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For an OBS browser overlay that should keep its state while you switch scenes, leave Refresh browser source when scene becomes active and Shutdown source when not visible turned off. The first reloads the page when you return to its scene; the second unloads it while it is hidden or inactive. Neither is a periodic refresh timer.
What the two settings do
OBS Browser Source displays a web page in a scene and is commonly used for alerts and chat boxes. OBS documents it as based on the Chrome Embedded Framework (CEF). The behavior of the page itself—such as whether it polls for updates or keeps a connection open—is controlled by that page or its service, not by the scene-refresh checkbox. See the OBS Browser Source documentation and the obs-browser project README.
| Control | What it does | Default | Effect on a persistent overlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shutdown source when not visible | Unloads the browser page when the source is hidden or not in the active scene. | Off | Leave it off if the page should remain loaded while you switch away. |
| Refresh browser source when scene becomes active | Refreshes the page when its scene becomes active—when you switch to that scene. | Off | Leave it off if a reload could reset page state or interrupt continuity. |
| Refresh cache of current page | Immediately refreshes the page and reloads its content when you activate the button. | Manual action | Use for an intentional reload when the overlay is stale; it is not an automatic interval. |
These definitions and defaults are documented by OBS in its Browser Source guide. The guide also lists an 800 × 600 default viewport and 30 FPS custom frame-rate default. Those are display and rendering settings, not refresh intervals.
Recommended settings for a nonstop stream
- In OBS, select the browser source for your overlay and open its properties.
- Keep Refresh browser source when scene becomes active unchecked. The setting refreshes on scene activation; OBS does not describe it as a timer.
- Keep Shutdown source when not visible unchecked if the overlay should stay loaded while another scene is active.
- If the page becomes stale and needs a reload, use Refresh cache of current page deliberately. The page will reload, and whether that loses state depends on how the overlay is built.
These settings prioritize preserving a loaded page across scene changes. If you instead need the page to reload whenever you return to its scene, scene-triggered refresh may be useful—but test the particular overlay first.
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Why a reload can matter to alerts
A browser-page reload may discard in-memory state, but the exact result depends on the overlay implementation. For example, Kulhad’s help article, last updated September 4, 2026, advises leaving scene-triggered refresh off for its alert overlay: it says a reload can make that overlay forget what it has already shown and miss alerts received while its scene was away. That is provider-specific guidance, not a guarantee about every alert service. See Kulhad’s OBS overlay instructions.
Before a long broadcast, test the actual overlay URL: trigger an alert, switch away and back, and check whether it remains loaded, resumes updates, or reloads with lost state. OBS documents what its controls do, but does not guarantee the uptime or behavior of every third-party page.
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Troubleshooting a stale or reset overlay
- The overlay resets when you return to its scene: Check whether Refresh browser source when scene becomes active is enabled. Turn it off if preserving page state is more important than refreshing on return.
- The overlay appears to start over after switching away: Check Shutdown source when not visible. When enabled, the source is unloaded while hidden or inactive; disable it if it must remain loaded.
- The page is stale: Use Refresh cache of current page for a manual reload, then verify the overlay reconnects and updates. Reloading may reset page state.
- Alerts are missing after you return: Confirm the overlay’s own connection or update behavior with its provider. OBS’s scene-refresh control does not establish how the page receives alerts.
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