How to add a starting soon countdown to your stream

Countdown or looping screen?

There are two kinds of starting soon screen. A countdown has a real timer that runs down to zero, so viewers know exactly how long they're waiting. A looping screen just repeats until you switch away — better when you don't know exactly when you'll be ready. Many streamers keep both: the countdown for normal starts and the loop as a fallback for when something needs fixing. Our Going Live Countdown comes as a 1-minute and a 2-minute version and flips to LIVE NOW at zero; the Stream Scenes Pack includes a seamless Starting Soon loop alongside BRB and ending screens.

1. Build a dedicated scene (OBS Studio or Streamlabs)

1. In the Scenes dock, click + and name the scene 'Starting Soon'. Keep it separate from your main scene so you can switch with one click.
2. In that scene, click + under Sources and choose Media Source. Browse to the countdown .mp4.
3. For a countdown: untick 'Loop' and tick 'Restart playback when source becomes active', so the timer starts from the top every time you switch to the scene.
4. Leave 'Show nothing when playback ends' unticked, so the last frame (LIVE NOW) stays on screen instead of going black.
5. For a looping screen instead: tick 'Loop' — the loop point is built into the file, so there's no visible jump.
6. Right-click the source → Transform → Fit to screen if it doesn't fill the canvas exactly.

Turn on Studio Mode (the button under Controls) and you can line up your main scene in the preview while viewers still see the countdown — then click Transition when the timer hits zero.

2. Set it up in TikTok LIVE Studio

1. Create a new scene for your starting screen.
2. Click '+' (Add source) → Media / Video and pick the .mp4.
3. Leave looping off for a countdown, or turn it on for a looping screen.
4. Preview it in LIVE Studio before you go live and watch what happens at the end of the file, so you know exactly when to switch scenes.

TikTok LIVE is usually streamed vertically. A full-screen 16:9 countdown will be cropped or letterboxed in a portrait layout, so check the preview and position the file so your picture and the timer stay in view.

3. Add music (carefully)

Our countdowns are silent on purpose so you can choose your own audio. Add a separate audio source to the Starting Soon scene rather than relying on a music video in the background. Only use music you have the rights to stream — Twitch, YouTube and TikTok all act on copyright claims, and VODs can be muted or removed. Royalty-free libraries made for streamers are the safe choice. Keep the level well below your voice so the jump in volume isn't jarring when you switch scenes.

4. Use the countdown well

1. Go live on the Starting Soon scene, not your main one. The countdown buys you time to check that your mic, game audio and camera are all coming through.
2. Open your chat and say hello in text while the timer runs — early viewers notice.
3. Share the stream link to your Discord or socials during the countdown so people arrive in time for the start.
4. Switch to your main scene at zero. A stinger transition makes the cut feel deliberate rather than abrupt.

Common mistakes

1. The timer starts halfway through: 'Restart playback when source becomes active' isn't ticked, so the video carried on from where it last stopped.
2. The screen goes black at zero: 'Show nothing when playback ends' is ticked. Untick it to hold on the last frame.
3. A 10-minute countdown: most viewers won't wait that long on a fresh stream. One or two minutes is plenty — long enough to settle in, short enough not to lose people.
4. Forgetting to switch: set a hotkey for your main scene in Settings → Hotkeys (or use a Stream Deck) so the switch is one key press.

If you're running late, switch to a looping Starting Soon or BRB screen rather than restarting the countdown three times — a timer that keeps resetting looks worse than no timer.