Twitch stream overlay checklist for new streamers

Before overlays: the basics

1. Canvas: in OBS, Settings → Video, set the Base (Canvas) Resolution to 1920×1080. Overlays are designed for this size.
2. Encoder settings: run Tools → Auto-Configuration Wizard in OBS for a sensible starting point, then check Twitch's own broadcasting guidelines.
3. Mic: right-click your mic in the Audio Mixer → Filters, and add Noise Suppression (and a Noise Gate if your room is noisy). Clear audio matters more than any graphic.
4. Test: record locally (Start Recording) and watch it back before your first stream.

1. Scenes

Scenes are the different screens you switch between. At minimum you want: Starting Soon (while people arrive), Main (game plus camera), Be Right Back (for breaks) and Ending (thanks for watching, plus where to find you next). Add Just Chatting (camera large, no game) if you talk to chat a lot. Use the same colours and fonts on all of them so the stream feels like one show. Full-screen looping scenes go in as a Media Source with 'Loop' ticked.

2. Webcam frame

A frame around your camera separates it from the game and makes the layout look intentional. Add your camera, then add the frame as a Media Source ABOVE it in the source list, with 'Loop' ticked, and resize the frame to fit around your camera. Keep the camera in a corner where it won't cover your game's minimap, health bar or kill feed — check this for each game you play.

3. Alerts

Alerts thank viewers on screen when they follow, subscribe or raid — and on Twitch, the thank-you is a big part of why people do it. Set them up with an alert tool such as Streamlabs Alert Box, StreamElements or Streamer.bot: upload a transparent .webm animation for each alert type, add a sound, and test each one. A sub and raid alert in your channel's colours makes those moments feel special rather than generic.

4. Channel panels

Panels are the image boxes under your stream on your channel page — About Me, Schedule, Socials, Rules and so on. They're often the first thing a new viewer reads when deciding whether to follow. To add them, open your channel, click About, switch Edit Panels on, then use + to add an image panel, upload the image and add a link if you like. Twitch shows panels 320 pixels wide, so use images made for that width (ideally at double resolution so they stay sharp).

5. Socials bar

A small bar that cycles through your handles tells viewers where to follow you after the stream. Put it in a corner or under your camera as a looping Media Source. Keep it small: it's a reminder, not the main event.

6. Stinger transition

A stinger is a short full-screen animation that plays while you switch scenes, so the cut happens out of sight. It's what makes going from Starting Soon to Main feel like a broadcast. In OBS, add it under Scene Transitions → + → Stinger and set the transition point to the moment the animation fully covers the screen.

7. Branding on your channel page

Upload a profile picture, a profile banner and an offline banner in your Creator Dashboard settings, so your channel looks finished even when you're not live. Use the same name styling and colours as your overlays.

Common mistakes

1. Overlay overload: if more than about a quarter of the screen is graphics, the game gets lost. Viewers came for you and the content.
2. Unreadable on phones: many viewers watch on mobile. Text that's fine on your monitor can be unreadably small on a phone.
3. Alerts too loud: test the alert sound volume against your mic before your first stream.
4. Different styles everywhere: mixing five free packs looks messy. One consistent look beats lots of flashy pieces.
5. Never switching scenes: a BRB screen when you step away is better than an empty chair on camera.

Start with the essentials — Starting Soon, a webcam frame and a follow alert — and add the rest as your stream grows. A finished small setup beats a half-built big one.