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In Streamlabs Desktop, media-file caching is an in-memory feature for looping media: it keeps decoded frames available so the app does not have to decode the same frames repeatedly. The documented toggle is in Settings > Advanced settings; the exact label or location may differ by version. If you are troubleshooting, try this targeted setting before using a full cache reset, which can erase user data.
What media-file caching does
Streamlabs describes the feature as storing decoded media frames in memory. When a media source loops, the app can reuse those frames instead of repeatedly decoding the file. The intended trade-off is less CPU work in exchange for memory use. This is an in-memory performance feature, not a folder of media files that you need to find and delete.
Streamlabs reported a CPU-usage reduction of more than 35% in its own 2019 internal measurements. The vendor article, last updated January 28, 2022, does not state the test hardware, build, protocol, or independent validation, so treat that figure as a historical vendor result—not a prediction for your computer. The same article says the cache limit is 2 GB and that decoded frames exceeding the limit are not cached. It also says Streamlabs responds to local memory spikes by reducing its cache use. Verify these details against the current version if they matter to your setup.
How to turn media-file caching on or off
- Open Streamlabs Desktop and open Settings.
- Go to Advanced settings.
- Find the media-file caching option and toggle it on or off according to your troubleshooting goal.
- If the option is absent or named differently, use the labels in your installed version or consult current Streamlabs support; the published vendor instructions do not establish a current build-specific path.
Disabling caching may be worth testing if you suspect memory pressure; enabling it may reduce repeated decoding for looping media. The vendor explanation does not establish that changing this setting will fix a particular stutter or performance problem. Change one setting at a time and observe the result in your own scene.
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Which cache are you trying to clear?
| What you mean | What it affects | Appropriate next step |
|---|---|---|
| Media-file caching | Decoded frames kept in memory for media playback or looping. | Use the Advanced-settings toggle; it is not a disk folder cleanup. |
| Browser-source cache | Web content rendered by a browser source, rather than decoded frames from a media file. | On Windows, Streamlabs’ public support repository gives the browser cache path below. |
| “Clear Cache and Restart” | A broad application reset that can wipe user data, including settings and scene collections. | Reserve it for a last resort, and export scene collections first. |
Clear the browser-source cache on Windows
If the problem is with a browser source, Streamlabs’ public support repository documents this Windows cache folder:
%appdata%slobs-clientplugin_configobs-browserCache
- Close Streamlabs Desktop.
- In Windows File Explorer, enter
%appdata%slobs-clientplugin_configobs-browserCachein the address bar. - Delete the contents of the
Cachefolder, then restart Streamlabs Desktop.
This is a Windows-specific path; the repository instructions do not establish a corresponding macOS location. Do not use this procedure as a way to clear decoded media-file frames.
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Why a full reset needs extra care
Streamlabs’ getting-started guide describes Settings > Get Support > Clear Cache and Restart as a start-from-scratch action that wipes user data, like an initial installation. Streamlabs also warns in its going-live troubleshooting guidance that clearing cache data can result in losing scene collections and settings. Its public support repository advises exporting scene collections before clearing user data; a broad reset may also require signing in again and rebuilding settings or scenes.
- Export or back up your scene collections before any broad reset.
- Try the relevant targeted fix first: toggle media-file caching for decoded-frame behavior, or clear the browser cache for a browser-source problem.
- Contact Streamlabs support before a full data clear if you are unsure what may be removed.
Related memory behavior is not the same feature
OBS Project documents a separate media-source option called Close file when inactive, which unloads a media file from memory while its source is hidden or off-scene. The file may take a short time to reload when used again. That is useful context for source memory management, but it is not the same as Streamlabs’ decoded-frame caching feature.
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