Streamlabs Desktop’s Layout Editor lets you rearrange the panels in the application so the workspace suits the way you operate. Choose or create a layout tab, place the components you want, resize sections if needed, then save your changes.
This changes your editor workspace, not what viewers see in the broadcast. For stream visuals, use scenes, sources and widget settings instead; if you are live, Studio Mode can help you prepare a scene separately before showing it.
Open the Layout Editor
Open Streamlabs Desktop and expand Editor in the left navigation. Select Layout Editor to open the controls for arranging the application’s panels. The names or placement of controls can vary between versions; if yours looks different, use the equivalent controls shown in its Layout Editor rather than assuming a button has moved in a particular update.
The Layout Editor is for deciding which components appear in your Desktop workspace and how they are positioned. It is useful when the default arrangement makes an everyday task awkward: perhaps you want Sources visible beside the preview, or want more room for a chat panel while monitoring a stream. It does not add those panels to the video or audio sent to YouTube.
Streamlabs’ Layout Editor guide describes the select-or-create, arrange, and save workflow. Read it alongside the controls in your installed version if a label differs. The important distinction is the feature’s purpose: it personalises the editor, not the scene composition.
Before moving anything, take a moment to identify the job you want the workspace to make easier. If you are preparing a devotional stream, for example, you might need to keep Sources and Scenes easy to reach while checking a prerecorded video. If you are running a local news loop, you may care more about a clear preview and the controls you use to monitor your broadcast. Those are workflow choices; none requires a particular panel arrangement.
Choose a tab or create a separate layout
At the top of Layout Editor, select the tab you intend to edit. If you want a distinct arrangement rather than changing the one you already use, select Add Tab, enter a name, then select Save New Tab. A descriptive name such as “Live monitoring” or “Scene setup” can make it easier to recognise the purpose of an arrangement later.
A separate tab is useful when your work has different stages. You might prefer one panel arrangement while building scenes and another when monitoring a live session. The tab is still an editor layout: switching it does not select a scene, alter a source, or change the broadcast for viewers.
If you are uncertain whether to create a new tab or modify the existing one, consider how you will recover your preferred workspace. Editing a familiar tab may be simpler if you need just one arrangement. A separate tab provides a distinct workspace to select when tasks differ. The guide documents adding a tab and saving it; it does not establish that tabs automatically correspond to particular scenes or stream types.
Make sure you have the intended tab selected before you begin arranging. This small check avoids spending time moving panels in one workspace when you meant to configure another. If the controls in your version use slightly different labels, follow the visible equivalent for selecting or adding a layout tab.
Select a layout style
The Layout choices appear on the left side of the editor. Select a style as the starting arrangement, then adjust the components to suit your work. A style gives you a framework; it is not a decision about what the audience sees, and selecting one does not insert graphics or widgets into a scene.
Think about the panels you need to reach and the information you need to inspect. If you regularly change sources, make the Sources panel easy to access. If you mostly monitor a running scene, preserve enough room for the preview and the controls that matter to you. The right arrangement depends on your task and screen, so there is no single layout that suits every channel.
Treat the style as a starting point rather than a requirement to fill every space. You can drag components into preferred positions and leave available slots empty. A less crowded editor can make the relevant controls easier to find, particularly if you are not using every component in a given workflow.
There is no need to change a style just to affect stream output: that is not what this editor does. To change what is visible in a scene, work with Scenes and Sources instead. Streamlabs’ quick start guide to setting up Desktop explains those parts of the streaming workflow.
Arrange the components you use
Drag the displayed components into the positions that make sense for your workflow. For instance, if you are checking a scene while adjusting its sources, you may want those controls close to the preview. If you are operating a simple prerecorded channel, you may prefer a more compact workspace with only the panels you routinely use. These examples describe editor organisation, not recommended scene contents.
You do not have to use every available position. Leaving a slot empty is a valid way to keep the editor simpler when a component is not part of your process. Avoid filling space merely because it is available: an unfamiliar panel can be added to your working routine later if you find a concrete reason to use it.
Move one component at a time and check that the result is still comfortable to navigate. Panel placement is a practical choice, not a guarantee that you will notice stream problems. For a channel that plays prerecorded material, checking the actual audio and video remains separate from arranging the editor. If missing sound is the concern, use a task-specific guide such as troubleshooting missing audio in a prerecorded church stream, rather than expecting a layout change to repair it.
