If you want to flag moments while using Streamlabs Desktop, set up a Marker hotkey and press it during a recording. Streamlabs documents these markers as timestamps with optional custom titles; after recording, a CSV marker file is saved in the same folder as the video.
Despite the wording in this article’s title, a Marker does not bookmark or switch live scenes. It marks a point in a recording so you or an editor can find it later. The settings path below is the one Streamlabs documents; interface details can change between app releases, so check the current labels if yours differ.
What a Marker does in Streamlabs Desktop
A Marker is a timestamp attached to a moment in a recording. You can think of it as an edit note: while recording, you press a configured key combination, and Streamlabs records a marker at that point. You can also give marker hotkeys custom labels so the resulting notes can describe what an editor should look for.
That is different from saving or organising a scene. A scene is a collection of sources and layout choices used in your broadcast. Streamlabs Desktop has separate hotkeys for scene and source actions, but the Marker controls described in its Bookmarking guide are for points in a recording. Pressing a Marker hotkey does not switch scenes or preserve a scene configuration.
Markers are useful when you expect to edit a long recording later. For example, a presenter might mark the start of a useful answer, a devotional channel operator might flag a section to review, or a small-business owner might note where a product demonstration begins. The timestamp gives you a place to start looking; it does not perform the edit, create a clip, or remove the need to review the footage.
Streamlabs documents four Marker hotkey options. You can assign one, or configure multiple options with labels that describe different editorial notes. This is helpful when a recording will pass to another person: labels such as “check audio” or “possible clip” can make the CSV more legible than a row of unexplained timestamps. A label is a note, not an automatic instruction to cut or publish that part.
Open the Hotkeys settings
In Streamlabs Desktop, open Settings using the gear icon in the lower-left menu, then choose Hotkeys. Streamlabs’ Hotkeys guide also describes this settings area for configuring actions in the application.
The Hotkeys page contains controls for more than one kind of action. You may see options associated with scenes or sources as well as recording-related controls. The presence of scene shortcuts on the same page does not make the Marker feature a scene bookmark: look specifically for the Marker group described below.
The documented instructions say to scroll to the bottom of the Hotkeys section to find the Marker hotkeys. If you do not see them, first make sure you are in Streamlabs Desktop rather than a different application, and check that you are looking at the Hotkeys page rather than another settings category. Streamlabs may revise its interface, and the research for this guide did not test a particular current app build. Do not assume that an absent control has moved to an undocumented location; consult the current Streamlabs help material for your version.
Before changing anything, consider what you are trying to mark. If you only need a few broad edit points, a single hotkey and label may be enough. If different people will review the recording, separate labels can make hand-off clearer. A small amount of planning makes the timestamps useful rather than creating a list of marks whose purpose no one remembers.
Find and assign a Marker hotkey
Scroll to the Marker section at the bottom of Hotkeys. Choose one of the four Marker hotkey options and assign a key combination you can press reliably while recording. The exact key choice is yours; favour something distinct from keys you routinely use for typing, scene changes, or other applications.
Streamlabs recommends combinations of at least two keys for hotkeys, to reduce accidental activation by another application. That advice matters particularly if you stream and work in other windows at the same time. A single key that is convenient during a test can be easy to press by mistake during a longer session. The practical trade-off is between a combination that is hard to trigger accidentally and one you can still press without interrupting your performance.
Avoid assigning the same combination to multiple actions unless you understand how Streamlabs handles the conflict. If a combination is already in use for a scene change or another shortcut, choose a different one or review the existing assignment. A marker is only useful if you can tell which action happened when you pressed the keys.
A keyboard is sufficient for this workflow. A physical controller such as a Stream Deck can make a configured hotkey easier to reach, but it is optional; Streamlabs says you do not need to purchase a console or additional software just to create timestamps. Its Instant Replay instructions describe triggering a configured replay hotkey from a Stream Deck, which is a separate action. If you already use a controller, it may be convenient to map a key combination to it, but it is not a prerequisite for Markers.
Add a custom marker label
If you configure more than one Marker option, give each a label that explains its purpose. Streamlabs’ Bookmarking instructions describe custom titles and give examples such as “Create Clip” and “Cut”. Read those as editorial prompts: the label tells a person what to consider doing later. It does not automatically create a clip or cut the recording.
Use labels that will still make sense when you review the file days later. “Check opening audio” is more useful than “one”, and “possible short extract” is clearer than a private shorthand only you understand. If another editor receives the recording, agree on simple wording before you begin. Keep labels short enough to scan, and reserve different labels for genuinely different kinds of follow-up.
You do not need a label for every possible event. Too many categories can slow you down at the moment you need to press a key, and a label that sounds precise but means nothing to the editor adds little. Start with the notes you will actually use, then adjust after reviewing a test recording.
If you work with a team, decide whether labels describe the content or the intended task. For example, “guest answer” describes what is happening; “check for clip” describes what someone should do. Either approach can work, but consistency matters more than choosing one universal scheme. A short shared convention can keep the marker CSV useful when a project changes hands.
Press the hotkey while recording
Start a recording, then press the assigned Marker combination when the moment you want to revisit occurs. Streamlabs says a small notification appears to confirm that a marker was placed. Watch for that confirmation during an initial test rather than waiting until an important session to discover a key conflict or an unfamiliar prompt.
