To add a viewer count widget to your stream, choose the route that matches your software: add its source in Streamlabs Desktop, use the Streamlabs plugin in OBS, or copy its widget URL into an OBS Browser Source. The tally and appearance are configured through the Streamlabs Dashboard, so check the platform selections there before relying on what the widget counts.
The three routes display the same kind of widget but have different setup steps. This guide walks through each one, including how to find the Dashboard controls, copy the URL, and fit the widget into a scene without mistaking browser-source settings for widget requirements.
Choose the route that fits your software
If you already use Streamlabs Desktop, adding its built-in Viewer Count source is the most direct route. If you use OBS Studio and have the Streamlabs plugin installed and logged in, you can add the widget from the Streamlabs menu. If you use OBS without the plugin—or another streaming programme with a browser-page source—copy the widget URL and add it as a Browser Source.
| Route | What you add | What to have ready | Useful when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamlabs Desktop | Viewer Count source | Streamlabs Desktop | You already build scenes in Streamlabs Desktop |
| Streamlabs plugin in OBS | Viewer Count source from the Streamlabs menu | Installed, logged-in Streamlabs plugin | You prefer to add the widget from within OBS |
| Widget URL in OBS Browser Source | A browser source that opens the URL | Streamlabs Dashboard access and a URL field in your streaming software | You use OBS without the plugin or another compatible programme |
None of these documented routes is established as universally more reliable or better. The practical difference is where you add the source: in Streamlabs Desktop, through the OBS plugin, or as a webpage loaded in a browser source. For an overview of how OBS scenes hold sources such as graphics and overlays, see this guide to adding a countdown between videos in a rerun scene.
Before choosing a route, decide what the number should represent. A viewer count widget can tally the platform or platforms selected in its settings; do not assume it automatically combines every destination where you might be broadcasting. Streamlabs’ support guide describes platform selection, while its viewer-counter product page lists a different set of platforms. Check the actual toggles available in your Dashboard, especially if you expect to use Trovo: the two Streamlabs pages do not agree on whether it is supported. You can read the Streamlabs setup guide and its viewer counter page, then rely on the options shown in your own account.
Add the source in Streamlabs Desktop
In Streamlabs Desktop, open the scene where you want the count to appear and find the Sources area. Select + Add Source, choose Viewer Count, and add it to the scene. Adjust the visual settings offered in the setup, then select Done. The new source should appear in the scene preview, where you can drag it into position and resize it.
Think about placement before you settle on a corner. A count placed over subtitles, a devotional lyric, a lower-third, or a local-news ticker can make both pieces harder to read. Use the preview to compare the widget’s footprint against the other visible sources. If you use several scenes, check whether the count belongs in all of them or only in a particular scene; adding it to one scene does not mean it is automatically arranged appropriately in every other scene.
If the number or styling needs to change later, distinguish the source’s position in the scene from the widget’s configuration. Moving or resizing the source changes where it appears and how large it is in that scene; the Dashboard settings determine the selected tally and widget appearance. Revisit the relevant settings rather than trying to fix a platform selection by dragging the source.
This route avoids adding a Browser Source URL yourself, but it is specifically for people using Streamlabs Desktop. If you build scenes in OBS Studio, use the plugin route or the URL route below instead. OBS’s own Browser Source documentation describes a separate way to load a webpage into an OBS scene.
Use the Streamlabs plugin in OBS
If the Streamlabs plugin is installed and you are signed in, open OBS and use the Streamlabs item in the OBS navigation menu. Select Viewer Count, then click +Add. The source is added to the current scene. Move and resize it in the preview so it does not obscure other scene elements.
This is a convenient route when you want to add the widget from within OBS rather than copying a URL. It does depend on having the plugin installed and logged in, so it is not the right set of steps if you do not see the Streamlabs menu or cannot access the widget there. In that case, use the Dashboard to configure and copy the URL, then create a Browser Source in OBS.
The plugin route does not mean that all widget choices are made in the scene. When you need to change the widget’s platform selection or appearance, use the source’s Settings route to return to the Dashboard, then adjust the Viewer Count controls there. After changing the settings, check the scene again. Make sure the right scene is selected and that the source remains visible and positioned where you expect it.
If your aim is to diagnose a stream drop rather than adjust an overlay, treat that as a separate problem: a widget appearing or disappearing is not by itself proof that the broadcast has disconnected. The steps for diagnosing OBS streams that disconnect every few hours cover a different set of checks.
Open Viewer Count in the Streamlabs Dashboard
The Dashboard is where you choose which platforms the widget tallies and adjust its appearance. Sign in to Streamlabs, open All Widgets, and select Viewer Count. Take a moment to inspect the controls before copying anything. Confirm which platform toggles are actually available in your account and select only the platforms you want represented.
That check matters because Streamlabs’ official pages differ in their listed platform support. The support guide names Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Kick, and Trovo, while the product page lists Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Kick. The settings visible in your Dashboard are the useful guide for your own setup; do not build a decision around a platform you cannot select there. Support pages and product interfaces can change, so check the current official material as well as your account when you revisit this later.
If you are streaming to YouTube, make sure YouTube is selected if it is offered and if that is the audience count you intend to show. A multi-platform tally is a choice, not an automatic property of the widget. If you only want to show YouTube viewers, avoid selecting extra platforms just because their toggles are available. If you choose multiple platforms, make that decision deliberately so the number has a clear meaning to the people watching.