Likewise, an editor panel arrangement will not determine a YouTube stream’s bitrate or resolve a connection problem. Those are separate operational decisions. If you are tuning the broadcast for a particular connection, refer to the 1080p bitrate checklist for a 50 Mbps Indian connection as a different task from reorganising Desktop.
Keep the intended purpose of each panel in view as you move it. Scenes and Sources are where you work on scene contents; the Layout Editor controls where those panels sit in the application. The Streamlabs Desktop tips and tricks guide also discusses using Desktop. Consult the official documentation for current details if your version differs.
Resize sections and save your work
To change a section’s size, hover over its edge and drag. This lets you give a frequently used panel more room or reduce a section that does not need as much space. Make small adjustments, then check that the workspace remains readable and that you can still reach the controls you use.
Resizing is about the amount of screen space the editor gives each section. It does not change the dimensions or placement of elements in the broadcast. If you want a logo larger in the stream, for example, adjust the relevant source in the scene rather than expanding a panel in Layout Editor.
When the arrangement is ready, select Save Changes in the upper-right. Streamlabs’ guide says the application returns to the saved layout. If you created a separate tab, use Save New Tab when creating it as described above; Save Changes applies to the layout you have arranged. Avoid closing or changing context before saving if you want to keep the arrangement you just made.
After saving, take a brief look at the result in the editor. Confirm that the selected tab is the one you meant to edit and that the panels you need are visible. This is a check of your workspace, not a test of what viewers receive. For a 24/7 channel, you should separately verify the live scene and audio using your normal monitoring process.
If the saved layout feels cramped or makes a routine control hard to find, reopen Layout Editor and adjust it. You do not need to force a panel into a slot simply to create a symmetrical arrangement. A useful layout is one you can operate consistently on your own screen.
What the editor layout changes—and what it does not
The clearest way to avoid confusion is to separate four related tasks:
| What you want to change | Where to work | What it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Position of Desktop panels | Layout Editor | Your application workspace |
| Items shown or heard in a scene | Scenes and Sources | Scene composition and its sources |
| Widget appearance or behaviour | Streamlabs dashboard, then add the widget as a source | The widget used in a scene |
| Prepare an edit separately while live | Studio Mode | The operator’s editing and viewer views |
The distinction matters most when you are already broadcasting. Streamlabs describes scenes as containing elements such as camera angles and graphics, with sources and widgets added to scenes. Its Studio Mode tips describe a separate editable scene view and a view of what viewers see. Layout Editor, by contrast, repositions Desktop components.
A panel moving on your screen is not evidence that a graphic, title, or source moved in the stream. To make a visual change, select and edit the relevant scene or source. If you are live and want to prepare a change before viewers see it, use the appropriate Studio Mode workflow and check which view is on air. Do not use Layout Editor as a substitute for that check.
Widget styling is also its own process. Streamlabs explains that widget appearance is customised in the dashboard and then the widget is added as a source; widget themes can be associated with Scene Collections. See its article on widget themes and how to use them for that separate workflow. Moving a widget-related panel in the editor is not the same as changing the widget’s appearance.
For a 24/7 prerecorded channel, editor customisation can make your controls easier to find, but it does not keep a broadcast running, choose the right file, or establish that you have the necessary rights to its music or images. For a music channel, check the underlying rights separately; our guide to Punjabi music copyright claims and recording rights covers that distinct concern. Check current official guidance for your own situation; no editor layout can guarantee a particular platform decision.
If the goal is to keep an uploaded video running on YouTube while your computer is off, that is a different requirement from arranging the Streamlabs Desktop workspace. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream without requiring you to leave your own computer running, which addresses that specific operating burden rather than changing your Desktop panels.
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FAQ
Does changing the layout change what viewers see?
No. Layout Editor changes the arrangement of panels in Streamlabs Desktop. To change a scene’s visible or audible contents, edit its scenes and sources; if you are live, use the appropriate workflow to prepare changes and check what is on air.
How do I make a separate layout tab?
In Layout Editor, choose Add Tab, enter a name, and select Save New Tab. Then select that tab, choose a layout style, arrange the components you want, and save the changes.
Can I leave parts of the layout blank or resize panels?
Yes. The documented workflow allows you to leave positions unused, and you can resize a section by hovering at its edge and dragging. Keep only the panels useful to your task and check that the result remains comfortable to use.
What if my version has different labels?
Streamlabs’ guide was last updated on 19 December 2025, but an installed version may present controls differently. Follow the equivalent Layout Editor controls visible in your version and consult Streamlabs’ current official documentation if you cannot find them.