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How to Display a Live Clock on a 24/7 YouTube Video Stream

Use an OBS Browser Source to add a clock from a local HTML file or webpage, then check its time zone, readability, and behavior across scene changes.

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To show a live clock inside a YouTube broadcast, add it to the video scene before encoding: in OBS Studio, use a Browser Source pointed at a local clock HTML file or a clock webpage, set the source dimensions, then position and test it in the preview. The clock is part of the stream viewers receive—not merely a clock on your computer screen.

Choose a local clock file or hosted widget

OBS Browser Source can load either a local file or a URL. A local clock overlay keeps its files with your OBS setup and avoids relying on a clock website remaining available. A hosted widget may be simpler to configure, but its page must remain reachable. The available sources do not establish comparative long-run reliability for either option.

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OBS describes the Browser Source this way: “Anything that you can program to run in a normal browser (within reason, of course), can be added directly to OBS.” OBS Project’s Browser Source documentation explains the source options and controls.

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Add the clock in OBS

  1. Prepare the overlay. Choose a local clock HTML file or a hosted clock page. For a local overlay, keep the HTML and any required supporting files together. Examples include a community time-and-date overlay and the obs-time-overlay project; their controls are specific to those projects, not features guaranteed by every clock.
  2. Create the source. In OBS, select the scene that will carry the clock, choose Sources → + → Browser, and create a new source. For a web widget, enter its URL. For a local file, enable the local-file option and browse to the HTML file.
  3. Set the viewport. Enter a width and height suited to the overlay. OBS documents 800×600 as the Browser Source default; it is not a recommended size for every clock or video output. Adjust the viewport to the clock design, then resize and position the source in the scene.
  4. Configure the clock. Use the overlay’s own settings or instructions to choose 12-hour or 24-hour notation, whether to show seconds or a date, and the time zone if offered. These settings vary by overlay.
  5. Position and inspect it. Place the clock where it does not cover important content. Check contrast and readability at the size viewers are likely to see, not just while the OBS preview is enlarged.
  6. Confirm time and scene behavior. Check the computer’s system clock and time zone, then watch the preview long enough to confirm that the displayed time advances. In the Browser Source properties, review Shutdown source when not visible and Refresh browser source when scene becomes active. Choose whether to unload or refresh the page based on how it behaves; do not let a scene change hide or stop the clock unintentionally.

The OBS documentation also describes Browser Source rendering options and viewport controls. Consult the official settings guide if the source does not fit or render as expected.

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Check the clock before leaving a stream unattended

The time shown depends on the overlay’s implementation and time source. A selectable time zone does not by itself establish synchronization accuracy. Confirm the system clock, selected zone, date rollover, and final output preview. If the time is needed for an operational or legal purpose, independently verify the time source and synchronization; a decorative overlay is not evidence of certified timekeeping.

Test the broadcast before relying on it and monitor stream health. YouTube’s encoder setup guidance covers stream setup, while its live encoder settings and stream-health guidance recommends testing and monitoring. For a continuous stream, include a practical check that the clock remains visible and advances after the broadcast starts.

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What 24/7 operation does—and does not—guarantee

A Browser Source embeds the clock webpage or local file into the OBS scene, so the encoded video carries it to viewers. A local file avoids dependence on an external overlay page; a hosted widget makes settings convenient but depends on that page. The source material does not establish either approach’s long-run uptime.

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YouTube’s encoder guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That qualification is not a promise of indefinite uninterrupted streaming or archival for a 24/7 broadcast. Check YouTube’s current guidance for the operating pattern you plan to use.

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Troubleshoot a missing or incorrect clock

  • The source is blank: Confirm the URL or local-file path, and check that a local overlay’s supporting files are still beside it. Reload the Browser Source and inspect the overlay’s own instructions.
  • The clock is cropped or too small: Adjust the Browser Source width and height to suit its design, then resize and position it in the scene. The documented 800×600 default is only a starting default.
  • The time or date is wrong: Check the computer’s clock and time zone, then check the overlay’s selected zone and date settings. Do not assume every widget uses the same time source.
  • The clock stops appearing after a scene switch: Check that the clock source is included in the active scene and review the source’s unload and refresh options. Test a switch away and back before leaving the stream unattended.
  • The clock is hard to read on the stream: Reposition it away from busy imagery and adjust size or contrast; inspect it at the expected viewing size.
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Or let it run in the cloud

If you want prerecorded videos to keep a YouTube channel live without leaving OBS or a computer running at home, StreamNeo is a cloud service: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It loops uploaded videos; it does not go live from a camera. To display a clock, include the clock in the video you upload—StreamNeo is not an OBS overlay tool.

StreamNeo keeps the stream running with your computer off, supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month.

Quick Recap

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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