Stream-Proof Explained.
Learn what “stream-proof” means, why overlays may appear differently depending on capture method, and the terminology used by OBS, Discord and recording software.
What Does Stream-Proof Mean?
“Stream-proof” generally describes an overlay that does not appear in certain supported capture paths even though it remains visible on the user's own display.
Whether an overlay appears in a recording depends on how the application is rendered and how the streaming or recording program captures the screen. The term does not mean every recording method will behave identically.
Common Capture Types
🖥 Display Capture
Captures a broad representation of the entire selected display.
🎮 Game Capture
Targets a supported game's rendering output rather than the entire desktop.
▣ Window Capture
Captures a specific application window.
📷 Screenshots
Screenshot behavior depends on which rendering layers are included.
💬 Discord Share
Discord can share a complete screen or an individual application.
🎥 Recording Software
Different recording programs and capture APIs can behave differently.
Why Capture Visibility Changes
Rendering Method
Different overlays can be rendered using different graphics paths.
Capture API
Recording software may capture different layers of the desktop or application.
Window Type
Fullscreen, borderless and windowed applications can behave differently.
Software Updates
OBS, Discord, drivers and games can change capture behavior over time.
Hardware Acceleration
Graphics acceleration can affect how windows and overlays are composed.
Multiple Displays
External displays or separate windows may produce different capture results.
Common Terminology
Stream-Proof
General term for capture visibility behavior.
Capture Exclusion
A window or layer being excluded from a supported capture path.
Overlay
A visual layer rendered separately from the main game scene.
Game Capture
Capturing the game rendering output specifically.
Display Capture
Capturing the entire selected display.
Window Capture
Capturing one selected application window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does stream-proof mean invisible everywhere?
Is OBS Game Capture the same as Display Capture?
Can Discord behave differently from OBS?
Can software updates change capture behavior?
Continue Learning
Learn more about visual overlays and ESP.