Markers are most useful when you add them at the moment you notice something worth reviewing. You do not need to stop the recording or switch away from the content to write down a time separately. Still, a Marker is only a pointer: if you miss the confirmation, do not assume the event was recorded. You can make a brief note outside the app as a fallback during a critical session, then check the files afterwards.
Do a short rehearsal before relying on the workflow. Record a sample, press the Marker key at a recognisable point, and check that the notification appears. Finish the test recording and look for the video and its CSV marker file in the save folder. This verifies the key assignment and the documented output path in your own setup without claiming that every release behaves identically.
Do not confuse this with capturing an instant replay. A replay buffer saves a recent segment for replay or later use, whereas a Marker adds a timestamp to the recording. Streamlabs’ Instant Replay guide explains its replay workflow and notes that the buffer length is configurable; its example is not a required setting for Markers. If you need a saved excerpt rather than a note about where to find one, investigate the replay workflow separately.
Highlighter is another distinct workflow. Streamlabs describes it as a way to capture clips while live and later review, trim, arrange and export a highlight reel. That is not the same as writing Marker timestamps to a CSV beside a recording. Pick the feature that matches the task: a Marker for edit notes, replay capture for a recent segment, or Highlighter for its clip-and-review process. Check Streamlabs’ Highlighter instructions for the current steps.
Find the marker CSV after recording
When the recording is finished, find the video in its save folder. Streamlabs documents the marker CSV as being stored in the same folder as that video. This guide does not assume a particular default folder or filename: use the location where your recording was actually saved, and look beside the video for the corresponding CSV.
A CSV is a plain tabular file that can be opened or imported by many spreadsheet and editing workflows. It gives you a timestamp trail to consult while reviewing the footage. Depending on your editor, you may use the timestamps to seek to marked moments and decide whether to trim, extract, or leave them in. The CSV supports that later work; it is not itself an edited video or a guarantee that an editor will import markers in a particular way.
Keep the recording and its CSV together when copying files to another computer or handing the job to an editor. If you move only the video, the marker notes may be left behind. A sensible hand-off includes both files and a short explanation of the label scheme, especially if labels such as “Cut” mean “consider cutting” rather than a finished decision.
For a long recording, it can help to review the CSV before opening the footage in an editor. The labels let you identify which timestamps deserve attention first. Then compare each timestamp with the actual picture and sound; a marker can land slightly before or after the precise frame you want, and a label can be mistaken or incomplete. Treat the CSV as navigation assistance, not as a substitute for watching the relevant material.
If the CSV is not where expected, confirm that you are inspecting the folder containing the finished recording, not a different location you use for exports or project files. The documented path is beside the video. Streamlabs’ article does not establish a separate export location for marker files, so avoid relying on guessed folders or undocumented paths.
Choose the right tool for the job
The differences are easier to see side by side. These are distinct workflows, not interchangeable names for the same feature.
| Need | Streamlabs workflow | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Flag a moment in a recording | Marker hotkey | A timestamp, optionally labelled, with a CSV beside the video according to Streamlabs’ guide |
| Save a recent segment for replay | Instant Replay | A replay-buffer capture, rather than only a timestamp note |
| Collect and shape clips after a live session | Highlighter | A clip review and highlight-reel workflow described by Streamlabs |
| Change what viewers see live | Scene or source hotkeys | A separate control action, not a Marker bookmark |
If the goal is a reliable recording archive, timestamps can make later review more manageable, but the recording still needs a destination and a review process. For a channel built around long-running prerecorded material, compare this editing task with the separate choices involved in running an evergreen webinar as a 24/7 YouTube live stream. If you are evaluating a continuous music workflow, playlist order troubleshooting addresses a different problem: keeping playback in the intended sequence, not tagging a recording for editing.
Markers also do not improve the stability of a live broadcast or keep a recording running if your computer sleeps. They are a post-production aid within the Streamlabs Desktop recording workflow. If your underlying question is how to keep a long stream running, look separately at the resource trade-offs for FFmpeg; that is not a Marker setup guide and the tools serve different purposes.
If you have completed a test recording and confirmed both the notification and the adjacent CSV, you have verified the parts that matter for your own workflow. Keep the key combination and labels documented for anyone else operating the computer, and revisit them if you change your Streamlabs configuration. If the controls or output differ from the published guidance, check Streamlabs’ current documentation before relying on them for an important recording.
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FAQ
Do Marker hotkeys bookmark or switch live scenes?
No. The documented Marker hotkeys timestamp moments in a recording and can include a custom label. Scene and source hotkeys are separate controls in the Hotkeys settings.
Where does Streamlabs save the marker CSV?
Streamlabs says the CSV marker file is saved in the same folder as the recording video. Find the folder containing your finished video and look beside it; do not assume a separate export location.
Do I need a Stream Deck to add Markers?
No. Streamlabs says you can add bookmarks without buying an additional console or software. A controller may make a configured key combination easier to trigger, but a keyboard assignment is sufficient.
Does a Marker create a clip automatically?
No. It gives you a timestamp and, if configured, a label for later review. Use a replay or clip workflow if you need to capture a segment rather than simply note where it occurs.