Alert sounds are usually changed in the alert provider’s settings, separately for each event such as a follow, subscription or donation. In Streamlabs, open the Alert Box settings, select an event, choose or upload its sound, save the change and test it before going live.
If an alert appears but you cannot hear it in OBS, check the browser source’s audio settings as well as the sound selected in the provider. These are two separate parts of the setup, and the menu names and available sound options can vary by provider and software version.
Where alert sounds are controlled
The alert provider controls which sound is assigned to an event. OBS, when you use it, displays or captures the alert widget and routes its audio into your stream mix. Changing a sound in the provider does not necessarily change the audio routing in OBS, and changing an OBS source does not choose a different sound for the alert.
That distinction helps narrow down what to do. If the wrong sound plays, return to the provider’s alert settings and check the selected event and sound. If the alert animation appears but is silent, keep the selected sound in place while checking the OBS source and its track or monitoring settings.
You do not need a headset, microphone, mixer or control pad to customise an alert sound. This is a software setting. Speakers or headphones may help you listen during a test, but they are not a requirement for making the change.
Before editing, identify where your alert is configured. Streamlabs users may work in the Streamlabs dashboard or Streamlabs Desktop. StreamElements users use its alert editor. The general pattern is similar—choose an event and edit its sound—but do not assume another provider has the same labels, choices or workflow.
For an alert that is part of a wider OBS setup, it may help to review how OBS and continuous-stream software differ. That guide is about keeping a continuous channel running, not alert sounds, but it can clarify which application is responsible for each part of your setup.
Open the alert provider’s settings
In Streamlabs, open the Alert Box settings in the dashboard, or select the Alert Box source in Streamlabs Desktop and open its editing controls. The precise route can shift between versions, so look for the Alert Box and its settings rather than relying on a particular button position. Streamlabs documents both dashboard and Desktop routes in its guide to changing Alert Box sounds.
If you use the dashboard, make sure you are editing the alert box connected to the channel you intend to use. If you have more than one alert box or channel configured, selecting the wrong one can make a successful edit appear to have no effect when you test the stream.
In Streamlabs Desktop, editing the Alert Box source is the software-side alternative. Depending on the version, its controls may appear in a source properties window rather than the dashboard layout. Make the change in the place that actually controls the alert widget used by your scene. If you are unsure which one that is, test the alert after saving before changing other sources.
With StreamElements, open the relevant alert in its Elements Editor and look for the alert’s sound controls. StreamElements’ Elements Editor documentation describes editing alerts, but the exact controls can differ from Streamlabs. Treat provider documentation as the reference for the version you are using.
Keep the edit focused. Change one event, save it and test it before making several other changes. That way, if an alert stops behaving as expected, you have a short list of recent changes to check rather than a whole set of edits to undo.
Choose the event you want to customise
Alert sounds are commonly set per event. In Streamlabs, select the event type—such as a follow, subscription or donation—before looking for its sound setting. A sound assigned to a follow alert does not necessarily apply to a subscription or donation alert; each can have its own configuration.
The event names available to you depend on the platform and provider. Use the event that corresponds to the notification you want to change, not simply the first entry in the list. If your audience mainly sees one type of alert, begin with that event, then check the others that are active on your channel.
It is useful to keep a simple note of your choices while you work. For example, you might use a brief chime for one event and a softer sound for another. The point is not to make the set elaborate; it is to know which sound belongs to which event so you can identify a mismatch during a test.
If you run a recorded loop or a continuous channel, alerts may be only one part of a longer viewing experience. Think about how an alert will interrupt your programme audio, particularly during a devotional or study stream. You can learn more about planning a continuous study-beats stream, but use your own alert test to decide whether a sound fits the channel.
Select or upload a sound
Once you have selected an event, find its Sound control. Streamlabs documents three routes: choose from its sound gallery, upload an audio file, or provide an audio URL. The controls may be labelled differently as the interface changes, but the task is to assign the sound to the event you selected.
A gallery sound is the quickest way to try an option without preparing a file. Streamlabs says its gallery includes free and premium sounds; availability and access terms can change, so check the current provider interface rather than assuming a particular sound is included. The sound gallery is a convenience, not a requirement for changing an alert.
If you upload a file, choose audio you have permission to use. Streamlabs’ instructions specifically say to upload audio that you have rights to. A clip being easy to download or widely shared does not tell you whether you may use it. If you are uncertain about a sound’s origin or terms, choose another sound or check the relevant source and current official guidance.
An audio URL can be useful when the provider supports it and you have a stable source, but confirm that the alert editor accepts the format and address you plan to use. Do not assume every provider supports URLs, or that a link that plays in a browser will work in an alert widget. If the alert test is silent after selecting a URL, try a provider-supported gallery sound or a suitable uploaded file to separate a source issue from an OBS audio-routing issue.
Keep the sound recognisable without letting it overwhelm what is already playing. A sharp, long or loud clip can interrupt speech or music; a very quiet one may be hard to notice in the stream mix. Listen to the sound at a practical level in the context of your programme audio, then adjust the alert or mix if the result is distracting.
