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How to Set Up Overlays for Vertical and Horizontal Live Streams

Use separate portrait and landscape compositions so overlays fit each frame. Follow the OBS with Aitum Vertical or Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output setup and check both previews before going live.
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Build a separate layout for each orientation, then preview both before you go live. In OBS, Aitum Vertical adds a portrait canvas with its own scenes and sources; Streamlabs Desktop has a separate Dual Output workflow for YouTube. A landscape overlay rarely fits a portrait frame unchanged, so adjust its position and size for each preview.

Choose a workflow for two orientations

Workflow How layouts work Key consideration
OBS with Aitum Vertical A separate portrait canvas has its own vertical scenes and sources alongside the horizontal scenes. Linked scene changes flow from the horizontal canvas to the vertical one, not the other way around.
Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output Use separate portrait and landscape previews and adjust elements for each orientation. Streamlabs’ documented workflow configures YouTube as a native destination for one orientation and an RTMP destination for the other. Check current destination requirements and in-app options.

These are distinct products and workflows. Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output is not the same as the Streamlabs plugin for OBS; the plugin guide says Dual Output is not available through that plugin. See Streamlabs’ OBS plugin guide.

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Set up separate portrait and landscape scenes in OBS

1. Check compatibility and enable the vertical docks

Install OBS Studio and confirm that the current Aitum Vertical build supports your OBS version and operating system before installing. The OBS Forums listing identifies Aitum Vertical 1.6.4, a minimum OBS version of 29.0.0, and Windows, macOS, and Linux support; the listing was last updated May 21, 2026. Compatibility may change with later releases. Check the OBS Forums listing and Aitum’s current product documentation.

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  1. Close OBS and install the plugin according to its current instructions.
  2. Reopen OBS and enable the vertical scenes and sources docks from View → Docks.

2. Create a portrait composition for each show state

Create vertical scenes for the states you use, such as starting, live gameplay, chatting, and break. Add the webcam, game or display capture, and overlay elements to each portrait composition. Aitum’s guide says existing sources can be reused in the vertical canvas, but arrange and crop them for the portrait frame rather than assuming their landscape placement will work.

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Keep the corresponding landscape scenes in OBS. For each portrait scene, use its linked-scenes control to link it to the matching horizontal scene. Aitum’s documentation says the link is one-way: changing a scene on the vertical canvas does not switch the horizontal canvas. If you rely on linking, change scenes from the main horizontal canvas and verify that the intended portrait scene follows. See the Aitum setup guides.

3. Add overlays and check both previews

Add overlay elements to each composition and inspect the portrait and landscape previews. Check that text stays legible, alerts and chat do not obscure important content, and webcam or gameplay framing works in both aspect ratios. These are layout checks for separate canvases, not a guarantee that a particular overlay pack supports both.

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  • Use separately positioned elements or portrait and landscape variants when one graphic does not suit both frames.
  • Check the included dimensions and license terms before using or purchasing an overlay.
  • Make a test scene change and inspect both previews before broadcasting.

4. Configure the destination and outputs

Set the vertical destination and stream key in the vertical settings as appropriate for your chosen platform. If you use Aitum Multistream, configure each destination’s output parameters; the guide says outputs can have their own bitrate, encoder, and audio tracks. Start with two destinations and check upload stability before adding more. There is no universal bitrate or upload-speed figure established for every encoder, resolution, and destination, so use the target platform’s current requirements and monitor your actual output.

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Confirm that each platform accepts your selected output path and orientation. A portrait picture on a phone does not guarantee that a third-party stream will appear in YouTube’s Shorts feed. Streamlabs specifically cautions that third-party portrait broadcasts may not be detected for that feed.

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Use Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output for YouTube

Streamlabs’ guide, dated July 15, 2024, describes enabling Dual Output in Streamlabs Desktop and setting up separate portrait and landscape compositions. Follow current in-app screens because the interface and platform requirements can change.

  1. In Streamlabs Desktop, open Settings → Video and enable Dual Output.
  2. Adjust the elements separately in the portrait and landscape previews. Treat each preview as its own composition; resize or reposition overlays as needed.
  3. Configure YouTube as a native destination for one orientation and an RTMP destination for the other, following current destination instructions.
  4. Check the resulting live output at the destination. Do not assume the portrait stream will be placed in YouTube’s Shorts feed.

The guide describes the overlay as optional and says Dual Output can size overlays for both orientations, though you should still inspect the result and account for feature differences between orientations. Read Streamlabs’ YouTube Dual Output guide.

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Import an overlay or build one from image sources

Streamlabs Desktop

To import an existing Streamlabs overlay file, open Settings → Scene Collections → Import Overlay File and select the .overlay file. For a manual setup, create a scene collection, make scenes, and add image files as sources. These steps are documented in Streamlabs’ February 6, 2026 help article, How to Add an Overlay to Your Stream.

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OBS

For Streamlabs overlays in OBS, Streamlabs documents installing its OBS plugin and selecting an overlay. Its help article also describes importing a scene collection without using the plugin. Neither route makes the plugin’s features identical to Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output; the plugin guide explicitly says Dual Output is unavailable through the plugin.

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Troubleshoot common layout and output problems

Symptom Likely cause What to check
A landscape graphic is cut off or too small in portrait. The graphic was positioned for a different aspect ratio. Adjust or replace it in the portrait composition, then inspect the portrait preview.
Changing the portrait scene does not change the landscape scene. Aitum’s linked-scene behavior is one-way. Change scenes from the main horizontal canvas and confirm the portrait scene follows.
The portrait composition does not follow the expected scene. The portrait scene may not be linked to its corresponding horizontal scene, or a different scene was selected. Check the linked-scenes control for each pair and test a scene switch before going live.
One destination is unstable after adding outputs. The configured outputs may exceed available upload capacity or destination requirements may differ. Start with fewer destinations, verify each output’s settings, and check upload stability before adding more.
A portrait broadcast is not appearing in the Shorts feed. Third-party portrait output may not be detected for that feed. Verify the live result and current YouTube behavior; portrait orientation alone does not guarantee feed placement.
Dual Output options are missing in the Streamlabs OBS plugin. The plugin and Streamlabs Desktop Dual Output are separate workflows. Use the relevant Streamlabs Desktop workflow if you need Dual Output; the plugin alone does not enable it.

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