Adding Alerts to OBS Studio: A Step-by-Step Guide for Stream Overlays

Step 1: Choose and Configure an Alert Provider

Start by selecting a trusted alert provider that suits your streaming needs.

1. Select an alert provider:
   • Visit popular services like Streamlabs, StreamElements, or NerdOrDie.
   • Sign up and link your Twitch or YouTube account to their platform.
2. Configure the alert overlay:
   • Navigate to the alert settings on the provider’s website.
   • Choose event types for alerts (like follows, donations, etc.), and customize images and sounds.
   • Save your configuration to receive an Alert URL.

Pro Tip: Consider branding your alerts for consistency across your channel.

Step 2: Add the Alert Overlay to OBS Studio

Next, you’ll integrate the alert overlay into your OBS Studio.

1. Launch OBS Studio.
2. Select the scene where you wish to add alerts from the Scenes panel.
3. Click the + icon in the Sources panel and choose Browser.
4. Label the new source (e.g., “Alerts”) and hit OK.
5. In the new dialog, input the Alert URL you received from your provider into the URL field.
6. Adjust the dimensions to fit your layout (typical values: width: 800, height: 600).
7. Finalize by clicking OK.

Pro Tip: Ensure the overlay is placed appropriately in your scene for visibility.

Step 3: Test and Adjust Your Alerts

Testing your alerts is vital for smooth operation.

1. Return to the alert provider’s site.
2. Utilize their test feature to generate a test alert.
3. Observe your OBS preview window; the test alert should appear where you placed the Browser source.
4. If it doesn’t show, double-check the Alert URL.

Pro Tip: Familiarize yourself with common alert settings to tailor the experience.

Step 4: Troubleshoot Visual Issues

If alerts aren’t showing visually, follow these steps:

1. In OBS Studio, navigate to Settings and then to Advanced.
2. Disable Enable Browser Source Hardware Acceleration and click Apply.
3. Select the alert Browser Source and adjust its position and dimensions using the red bounding box.

Pro Tip: Hardware acceleration issues can commonly affect browser sources.

Step 5: Resolve Audio Without Visuals in OBS Alerts

If you can hear alerts but can’t see them, address this issue promptly:

1. Copy the Alert URL from your alert provider.
2. Paste it in a web browser to check if visuals appear there.
3. Right-click the Browser Source in OBS and select Properties.
4. Set the width to 1920 and height to 1080, matching your streaming resolution.

Pro Tip: Testing web URLs in a browser is a great way to ensure proper functionality.

What are the best alert providers for OBS Studio?

How can I customize my alerts?