The Tool Desk
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Choose the graphics your stream actually needs
Start with the information or function each graphic provides. Common choices include a frame around a webcam, a bar for social handles or sponsor logos, a title or label, and dynamic elements such as alerts or chat. Keep the main game or other subject unobstructed; a graphic that competes with it is usually doing too much.
- Webcam frame: A border or visual frame around the webcam feed. Use a transparent centre so the video remains visible.
- Social or information bar: A compact place for handles, a sponsor logo, or other pertinent information. Top, bottom, or side placement can work if the primary content stays clear.
- Title or label: Text that identifies a segment, player, or topic. In OBS, use a Text source when you want the wording to remain editable.
- Alerts or chat: Dynamic elements commonly displayed through a Browser source connected to a web page.
Elgato’s Stream Overlays guide describes webcam overlays as frames around webcam feeds and social bars as space for handles, logos, or other relevant information. Treat its listed webcam-frame ratios—16:9, 4:3, 9:16, and 1:1—as examples for webcam frames, not required canvas sizes for every graphic.
Make the asset and preserve transparency
Static graphics
For a still frame, logo, or bar, export a PNG with transparency wherever the game or camera should show through. A transparent webcam frame lets you place the graphic over the webcam without covering the picture beneath it.
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Animated graphics
For an animated overlay that needs transparency, Elgato recommends WEBM. Confirm that the animation’s transparent areas are preserved in the exported file before adding it to your scene.
Non-rectangular webcam crops
If the webcam image itself needs a non-rectangular shape, Elgato’s guide says to provide a mask file to prevent unintended overlap. A decorative frame alone does not change the shape of the video feed underneath.
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Keep text readable
Check the graphic at the size viewers are likely to see it. Use contrast against the underlying footage, keep essential wording brief, and remove decoration that makes the game or subject harder to follow.
Add and arrange graphics in OBS
OBS builds the broadcast from scenes and sources. Choose the source that matches the kind of content you are adding:
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| Graphic or content | OBS source | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Still image or slideshow | Image Source | Frames, logos, static bars, and other image assets |
| Editable wording | Text Source | Titles, labels, and other text you may need to change |
| Audio or video file | Media Source | File-based media in a scene |
| Web page | Browser Source | Web-based alerts and chat boxes |
These source types and their controls are covered in the OBS Project’s Sources Guide.
- Open the scene that needs the graphic. In OBS, select the scene in the Scenes list. If the graphic belongs in a separate layout, create or select a separate scene rather than adding it everywhere.
- Add the right source. In the Sources list, use the add control and choose Image for a still asset, Text for editable wording, Media for an audio or video file, or Browser for a web page such as an alert or chat overlay. Follow the source prompts to select or configure the content.
- Place it above the content it decorates. Sources higher in the Sources list appear in front of those below. Drag the graphic above the webcam or gameplay source it should overlay. An upper source can cover what is beneath it, so verify the order if the camera or game disappears.
- Size and position it. Select the source in the preview and use its bounding box to resize and move it. For precise sizing, use Edit Transform. Crop by holding Alt on Windows or Option on macOS while dragging a bounding-box edge, or adjust cropping through Edit Transform.
- Check visibility and the full composition. Use the eye control beside a source to hide or show it. Confirm that the frame, bar, text, or alert is visible without blocking essential gameplay, camera content, or interface elements.
- Make a scene variation if needed. If a different segment needs a different arrangement, use a separate scene so you can prepare that composition independently.
The OBS Project’s OBS Studio Overview Guide explains that Studio Mode lets you edit a scene in the preview while the live scene remains visible to viewers, then transition to the edited scene. It is useful when changing a layout during a broadcast without exposing unfinished adjustments.
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Design for horizontal and vertical YouTube viewing
YouTube Help describes horizontal 16:9 and vertical 9:16 live formats. In YouTube’s default dual-format setup, the vertical stream is a centre crop of the horizontal stream. A graphic positioned safely in a wide horizontal composition may therefore be cut off for vertical viewers.
- Keep essential text, logos, and alerts within the central area that survives the vertical crop.
- Inspect YouTube’s vertical preview as well as the horizontal composition, especially for graphics close to the left or right edges.
- Choose a graphic layout that remains understandable in both formats; do not rely on small details at the far edges.
- Set up the vertical stream before starting if you need it. YouTube says a vertical stream cannot be added after the stream has started.
See YouTube Help’s Get started with live streaming for the format details.
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Test the finished scene before broadcasting
Use OBS Studio Mode to adjust a scene in the edit view, inspect the composition, and transition when it is ready. Before your first live broadcast with the layout, check that each source loads, the text is legible, the intended elements appear in front, and the camera or gameplay remains unobstructed. If you change the base canvas resolution, OBS notes that sources may need to be realigned or resized.
Or let it run in the cloud
Overlay design and placement happen in your production setup. If your goal is instead to keep a pre-recorded video live on YouTube around the clock, StreamNeo is a separate cloud service: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera. Nothing has to stay on at home, uploads stream as made up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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