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How to Set Up the Streamlabs Plugin for OBS Studio

A practical Windows guide to installing the Streamlabs Plugin in OBS Studio, adding widgets and labels, and restoring missing docks.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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To add Streamlabs alerts, widgets, labels, and docks to an existing OBS Studio setup, install the Streamlabs Plugin on Windows, sign in through its onboarding window, then add and test the tools you want. Streamlabs’ quick-start guide specifies Windows and OBS Studio 28.0.0 or later; the plugin is not a replacement for Streamlabs Desktop.

Before you install

  • Operating system: Windows. Streamlabs’ plugin setup guide lists the plugin as Windows-only.
  • OBS version: OBS Studio 28.0.0 or later.
  • Account: Be ready to sign in with a Streamlabs ID or connect a preferred streaming platform during onboarding.

If you use macOS or Linux, the plugin’s documented Windows-only availability means these steps do not apply to your system. Streamlabs Desktop is a separate application, not the OBS plugin.

Install the plugin and complete onboarding

  1. Download the installer. Get the Streamlabs Plugin installer from the official Streamlabs plugin page.
  2. Run the installer. Follow its prompts. The installer is designed to locate the OBS Studio folder and add the plugin files.
  3. Open OBS Studio. When the Streamlabs onboarding window appears, select Log In & Get Started. Sign in or create a Streamlabs ID, or connect a preferred streaming platform, then return to OBS.
  4. Choose onboarding options. Follow the prompts for features such as overlays, tipping, Cloudbot, and plan selection. Adding an overlay or applying some changes may require restarting OBS.
  5. Confirm the plugin loaded. Look for Streamlabs in OBS’s top menu. If it is missing, see troubleshooting below.

Add and customize widgets

Add a widget to a scene

  1. In OBS, open Streamlabs > Widgets.
  2. Find the widget you want and select + Add. OBS adds it to the current scene as a Browser Source.
  3. In the Sources list, move the Streamlabs widget above gameplay and any other sources that could cover it. Sources higher in the list appear in front.

Edit widget settings

Widget customization happens in a browser, not inside the plugin. Open Streamlabs > Widgets and select the widget’s settings gear; it opens the relevant settings page in a browser window. This distinction matters if you are looking for detailed alert or widget controls inside OBS.

Test alerts

  1. Open Streamlabs > Widgets > Test Events.
  2. Select a platform, hover over the alert you want to test, and click it.
  3. Check the OBS preview to confirm the alert is visible and positioned correctly above the other sources.

Add Stream Labels and OBS docks

Place a Stream Label

  1. Choose Streamlabs > Stream Labels > Add a Stream Label.
  2. Select the label. If it should appear in additional scenes, use Add to Scene to choose them.
  3. Use the label’s three-dot menu to edit or delete it. If you delete a label from the scene, remove its source manually in OBS if it remains in the Sources list.

Show Activity Feed and Chat

Open OBS’s Docks menu and enable Streamlabs Activity Feed and Streamlabs Chat. If either option is missing, go to Streamlabs > Settings > Danger Zone > Restore Plugin Docks.

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If you prefer not to install the plugin

You can add a Streamlabs widget to OBS without the plugin by copying its widget URL from your Streamlabs dashboard and adding it as a Browser Source. This is an alternate route for widgets, not a way to access every plugin function. Follow Streamlabs’ guide to locating and using widget URLs.

What the plugin includes—and what it does not

The plugin is for creators who want Streamlabs tools inside an existing OBS Studio workflow. Streamlabs says the plugin is free to download and use; selected capabilities, including server-side multistreaming and premium overlays, require Streamlabs Ultra. Streamlabs’ guide also says Shared Storage, Dual Output, and Collab Cam are not included in the plugin and directs users seeking those capabilities to Streamlabs Desktop. Check the Streamlabs plugin page for current plan details and availability.

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Troubleshooting common setup problems

Problem Likely cause What to do
No Streamlabs menu or onboarding window in OBS The plugin may not have installed into the OBS folder, or the OBS version may be below the documented minimum. Confirm you are on Windows and using OBS Studio 28.0.0 or later. Run the plugin installer again and let it locate the OBS Studio folder, then reopen OBS.
An alert or widget is hidden Another source is covering it. Move the Streamlabs source higher in the OBS Sources list, above gameplay or other covering sources.
You cannot find widget customization controls in OBS Widget editing is handled in a browser page. Open the widget in Streamlabs > Widgets and click its settings gear.
Streamlabs Activity Feed or Chat is missing from Docks The plugin docks may need restoring. Choose Streamlabs > Settings > Danger Zone > Restore Plugin Docks, then check OBS’s Docks menu again.
Changes do not appear after adding an overlay The onboarding change may require an OBS restart. Restart OBS, then confirm the overlay source is in the intended scene and visible in the preview.
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Or let it run in the cloud

The Streamlabs plugin adds tools to OBS; it does not keep a YouTube channel live after your streaming computer is turned off. If your goal is to loop uploaded videos as a 24/7 YouTube stream, StreamNeo runs that playback from the cloud instead: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live.

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