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How to Use an OBS Browser Source as an Overlay on a Prerecorded YouTube Live Stream

Use an OBS Media Source for prerecorded video and a Browser Source for your graphic, then layer, test, and send the scene to YouTube Live.
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To overlay a graphic on prerecorded footage and send the result to YouTube Live, add the video as an OBS Media Source and the graphic as a Browser Source in the same scene. Put the Browser Source above the video in the Sources list, size it to the stream canvas, then test the full picture and audio before starting the event. This creates a live encoder feed from OBS; it does not alter a video that has already been uploaded to YouTube.

Choose the right kind of overlay

“Overlay” can mean two different things in this workflow:

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  • Persistent graphic over a prerecorded program: Build the composition in an OBS scene. The video and graphic are separate sources, so you can position and control them independently. This is the main method below.
  • YouTube break slate: YouTube has a separate “Overlay for breaks” feature configured in Live Control Room. It is intended for switching away during a live broadcast, not for permanently layering a graphic over the program. See YouTube’s break-overlay instructions.

If your goal is to change a finished YouTube upload, OBS cannot retroactively add a Browser Source to it. You would need to edit the video and upload a new version, or send a newly composed OBS output as a live stream.

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What you need before setting up OBS

  • OBS Studio and the prerecorded video file available on the computer running OBS.
  • A webpage URL or local HTML file for the graphic. A paid overlay service is not required for this method.
  • A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled and a stream created or selected in YouTube Studio.
  • A stable enough computer and internet connection to play the video and send the encoder feed throughout the event.

For a local webpage, the OBS Browser Source can load a local file. Its default CSS makes the page background transparent, removes page margins, and hides scrollbars; the page still has to draw the graphic you want to see. OBS documents Browser Source properties, including width and height, in its Browser Source guide.

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Build the scene in OBS

  1. Create or select the scene. In OBS, choose the scene that will be sent to YouTube. If you are setting this up for the first time, create a dedicated scene for the prerecorded program and overlay.
  2. Add the prerecorded video. In the Sources panel, select + → Media Source, give it a recognizable name, and choose the video file. OBS’s Media Sources guide describes the playback options. Choose them based on the event: enable Loop if the footage should repeat; use Restart playback when source becomes active if activating the scene should start the clip from the beginning; and choose whether to show nothing when playback ends. Check the result rather than assuming a finished clip will behave as a continuous program.
  3. Add the overlay page. Select + → Browser Source. Enter the overlay webpage URL, or select Local file and browse to the HTML file. Set the source’s width and height to the intended output canvas dimensions so the page is laid out for the stream rather than an unrelated browser-window size.
  4. Layer it above the video. In the Sources list, drag the Browser Source above the Media Source. OBS renders higher-listed sources over lower-listed ones; a source above the video can cover it. The OBS Sources Guide explains source order and layering.
  5. Place and size the graphic. Select the Browser Source and adjust its position and size in the preview. If the page itself is designed for the whole canvas, match it to the output dimensions and place it to cover the canvas; if it is a smaller graphic, position it where it should appear. Confirm that transparent areas reveal the video underneath.
  6. Check visibility and audio. Play the scene from start to finish, including any loop or end-of-playback behavior you expect. Confirm the video is visible, the overlay is legible and not covering important content, and the intended audio is present at a usable level. Browser Source audio, if the overlay page produces any, is a separate part of the scene mix; do not assume it is included or excluded without checking OBS’s audio controls.

Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select the live stream. Follow YouTube’s current encoder setup flow in its guide to creating a live stream with an encoder.
  2. Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream into OBS’s stream settings. Treat the stream key as private: anyone who has it may be able to send a feed to your stream.
  3. Start streaming from OBS to send the encoder feed. Wait for the Live Control Room preview to appear, then check the picture, overlay alignment, audio, and stream health before starting the event for viewers.
  4. Use the Live Control Room controls to start and end the YouTube event. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and motion and monitoring the preview and stream health; see its live streaming tips.

YouTube’s encoder settings for resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframes can vary with the output you intend to send. This article’s task is compositing the overlay; use the current YouTube encoder guidance and the OBS output settings together rather than copying a bitrate or other value without checking that it matches your chosen format.

If you meant YouTube’s break overlay

For a break slate during a live broadcast, use YouTube’s Live Control Room feature rather than treating it as the persistent OBS scene overlay above. YouTube’s break-overlay setup uses an overlay URL that you add to OBS as a Browser Source. Set its dimensions to match the stream and enable Shutdown source when not visible. Test the break flow before relying on it. If you choose a video slate through “Choose from your video,” YouTube requires Allow embedding to be enabled for that selected video. The break overlay does not manage the encoder’s audio sources; include the slate audio in the OBS mix if you want viewers to hear it.

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Troubleshooting

  • The graphic is behind the footage: Move the Browser Source above the Media Source in the Sources list.
  • The page appears opaque or hides the video: Check that the overlay page actually renders transparent areas. OBS’s default Browser Source CSS sets a transparent page background, but page content can still paint an opaque background over it.
  • The overlay is clipped, tiny, or misplaced: Check the Browser Source width and height against the intended output canvas, then reposition or resize the source in the OBS preview. Also inspect the page’s own layout dimensions.
  • The video stops when the clip ends: Review the Media Source’s loop and end-of-playback options. Select Loop only if repeating the clip is intended.
  • The preview is missing or the stream does not start: Verify that OBS is using the stream URL and key for the selected YouTube event, then wait for the Live Control Room preview and check stream health before starting the event.
  • The picture works but audio is absent or wrong: Check the Media Source and other intended audio sources in OBS’s mix, and test the complete scene. For YouTube’s break overlay, its slate audio must be included in the encoder mix if you want it heard.
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