---
title: "Lesson 4.5 - Skipping Updates"
description: "Mistake 5: Skipping Updates. Running outdated OBS or driver versions. Security and performance issues compound over time. The pattern: streamer installs OBS, gets it working, never updates. Months..."
url: https://thestreameragency.com/courses/streaming-software-selection/lessons/software-4-5-skip-updates/
date: 2026-05-06
modified: 2026-05-06
author: "The Streamer Agency"
type: lp_lesson
lang: en
---

# Lesson 4.5 - Skipping Updates

**Mistake 5: Skipping Updates.** Running outdated OBS or driver versions. Security and performance issues compound over time.

**The pattern:** streamer installs OBS, gets it working, never updates. Months pass. Eventually a streaming platform changes API requirements and the old OBS version stops working. Streamer panics during a scheduled stream.

**What you miss by skipping updates:**

- **Security patches:** outdated streaming software is a security vulnerability

- **Performance improvements:** newer versions encode more efficiently

- **Bug fixes:** issues you've been ignoring may have fixes available

- **Platform compatibility:** Twitch, YouTube, Kick periodically change requirements

- **NVENC improvements:** NVIDIA driver updates regularly improve encoding quality

**Update strategy:**

- **OBS Studio:** update to current stable release every 2-3 months

- **NVIDIA drivers:** update to current stable Studio Driver every 2-3 months

- **Audio interface drivers:** update if manufacturer releases an update

- **Webcam drivers:** update if specific issues arise (otherwise leave alone)

**The discipline:**

- First weekend of every other month: update day

- Run all updates in sequence (drivers first, then OBS)

- Test record after updates (covered in mistake 2)

- Save scene collection backup before updating (mistake 4)

**What NOT to update mid-week:** never update streaming software 1-2 days before a scheduled stream. Update in low-stakes windows where you can fix issues if they arise.

Updates are maintenance. Treat them as scheduled, not as emergencies.