Traditionally video devices can only be accessed by one program at a time. Multi App Support is a special feature of certain Elgato Capture Devices whereby the capture device can be used in multiple separate applications at the same time.
For example, the Game Capture HD60 Pro can be used to capture in Elgato 4K Capture Utility to capture a clean recording at high bit rate, while also used to stream with in OBS Studio at a lower resolution and low bit rate with overlays, while also being used in Zoom for video chat. All at the same time.
Multi App support is a feature on Windows 10 only.
Elgato Capture Devices with Multi App support:
- Game Capture HD60 S (Minimum driver version 1.1.0.187.2)
- Game Capture HD60 Pro (Minimum driver version 1.1.0.185.2.1)
- Game Capture 4K60 Pro (Minimum driver version 1.1.0.185.2.1)
- Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 (Minimum driver version 1.1.0.189.2)
- Cam Link Pro
Elgato Capture Devices that do not support Multi App:
- Elgato Cam Link 4K
- Elgato Game Capture HD60 S+
- Elgato Game Capture HD60 X
- Elgato Game Capture 4K60 S+
General Usage Information about Multi App Support
The Elgato Capture Device will send the same video signal to all apps. That means if the Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro is capturing a 1080p60 signal, 1080p60 video is going to be sent to the Elgato 4K Capture Utility, OBS Studio and Skype.
Resolution and frame rate controls are independent in each software accessing the capture card. If Elgato 4K Capture Utility is capturing a 4K60 signal from Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2, while in OBS Studio the Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 is set to output 1080p60, the signal going to Elgato 4K Capture Utility is not affected.
Note: Converting the incoming video signal on a per-app basis increases resource usage. When capturing video in multiple applications we suggest keeping the resolution going to each application the same.
HDR and Multi App Support
Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 can capture HDR video.
With Multi App support, Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 will send the same video signal to every application.
When the 4K Capture Utility is open to capture video while Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 is capturing a HDR signal, other applications also accessing the Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 video will receive the HDR video signal.
Not all applications such as OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS, XSplit and others support HDR video. This means the video from the Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 in those applications will look gray and washed out.
To capture HDR video in Elgato 4K Capture Utility while using Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2 in other apps, Stream Link must be used. Stream Link will tonemap (Convert) the HDR video into an SDR signal that 3rd party applications work with and display correctly.
Learn about how to setup Stream Link in this article:
Elgato 4K Capture Utility - How to use Stream Link
Multi App Support and Multi Device Support Are Different
Multi App Support and Multi Device support refer to two different features.
Multi Device and Multi App can be used at the same time.
Multi App Support means the capture device can be used in multiple applications at the same time with the same video signal.
Multi Device Support means that multiple of the same capture device can be connected to a computer at the same time and be used as separate capture devices.
This image shows how multiple Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro capture devices appear in OBS Studio with Multi Device Support.
