Post

OBS scene selector with Python Script

You don't need a stream deck to switch scenes in OBS or a special dedicated app. I'll show you how to create a python script and use your own keyboard

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By Christian Arzu
8 min read
OBS scene selector with Python Script

Contents

Table of contents

YouTube video

Introduction

Yes, there are many different ways to control OBS, I wanted a way to be able to control it using keyboard shortcuts. I didn’t want to use dedicated hardware like a stream deck, and I didn’t want to use an app on my phone.

My macOS workflow is very keyboard centric as I use keymaps for basically everything, so I wanted a solution that allowed me to switch scenes without even thinking about it or looking at another device.

  • For example, if I want to switch to:
    • Guest 1 screen, I type hyper+o+1
    • Guest 2 screen, I type hyper+o+2
    • Guest 3 screen, I type hyper+o+3
    • Starting soon screen, I type hyper+o+s
    • My main screen, I type hyper+o+m

In this video you will learn how to use the 1password CLI to store secrets that you can query from a script so that you’re not hard coding those secrets in plaintext in your code.

I’ll show you how to connect to the OBS WebSocket server using Python, authenticate securely with a password stored in 1password, and switch scenes with a simple CLI script. No GUI needed, no mouse, no phone app, and definitely no stream deck.

This setup works locally, stays secure, and is fast. You’ll see how to install 1password-cli, generate secret references, authorize them, and trigger scene changes through Python.

Perfect for streamers, macOS power users, and developers who want a minimal and secure OBS automation setup without relying on third-party tools or extra devices.

Pre-requisites

  • I’m on macOS, if you’re on Windows stuff may vary a little but it should remain very similar
    • Otherwise, hopefully a Windows user can help out in discord
    • If not, I would strongly recommend you to read the documentation

OBS WebSocket

  • The official WebSocket documentation can be found here:
  • obs-websocket is now included by default with OBS Studio 28.0.0 and above
    • Notice on the image below I’m using 31.0.2
  • You can enable or disable authentication and set a password for it
    • I will enable authentication and the script will retrieve the password from 1password, but the script also works with authentication disabled. I’ll demo how
  • In OBS Tools - WebSocket server Settings - Enable WebSocket server Settings
  • Notice port used 4455
  • Enable Authentication is checked
  • Specify your password
  • Apply

Image OBS WebSocket server settings

  • In the WebSocket documentation you’ll be able to find the Client libraries (for developers) section
  • There are several libraries, I’m using obsws-python but you could use a different one, and create the script in rust or go for example
  • In the obsws-python library you will find the documentation and a link to the obs-websocket 5.x.x Protocol
    • Here you can find all documentation of the things that can be done with the obs-websocket for now I’m just changing scenes, but you can do everything listed in this file:
      • Create scenes
      • Remove scenes
      • Start a recording
      • Stop a recording
      • And way much more

1password cli

Authentication is optional in OBS, but I still have it enabled for security reasons. Otherwise:

  • Anyone in your network can control your OBS
  • Any malicious app or script on your computer could control it too
  • Hopefully, you know what you’re doing and port forwarding is not enabled on your network, otherwise anyone on the internet could control it too.
  • Will create a python script, this script will authenticate with OBS, and change the scene. To authenticate, the script will need the OBS password
  • I will not hard-code the password in the python script, instead I’ll store it in 1password and retrieve the password from the script using the 1password-cli
  • Is this necessary?
  • In the image below you can find a link to the documentation for the installation instructions
    • If you’re on Windows, the installation instructions may be different, make sure to follow the documentation
  • First, we will install through brew
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brew install 1password-cli
  • After installing, we click on the Enable Integration button

Image 1st install, then click on enable integration

  • This Integrate with 1password CLI option will be enabled

Image Integrate with 1password CLI

  • Make sure it’s installed
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op --version

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linkarzu.@.[25/03/28]
~
❯❯❯❯ op --version
2.30.3
  • Then we can enter any command to sign in, so we’ll read a secret stored in 1password
  • Right click the credential and Copy Secret Reference

Image Get the path for a secret

  • Then let’s read the secret
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op read "op://helixdeeznuts/test-api-credential/credential"
  • You have to authorize the request

Image Authorize the request

  • And then we can see the secret
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linkarzu.@.[25/03/28]
~
❯❯❯❯ op read "op://helixdeeznuts/test-api-credential/credential"

