production capture: Pull remote video feeds straight into a live production workflow.

Tips for success

• Stable internet: Ethernet is preferred over Wi-Fi when possible.

• Hardware acceleration: Enable hardware acceleration in your browser and OBS when supported.

• Experiment with settings: Explore the URL parameters to fine-tune video quality, audio settings, permissions, and room behavior.

• Community support: Join the VDO.Ninja Discord or Reddit community for help and workflow ideas.

Native mobile apps

VDO.Ninja also offers native mobile apps for iOS and Android, providing a more focused mobile capture workflow. These apps are especially useful for:

• Screen sharing on Android

• Local recording on mobile

• USB audio and external microphone workflows

• Quick camera-to-browser publishing

Terms of service and privacy policy

Please review the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy: https://docs.vdo.ninja/help/privacy-and-security-details. Most of it should come as no surprise, but please note that users using the service must be 16 years of age or older.