The Dashboard settings apply to the widget, whereas OBS or Streamlabs Desktop controls how the source fits into a scene. That distinction helps when troubleshooting: an unexpected tally suggests checking the selected platforms, while a clipped or misplaced widget suggests checking the source’s size and position. If you are also learning how to interpret YouTube’s own channel information, the guide to reading traffic sources for a 24/7 stream covers a separate analytics task; a scene widget is not a substitute for analytics.
Customise the tally and appearance
With Viewer Count open, select the platforms you want included. Then review the appearance controls. Streamlabs’ support guide lists font style, size, weight, and colour, as well as custom HTML and CSS controls. Choose settings that stay legible at the size the widget will occupy in the scene. A font that looks clear in a Dashboard preview may be too small once placed over a busy video or viewed on a phone.
Make one adjustment at a time where practical. For example, if a light-coloured count disappears against a bright background, change the colour or position and then inspect the scene preview. If the widget takes up too much room, reduce its displayed size in the scene as well as considering a smaller font setting. The Dashboard’s appearance controls and the source’s scene dimensions affect the result in different ways, so changing one does not necessarily replace the need to check the other.
You can use custom HTML or CSS if you need a more tailored presentation and are comfortable managing those controls. For a straightforward count, the listed font settings may be enough. The support guide says unique themes are exclusive to Streamlabs Ultra subscribers; it does not say that a subscription is required for the basic Viewer Count setup described here. Streamlabs’ product page and current Dashboard are the places to check for current feature details. Any price or plan terms can change, so do not assume a particular plan or cost from an old tutorial.
Keep the number’s meaning in mind as you style it. A prominent, animated treatment may draw attention, but it does not make the tally more informative. If the rest of the scene is calm—such as a lofi station or a continuous bhajan stream—a smaller, restrained count may fit better. For a local news loop, ensure it does not compete with the headline or ticker. The useful test is whether a viewer can read it without losing the main content.
Copy the widget URL
If you are taking the Browser Source route, copy the URL from the Viewer Count page in the Dashboard after selecting your platforms and setting the appearance. Keep the URL available to paste into your streaming software. Treat it as the address for this configured widget; if you later return to the Dashboard and change the settings, check the resulting display rather than assuming that the scene placement or browser-source dimensions have also changed.
The URL is not the same thing as a platform stream key. It is used by a browser source to load the widget webpage into a scene. Paste it only into the URL field for the browser source, not into a broadcast destination or stream-key field. If the widget does not appear, verify that the full address was copied and pasted without an accidental space or missing part.
Before leaving the Dashboard, double-check the tally selection. Copying the URL does not correct a platform choice you did not intend, and a visible number can still be the wrong number for your purpose if it represents the wrong selection. Once the URL is in OBS, return to the Dashboard if the tally or style needs adjustment; use OBS to position, size, or refresh the page source.
Add the URL as an OBS Browser Source
In OBS, select the scene that should show the count. In the Sources area, add a Browser source, give it a recognisable name such as “Viewer Count”, and open its properties. Paste the widget URL into the URL field. Set the browser source’s viewport width and height to suit the widget, confirm the properties, and then position and resize the source in the scene preview.
A Browser Source loads a webpage directly into OBS. The OBS Project calls it one of the most versatile sources available in its Browser Source documentation, which also explains its URL and viewport properties. The default viewport listed there is 800 × 600, and its custom-FPS default is 30. These are OBS Browser Source defaults, not recommended dimensions or requirements for the Streamlabs widget. Choose a viewport that suits the content and inspect the result in your own scene.
If the widget appears cut off, adjust the browser-source viewport or the source’s size and position in the scene. If it is hidden behind another graphic, check the source order and visibility in OBS. The Dashboard controls the tally and styling; OBS controls how the webpage is framed and layered in the scene. Separate those checks rather than repeatedly changing the platform selection to solve a clipping problem.
When a page does not update as expected, first verify the URL and confirm the source is visible in the active scene. OBS Browser Source properties include a cache refresh control. OBS also documents options to unload a source when hidden and to refresh it when its scene becomes active. These settings affect how OBS handles the webpage; they do not change which platforms the widget is configured to count. Consider the scene behaviour you want before toggling them, particularly if the source is used across scenes.
The URL method is not limited to OBS: Streamlabs describes using the widget in other software that supports a browser source. The names and available settings can differ, so look for the equivalent source that loads a webpage by URL and provides a viewport. Do not assume that a programme supports this route just because it can show other kinds of overlays; check its own documentation. If your long-running broadcast has a separate continuity problem, see the practical checks for an OBS stream that keeps disconnecting after a graphics-driver update.
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FAQ
How do I add a viewer count to OBS?
Use the Streamlabs plugin if it is installed and signed in: open the Streamlabs menu, select Viewer Count, and click +Add. Without the plugin, configure the widget in the Streamlabs Dashboard, copy its URL, and add an OBS Browser Source with that address.
Does the widget count every platform I stream to?
No. It tallies the platform or platforms selected in the widget settings, and you should verify the available toggles in your Dashboard. Streamlabs’ support guide and product page differ on whether Trovo is listed, so check the live options rather than relying on an old list.
Can I change the font or colour after adding the source?
Yes. Return to Viewer Count in the Streamlabs Dashboard and adjust the available appearance controls, including font style, size, weight, and colour. Then check the source in your scene, since its position and displayed size are controlled separately by your streaming software.
Why is the Browser Source blank or clipped?
Check that you pasted the full widget URL, that the source is visible in the active scene, and that its viewport and scene placement suit the widget. If it remains blank, try OBS’s cache refresh control and review its refresh behaviour when the source is hidden or its scene becomes active.