First, send a test alert from the streaming application—not just the Streamlabs dashboard preview. If that test does not appear in the scene, check the Alert Box source, scene, visibility, and layer order. If the test works but a real tip does not trigger an alert, verify that it was made through your Streamlabs donation link and that the payment is completed and listed in your Streamlabs donation history.
Start by identifying which alert is missing
There are two different problems to diagnose: a test alert that never reaches the stream scene, and a real donation that does not trigger an alert. A preview in the Streamlabs dashboard does not prove that the source is working in the scene viewers see. Test from the streaming application where possible, then follow the branch that matches what happens.
- Test alert missing: inspect the Alert Box integration, active scene, source visibility, and layer order.
- Test alert works, real tip missing: verify the donation link, payment status, and donation history.
- Alert is registered but hidden, silent, delayed, or stuck: check relevant alert settings, moderation, filters, theme, and browser-source rendering.
Test the alert in your streaming application
- Open your Streamlabs Alert Box settings and save any changes you have made.
- Use the test control in your streaming application: Streamlabs Desktop, the Streamlabs OBS plugin, or the Browser Source workflow in OBS or other compatible software. Streamlabs also provides test controls on the Alert Box dashboard, but a dashboard preview alone does not confirm that the source reaches your live scene.
- Check the active scene and watch the output in the streaming application. If the in-application test appears, continue to the real-donation checks. If it does not, confirm the correct source is installed and visible.
If you use alert variations, test the variation that is failing; a general test may not exercise every variation. Streamlabs’ alert setup guidance covers the available test controls and widget setup: Streamlabs Alert Box.
Make sure the Alert Box is in the active scene
Streamlabs Desktop
In the Sources panel, add or select the Alert Box. Confirm it is enabled in the scene you are actually streaming, not only in another scene.
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Streamlabs Plugin for OBS
Add the Alert Box from Streamlabs > Widgets. Check that the widget is present and enabled in the active scene.
OBS without the plugin, or another compatible program
Copy the Streamlabs Widget URL and add it as a Browser Source. Make sure the source is in the current scene and that its dimensions and position leave room for the alert to appear. Keep the URL private: it gives access to your widget, so do not post it publicly.
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In any of these setups, confirm the source is visible and move it higher in the layer stack if another source covers it. If the alert appears in a different scene, compare the source setup and selected widget theme for the scene collection. Streamlabs documents these troubleshooting checks in its Alerts/Widget Troubleshooting guide.
Check alert settings and filters
- Donation/tip alert type: Confirm the event type is enabled and save the settings before testing again.
- Browser Source event filtering: If you applied event filtering to a Widget URL, check that it does not exclude the event you are testing. Streamlabs says this filtering applies to Browser Source Widget URLs; it does not change Alert Box sources in Streamlabs Desktop or the Streamlabs OBS plugin.
- Moderation delay: If alerts are awaiting approval or delayed, check whether Unlimited Alert Moderation Delay is enabled. Streamlabs says an alert awaiting approval will not play until it is accepted.
- Profanity and custom-word filters: Review these if a particular message or alert is being suppressed.
- Custom HTML/CSS: Temporarily disable custom code if the widget design unexpectedly fails to render, unless the code is required for your setup.
- Widget theme: Verify the theme selected for the relevant scene collection if the alert looks different or a scene-specific variation is missing.
Make one relevant change at a time and retest. That makes it easier to find the setting causing the problem rather than introducing several new variables.
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If the test works but a real donation does not
Check how the viewer sent the tip and whether Streamlabs has recorded the payment. Streamlabs Support says tips generate Streamlabs alerts only when viewers use the creator’s Streamlabs donation link. A direct PayPal link or DonationAlerts link does not trigger a Streamlabs tip notification.
- Confirm the viewer used your Streamlabs donation link, typically a creator link containing
/donate/or/tip/, rather than a separate payment link. - Check your Streamlabs donation history for the transaction and confirm its status is completed. A chat message claiming a donation is not proof that the payment reached your account.
- If the payment is pending, wait for it to clear before expecting it to appear as a completed donation. Streamlabs notes that pending bank-account or eCheck transactions do not appear until they clear.
- Verify the PayPal email associated with the donation setup and that your account accepts the currency the viewer used.
These payment checks follow Streamlabs Support’s article, Donation/Tip Alert Didn’t Show on Stream or Recent Events.
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Fix browser-source rendering problems
If the Alert Box is a Browser Source and the event is registered but the source does not display correctly, try the rendering checks Streamlabs documents:
- Toggle browser hardware acceleration in the streaming application, then restart the application.
- Refresh the Browser Source. If needed, remove and re-add the widget source using the current Widget URL.
- If the issue persists, clear the relevant OBS browser cache by following the current Streamlabs instructions for your installed program and operating system. Cache locations can vary by application version; do not assume a path from a different version applies to yours.
If the issue seems tied to your account connection rather than a single source, Streamlabs also recommends logging out and back in and relinking the account. See its widget troubleshooting guide for the applicable instructions.
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Quick symptom-to-fix guide
| What you see | What to check next |
|---|---|
| Dashboard preview works, stream scene does not | Run an in-application test; confirm the Alert Box is in the active scene, visible, and not covered by another source. |
| Test works, real tip does not | Confirm the viewer used your Streamlabs donation link and check for a completed transaction in donation history. |
| Alert is delayed or waiting | Check Unlimited Alert Moderation Delay and whether the alert needs approval. |
| Only a particular message fails | Review profanity and custom-word filters, along with event-specific alert settings. |
| Browser Source is blank or rendering incorrectly | Toggle browser hardware acceleration, restart the streaming program, refresh or re-add the source, then follow the current cache-clearing instructions if needed. |
| Alert design or scene version is unexpected | Check custom HTML/CSS and the Widget Theme selected for the scene collection. |
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