The controls may offer a preview or volume setting, but details are provider- and version-specific. Do not rely on a preview alone: it confirms that you can hear the selected sound in the editor, not necessarily that the audience will hear it through OBS. The stream-side test comes later.
Save and repeat for other events
After selecting a sound, save the change before leaving the settings page or closing the editor. Streamlabs’ guidance advises saving settings, and its quick guide also recommends testing alerts before going live. Read the provider’s prompts carefully; in some interfaces the save control is explicit, while another may use a completion control such as Done.
Return to the event list and repeat the process for each event you want to customise. Check the event name before changing its sound. If you intend to keep one event on its default sound, leave it alone rather than assuming a change elsewhere will update it automatically.
A short record can make later maintenance easier. Note the event, chosen sound and whether the alert passed your test. This is particularly useful when several people edit the channel or when you revisit the settings after a provider update. It is not necessary to document every click; the useful part is knowing what you meant each event to do.
If your channel also uses a long video or playlist, keep alert changes separate from programme playback changes. A sound update should not require rebuilding the loop. For context on continuous playback, see the guide to streaming recorded worship services continuously.
When the selected sound is saved for all the events you want, move on to testing. Avoid making further changes while you are diagnosing a silent alert; test the current configuration first so the result points you towards the right part of the setup.
Test the alert before going live
Send a test alert using the provider’s test control, if one is available. Streamlabs’ quick guide recommends testing alerts before going live. First confirm that the expected alert animation appears, then listen for the sound you assigned to that event. Check more than one event if you changed more than one sound.
A useful test asks two separate questions: did the right alert appear, and did the audience-side audio path carry its sound? Hearing a preview inside the provider’s editor answers neither question on its own. A test through your streaming scene is more informative because it exercises the widget and the route into the stream mix.
If you can, watch the stream preview or a private test and listen from the same kind of playback you expect viewers to use. What sounds clear on your editing computer may be masked by music or speech in the actual mix. Keep the programme playing at its normal level while testing, and consider whether the alert is audible without becoming unpleasantly loud.
For a YouTube channel built around a continuous video, a brief test can also show whether the alert sits comfortably over the content. The channel’s purpose matters: a subdued alert may suit a quiet ambience stream, while a louder interruption may be acceptable in a chat-led stream. Choose based on how your viewers encounter the channel, not on a generic claim that one sound is best.
If you cannot send a test through your provider, avoid improvising with a live audience as your only check. Use the provider’s documented test method or a controlled stream setup, then confirm the result before relying on it during a broadcast. If a setting or test function has moved, consult the current provider help page rather than following an old screenshot.
StreamNeo addresses a different operational problem for a channel that runs a prerecorded file continuously: it removes the need to keep your own computer switched on to maintain that YouTube broadcast, leaving you to focus on tasks such as preparing and testing alerts separately.
Check OBS audio if alerts are silent
If the animation appears but you cannot hear its sound in OBS, leave the provider’s selected sound alone for the moment. Check whether the alert is arriving as a browser source, then inspect that source’s audio controls and the route into your stream mix. The sound choice and the source’s audio handling are distinct settings.
In an OBS browser-source workflow, the alert may have a source-level option to control audio through OBS. StreamElements’ troubleshooting guidance describes enabling “Control audio via OBS” on the browser source and setting the alert track to “Monitor and Output” when you need to hear alerts. Those labels are specific to that workflow and may change; consult the current StreamElements audio troubleshooting page before applying them to your setup.
Then check the relevant OBS audio mixer and track configuration. Confirm the alert source is not muted, that its audio is included in the output track you stream, and that monitoring is set as intended. Monitoring and output are not the same thing: you may hear an alert locally but fail to send it to the stream, or the stream may receive it even if you are not monitoring it through your own headphones or speakers.
Use a new test alert after each change. If the animation and sound both work in a provider preview but the OBS test is silent, focus on the browser source or audio routing. If neither the expected animation nor sound appears, revisit the event selection, saved settings and widget connection instead. Changing one thing at a time makes this diagnosis clearer.
Streamlabs also points to source and track configuration as possible causes of missing alert audio. Its alert widget troubleshooting guide is the better reference for a Streamlabs-specific source issue. Do not copy StreamElements’ exact control labels into a different provider’s workflow without checking that provider’s documentation.
If you are unsure whether a change has reached the audience mix, make a controlled test and listen to the resulting stream output rather than relying solely on the local preview. Keep the test short, restore any temporary settings you no longer need, and verify the alert once more after the final change.
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FAQ
Do I need a microphone or headset to change alert sounds?
No. You change the alert in software, using the provider’s settings for the event. Headphones or speakers can help you hear a test, but they are not required to select, upload or save a sound.
Does changing one alert sound change every event?
Usually, alert sounds are configured by event, so changing a follow sound does not necessarily change a subscription or donation sound. Check each event you want to customise and test it after saving.
Why can I see an alert in OBS but not hear it?
The provider may have the right sound selected while OBS is not sending the browser source’s audio into the stream mix. Check the source’s audio controls, mute state, output track and monitoring settings, then send another test alert.
Can I use any sound clip I find online?
Do not assume that a clip is yours to use just because it is available online. Streamlabs tells users to upload audio they have rights to; check the current terms or choose audio you are permitted to use.