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To add a transition in OBS Studio, use the Scene Transitions controls: choose Cut or Fade, or click the plus button to add another built-in option, then select it and set its duration. For safer scene changes while live, turn on Studio Mode so you can prepare the next scene before taking it to the stream.
Choose a transition in OBS
OBS provides Cut and Fade by default. Cut changes scenes immediately; Fade gradually blends one scene into the next. For a directional or more stylized change, the OBS Studio Overview Guide also lists Swipe, Slide, Fade to color, and Luma Wipe as additional built-in choices. Names and interface details may vary in later OBS versions.
- Find Scene Transitions. In the OBS main window, locate the Scene Transitions section.
- Add an option if needed. Click the plus button in that section and choose a transition from the available list.
- Make it active. Select the transition from the transition drop-down.
- Set its duration. Adjust the duration control for the selected transition. A very short duration feels closer to an abrupt change; a longer duration makes the change more gradual.
For a simple, predictable change, choose Cut. Use Fade for a gradual transition. Try Swipe, Slide, Fade to color, or Luma Wipe when you want a different visual treatment, and preview it at the duration you intend to use.
Prepare the next scene with Studio Mode
Studio Mode separates the scene currently on stream from the scene you are preparing. You can change sources or select a different scene in the preview without immediately changing what viewers see.
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- Enable Studio Mode in OBS.
- Select and prepare the next scene in the preview side. Check its sources and layout before switching.
- When ready, click Transition to take the prepared scene live using the configured transition.
OBS also supports adding a configured transition as a Quick Transition in Studio Mode. A Quick Transition can have its own duration, so check that setting separately if you use it instead of the main transition control.
Use a stinger for a custom scene reveal
A stinger is a video overlay played across a change between scenes. It is optional: Cut, Fade, and the other built-in transitions do not require a custom video asset.
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For more control, OBS Studio 27.0 and later introduced Track Matte mode. It uses an animated mask to determine how the next scene appears: black represents the current scene, white represents the next scene, and gray values can blend between them.
Track Matte file layout
The OBS Track Matte Stinger Transitions guide describes using one video file containing the overlay and matte, arranged side-by-side or stacked. For example, if each part is 1920×1080, the combined file is 3840×1080 side-by-side or 1920×2160 stacked. The guide says separate files are disabled because OBS cannot guarantee playback synchronization between them.
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Track Matte setup is more specialized than selecting a built-in transition. Follow the controls shown in your OBS version when configuring the stinger source, and test the full reveal before broadcasting.
Test before going live
Preview the transition with the actual scenes you plan to use. Check that the outgoing and incoming scenes look right throughout the change, not only before and after it. OBS recommends testing settings and scenes before the first live stream.
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- Confirm the intended transition is selected and its duration is appropriate.
- In Studio Mode, verify the preview scene before clicking Transition.
- Play a stinger from beginning to end and check that its reveal aligns with the scene change.
- Make a test recording or run a private/unlisted test broadcast if you need to inspect the result outside OBS.
Common transition problems
The scene changes instantly when you expected a fade
Check the active transition in Scene Transitions. Cut may still be selected even if you added Fade; select Fade from the transition drop-down.
The transition looks too abrupt or too slow
Adjust the duration for the active transition, then preview again. If you are using a Quick Transition in Studio Mode, check its separate duration rather than assuming it uses the main transition timing.
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The wrong scene goes live
In Studio Mode, confirm the scene shown in the preview side before clicking Transition. Selecting or editing a preview scene does not itself mean it is the correct next scene.
A track matte stinger does not reveal the scene as expected
Check the matte’s orientation and contrast: black indicates the current scene, white indicates the next, and intermediate gray can blend them. Confirm that the overlay and matte are in the documented combined-file layout and that the dimensions match the intended side-by-side or stacked arrangement.
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