YouCanProceedToLigmaNaughts
  • If you want to support me in keeping this blogpost ad free, start your 1password 14 day free trial by clicking the image below

Python script

Be really careful with running scripts you find out on the internet, a script can basically do anything you can do, install malware, delete files, read your passwords, etc

  • So make sure you trust the person providing the script
  • And at least pass it through an LLM (chatgpt, etc) asking if its safe or not (this is just something basic as you shouldn’t trust LLMs either, but at least it’s better than nothing)
  • The python script can be found in my dotfiles
  • Make sure to modify the path to the secret:
    • onepassword_secret = "op://helixdeeznuts/obs-websocket-password/credential"
  • starting-soon is the name of the scene and it has to match what you see in OBS
  • If you have auth disabled in OBS, you can pass the --no-auth flag, so that it does not try to get the secret from 1password
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python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py starting-soon
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py video-and-stream
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py guest1
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py guest2

python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py starting-soon --no-auth
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py video-and-stream --no-auth
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py guest1 --no-auth
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py guest2 --no-auth
  • When I run the script for the first time in a new machine or dir, the .venv will be created and dependencies installed automatically
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linkarzu.@.[25/03/28] via 🐍 v3.9.6 (.venv)
~/obs-script/scene-switcher

❯❯❯❯ python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py starting-soon

[+] Creating .venv and installing dependencies...
Requirement already satisfied: pip in /Users/linkarzu/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/.venv/lib/python3.9/site-packages (21.2.4)
Collecting pip
  Using cached pip-25.0.1-py3-none-any.whl (1.8 MB)
Installing collected packages: pip
  Attempting uninstall: pip
    Found existing installation: pip 21.2.4
    Uninstalling pip-21.2.4:
      Successfully uninstalled pip-21.2.4
Successfully installed pip-25.0.1
Collecting obsws-python (from -r /Users/linkarzu/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/requirements.txt (line 1))
  Using cached obsws_python-1.7.1-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (5.5 kB)
Collecting tomli>=2.0.1 (from obsws-python->-r /Users/linkarzu/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/requirements.txt (line 1))
  Using cached tomli-2.2.1-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (10 kB)
Collecting websocket-client (from obsws-python->-r /Users/linkarzu/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/requirements.txt (line 1))
  Using cached websocket_client-1.8.0-py3-none-any.whl.metadata (8.0 kB)
Using cached obsws_python-1.7.1-py3-none-any.whl (30 kB)
Using cached tomli-2.2.1-py3-none-any.whl (14 kB)
Using cached websocket_client-1.8.0-py3-none-any.whl (58 kB)
Installing collected packages: websocket-client, tomli, obsws-python
Successfully installed obsws-python-1.7.1 tomli-2.2.1 websocket-client-1.8.0
Switched to scene: starting-soon
  • Notice what happens when you switch scenes
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python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py video-and-stream
python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py starting-soon

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linkarzu.@.[25/03/28] via 🐍 v3.9.6 (.venv) took 3s
~/obs-script/scene-switcher

❯❯❯❯ python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py "video-and-stream"

Switched to scene: video-and-stream

------------------------------------------------------

linkarzu.@.[25/03/28] via 🐍 v3.9.6 (.venv)
~/obs-script/scene-switcher

❯❯❯❯ python3 ~/github/dotfiles-latest/scripts/macos/mac/obs/scene-switcher/py/switch_scene.py "starting-soon"

Switched to scene: starting-soon

Switch using keyboard shortcuts

  • As you’re able to tell, executing the script every time is not practical
  • I can switch scenes, it doesn’t matter what app I’m on, I could be on my terminal or in my browser and I could switch scenes easily
  • To do this in macOS I use a combination of tools, one of them is called karabiner-elements.
  • If you want to learn in detail how I use karabiner, go and check this video out:

Image How my macOS terminal usually looks

Other videos mentioned

If you like my content, and want to support me

  • If you want to share a tip, you can donate here
  • I recently was laid off, so if you know about any SRE related roles, please let me know

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  • The following links will be in the YouTube video description:
    • Each one of the videos shown
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How do you manage your passwords?

  • I’ve tried many different password managers in the past, I’ve switched from LastPass to Dashlane and finally ended up in 1password
  • You want to find out why? More info in my article:
  • If you want to support me in keeping this blogpost ad free, start your 1password 14 day free trial by clicking the image below

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