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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To show a GIF when someone tips or donates during a live stream, set up an alert with a third-party provider, add that provider’s alert overlay to your streaming scene, and test it before going live. In OBS Studio, the overlay is usually a Browser Source. OBS displays the alert; it does not collect donations or create alerts itself.
Before you start: choose the right event
“Donation” can mean different things depending on the platform and provider. A provider-handled tip may be configured as a Tips event, while YouTube Super Chats, Twitch Bits, memberships, or fundraiser donations can use separate event types and rules. Confirm that your provider supports the platform and event you intend to use, and connect the correct account. Support can vary by integration and region.
Donation processing and on-screen alerts are separate functions. The OBS Project says OBS Studio does not directly provide donation facilities; a third-party provider can handle donations and display its alerts, and some platforms offer their own fundraiser options. See the OBS Project donation FAQ.
Set up a donation GIF with Streamlabs
These steps follow Streamlabs’ official alert setup documentation, which reports an update date of July 6, 2026. Dashboard labels and supported integrations can change, so check the current interface if a menu differs.
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- Connect your account. Sign in to Streamlabs and connect the relevant streaming platform account or accounts. Available event types depend on the integration.
- Open the Alert Box settings. In the Streamlabs dashboard, go to Streaming essentials and open Alert Box. Choose the platform and event you want to configure. For provider-handled tips, use Tips if that event is available; select a platform-native event such as YouTube Super Chat separately.
- Choose or upload the alert image. Select an existing image or video, or upload your GIF. Streamlabs lists GIF among its supported image formats, along with PNG, JPG/JPEG, WebP, WebM, and MP4. Those file types should not be assumed to work with every alert provider.
- Customize the alert. Adjust image size and position, message template, alert duration, text delay, sound, font, and animations as needed, then save. Check that the image and message remain readable in your stream layout.
- Optionally add amount-based variations. Under the relevant event, add a variation and set a condition such as “Donation amount is at least” a chosen value. Customize its image or alert and save. Conditions depend on the event and platform; consult Streamlabs’ guide to Alert Box Variations.
- Add the alert to your scene. In Streamlabs Desktop, add Alert Box from Sources. With the Streamlabs OBS plugin, add its Alert Box widget. In OBS Studio without that plugin—or other streaming software—copy the provider’s Widget URL and add it as a Browser Source.
- Preview and test it. Use the provider’s Live Preview or test control. Test each variation separately if you created one, and verify that the GIF appears correctly in the scene you plan to stream.
Streamlabs’ full walkthrough, Setting up Your Streamlabs Alerts, covers its current setup options. For OBS Studio, the OBS Project explains that third-party alert overlays are embedded using a Browser Source in its stream-alert FAQ.
Add a provider alert to OBS Studio
- Copy the alert provider’s Widget URL. Treat it like a private link if the provider warns that anyone with it can access or display your widget.
- In OBS, select the scene where the alert should appear. In the Sources panel, choose + and then Browser.
- Name the source, paste the Widget URL into the URL field, and set its dimensions to fit your stream canvas. Use the provider’s recommended dimensions if it supplies them.
- Place and resize the source in the preview so the alert does not cover important gameplay or other on-screen information.
- Trigger a test from the provider’s dashboard and check the result in the intended scene. If you change the GIF, text, or variation later, test again.
OBS displays the provider’s overlay; it does not supply the alert or handle the donation. The OBS Project describes this distinction in its alert FAQ.
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Troubleshoot a GIF alert that does not appear
- The alert does not trigger: Check that the correct platform account is connected and that the alert is assigned to the event that occurred. Tips, platform-native events, and fundraiser donations may be distinct event types.
- The test works in the provider dashboard but not in OBS: Confirm that the Browser Source uses the current Widget URL, is visible in the active scene, and is not hidden behind another source. Test the scene again after correcting it.
- The wrong GIF appears for a donation amount: Review the variation’s event and condition, and use the provider’s test control to test that variation separately.
- The GIF looks misplaced or too large: Adjust the alert’s image size and position in the provider settings, then reposition or resize the Browser Source in the streaming scene.
- A file will not upload: Check the provider’s accepted file formats and use the file requirements it specifies. Streamlabs lists GIF support, but another provider may have different requirements.
Or let it run in the cloud
Donation GIFs are configured in an alert provider and streaming software; StreamNeo is a separate option for keeping a pre-recorded YouTube stream live. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded video in the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the video as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo streams to YouTube only and plays uploaded video, not a live camera feed. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start your free day.
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