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To add the Streamlabs Chat Box, use Sources → Widgets → Chat Box in Streamlabs Desktop. In OBS Studio or other compatible software, copy your own Chat Box Widget URL from the Streamlabs Dashboard, add a browser source, and paste the URL. Customize the widget in Streamlabs settings, then position and size it in your scene.
Choose the setup route for your streaming software
| Route | How you add Chat Box | Where you edit its settings |
|---|---|---|
| Streamlabs Desktop | Add a source, open Widgets, and select Chat Box. | Streamlabs widget settings. |
| OBS Studio with the Streamlabs Plugin | Sign in to the plugin, open Widgets, and add Chat Box. | Open the widget’s settings control. |
| OBS Studio or other compatible software using a browser source | Copy the Widget URL from your Streamlabs Dashboard and paste it into a browser source. | Streamlabs Dashboard Chat Box settings. |
These are alternative ways to add the same overlay; the documented routes do not establish a performance difference. Streamlabs’ Chat Box setup guide was published February 9, 2023, and last updated July 9, 2026. Interface labels and platform availability may change.
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Add Chat Box in Streamlabs Desktop
- Install and open Streamlabs Desktop.
- In the Sources area, click the plus button to add a source.
- Open the Widgets tab and select Chat Box.
- Position and size the source in your scene so chat is readable without obscuring important content.
- When adding the widget to another scene, choose the existing Chat Box source rather than creating a duplicate. Reusing it avoids duplicated sounds.
- In the widget’s browser-source properties, leave Shutdown source when not visible unchecked if you want timed settings to continue and chat not to clear as you switch scenes.
Add the widget to OBS or other compatible software
Use the dashboard Widget URL
- Sign in to the Streamlabs Dashboard and open Chat Box settings.
- Use the dashboard’s copy control to copy your account’s Widget URL. Do not reuse an example URL: use the one copied from your own account.
- In OBS Studio or your compatible streaming software, add a Browser source and paste the URL into its URL field.
- Set the source width and height to fit the area where chat should appear. Adjust FPS if needed for your layout.
- Open the source preview, position it in the scene, and check that messages are legible at the output size.
For additional detail on locating and using the link, see Streamlabs’ Widget URL guide.
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Use the Streamlabs Plugin for OBS instead
- Install the Streamlabs Plugin for OBS and sign in.
- Open Widgets in the plugin and add Chat Box.
- Use the widget’s settings button to open its configuration.
Customize what viewers see
Adjust the Chat Box in Streamlabs settings. The official guide lists these controls; the platform or emote options shown can depend on what is supported and connected for your account.
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- Platforms: Select connected platforms to include. The guide lists Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Kick, and X; check your account settings for the options available to you.
- Badges: Choose which badges appear beside messages.
- Style: Select a premade visual style.
- Extra emotes: Enable BTTV or FFZ emoticons where available.
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Configure optional chat sound notifications
- Open Chat Box settings and enable Chat Notifications.
- Select a stock sound or upload one, then configure the trigger threshold. Streamlabs describes this threshold as the quiet period needed before a new message triggers a sound.
- If the trigger threshold is off, the guide states that the default cooldown is five seconds.
- If notifications should carry across scenes, add the Chat Box source to all scenes. On scenes where chat should not be visible, place it below visible sources.
See Streamlabs’ Chat Notifications guide for its current instructions.
Fix common setup problems
- The browser source is blank or does not show chat: Check that you copied the Widget URL from your own signed-in dashboard and pasted it into the browser source’s URL field. Confirm that the source is enabled and has a visible area with suitable width and height.
- Chat clears or timed settings stop when changing scenes: In Streamlabs Desktop, check the browser-source property Shutdown source when not visible. Streamlabs recommends leaving it unchecked when you want chat and timed settings to continue through scene transitions.
- Sounds play more than once: Reuse the existing Chat Box source when adding it to another Streamlabs Desktop scene instead of creating duplicate widget sources.
- Notifications are not heard on some scenes: Add the Chat Box source to those scenes if notifications should continue across them. It can sit below visible sources where chat itself should not appear.
- A platform or emote option is missing: The guide does not establish that every platform or integration is available to every account or region. Check which platforms are connected and which options appear in your own settings.
- Chat text is difficult to read or does not fit: Adjust font color and size in the widget settings, then tune the browser source’s width and height and inspect it in the scene preview.
Or let it run in the cloud
Streamlabs Chat Box puts messages on screen; StreamNeo is a separate service for keeping an uploaded-video stream live on YouTube. To use it, upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud, so no computer, OBS, or home connection has to stay on. It does not stream from a camera or to other platforms.
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