Streamlabs Desktop Automations let supported gameplay events trigger actions in the app, such as changing a scene or saving a replay. To set one up, update Streamlabs Desktop, open Automations from the Sources panel, configure a template or custom automation, then create and enable it before you go live.
The exact games, triggers and actions available can depend on what the current app offers, so check the choices on your own screen rather than assuming every game is covered. This guide follows Streamlabs’ documented path and distinguishes gameplay Automations from scheduled chat messages.
Update Streamlabs Desktop first
Streamlabs instructs users to run the latest version of Streamlabs Desktop before setting up Automations. Open the app and use its available update prompt or the official download page if you need to install a newer version. The Streamlabs Automations guide is the primary reference for the current workflow; compare its instructions with what your installed version displays.
Updating first matters because menu locations and available features can vary between versions. If an instruction below does not match your screen, do not guess at an equivalent menu or assume an option is missing permanently. Confirm that you have updated, restart the app if prompted, and look again in the Sources panel.
Before changing anything, note which scene is active and whether you are currently live. Do setup and testing before a broadcast where possible. A scene-changing automation that is enabled during a live programme can alter what viewers see, so it is worth establishing a safe starting point before you create one.
If your Streamlabs Desktop installation already contains Automations migrated from Sidekick, the official guide says they should move to their new home without needing to be rebuilt. Review existing entries rather than creating duplicates. Sidekick remains a separate application with its own features, but it is not required for the Desktop workflow described here.
Open Automations from Sources
In Streamlabs Desktop, go to the Sources panel and click the Automations icon. This opens the Automations settings window. The icon may not look like a text-labelled menu item, so inspect the panel carefully after updating the app.
Automations in this guide means gameplay events that cause Streamlabs Desktop to perform configured actions. It does not mean every kind of stream scheduling or chat tooling in Streamlabs. In particular, Cloudbot Timers are a separate feature for recurring chat messages; they use timer settings such as an interval and a line minimum. Streamlabs explains those in its Cloudbot Timers guide.
This distinction saves time when you have a different task in mind. If you want a message to appear periodically in chat, look at the Cloudbot timer controls, not the gameplay Automation workflow. If you want a game event to switch scenes, show or hide a source, or save a replay, Automations is the relevant place to begin, provided the game event and action are currently supported.
The settings window is also where the documented workflow allows you to test, edit and delete Automations. Treat it as the place to review what you have configured, not simply a one-time creation screen. If your window looks different, use Streamlabs’ current guide and visible controls rather than relying on a menu path from an older tutorial.
Choose a template or create a custom automation
The Automations window offers templates for selected games. If you see a template for the game and event you actually want to use, it can be a useful starting point because it provides a ready-made configuration to review. A template is not a promise that every possible event in that game is supported, or that it matches your channel’s scenes and sources without adjustment.
For a custom setup, choose Add Automation > Create custom. This is the documented route when you want to configure the trigger and action yourself rather than start from a template. The app’s current options are the authority: if the game, condition or action you need is not offered, do not invent an alternate setting or assume it will work through this feature.
| Starting point | Useful when | What to check before continuing |
|---|---|---|
| A game template | The current template matches the game and event you want | Confirm the trigger and each action suit your scenes and sources |
| Create custom | You want to select a supported trigger and action combination yourself | Check that the required game, condition and action are actually selectable |
Templates can reduce configuration, while a custom automation gives you a more deliberate choice among the supported controls. Neither route removes the need to review the result. For example, a victory-related template that switches to a celebration scene is only useful if that scene exists, contains the intended sources and is suitable for your broadcast.
Give the automation a useful name
Streamlabs asks you to describe the Automation. Use a short label that tells you what event it responds to and what it does. The official guide gives “Victory Royale reaction” as an example. A label such as “Low health – show warning” is also easier to recognise later than “Test” or “New automation”.
Names become more useful as the list grows, especially if you need to pause one behaviour before a broadcast or investigate why a scene changed. Keep the description factual rather than promising an outcome. The name is for your own organisation; it does not make a trigger more reliable or add support for a game that is not listed.
If several automations affect the same scene or source, make that relationship clear in the labels. For instance, “Victory – celebration scene” and “Low health – warning source” indicate their intended roles. This can help you review the list, but it does not establish how overlapping triggers will be prioritised. Do not rely on an ordering rule unless the app documents or exposes one.
Configure a supported-game trigger
For a custom automation, add a trigger based on a supported game and condition. The available selections in your current Streamlabs Desktop installation determine what you can configure. Streamlabs’ published guide does not provide a complete list of supported games or trigger conditions, so verify the exact option in the app before planning a broadcast around it.
Choose the trigger that corresponds to a specific event you can recognise and test. Avoid treating a broad idea such as “something exciting happens” as a selectable trigger unless the app presents that event. If your intended condition is absent, choose a documented template or another supported condition that genuinely fits, or leave the automation out of the show.
A practical example is a supported victory event leading to a scene change. Before selecting it, make sure the target scene already exists and contains only what you intend viewers to see. Another example from Streamlabs’ description is showing or hiding a source when player health gets low. That example illustrates the kind of use case, not a guarantee that every game exposes a low-health trigger.
The computer and game also need to be in the state in which the trigger can be recognised. A menu, paused game, reconnecting session or game update may not produce the event you expect. The documented material does not spell out every detection prerequisite, so use the app’s available test controls and a controlled session to establish what works for your particular setup.
If your plan depends on a trigger happening at an exact moment, keep a manual fallback. You can still change scenes or use the normal controls if the event is unavailable or does not fire in your test. For a structured sequence of planned segments, a run of show for a live stream can help you note which changes are automatic and which need a person to act.
Add and review actions
After choosing the trigger, select the action or actions Streamlabs Desktop should perform when it occurs. Streamlabs gives examples including switching scenes after a victory, showing or hiding a source when player health gets low, saving a replay after a big moment, and triggering multiple actions from one gameplay event. These are examples, not a full list of available actions; use only the controls shown in your current app.
Review each action as if you were a viewer. For a scene switch, check the destination scene and the sources it contains. For an action that affects a source, verify that you selected the intended source. For a replay save, check the replay configuration already available in your setup and ensure that saving a replay is what you want the automation to do. The automation cannot make an unsuitable scene or source suitable.
Multiple actions can be useful when one event needs more than one response, but they also increase the number of things to verify. Keep the first version small: one trigger and the necessary action or actions. Add complexity only when you can test the individual parts and understand what the audience will see. Do not assume that actions run in a particular sequence unless the interface makes that clear.
Before creating the automation, read the trigger and actions together. Ask: if this event happens while I am live, is every selected change intended? A low-health event that hides a gameplay source, for example, could leave a scene looking different from what you expect. Check that the action does not undermine a lower-third, safety notice or other important on-screen information.
If you run a continuous prerecorded channel rather than a game stream, gameplay automations may not solve the main operational problem. A bhajan playlist video format guide covers a different kind of setup: preparing media for a repeating programme. StreamNeo can remove the need to leave your own computer running for an uploaded-video YouTube loop, but it is not a replacement for Streamlabs Desktop gameplay triggers.
Create, test and enable before going live
When the trigger and actions are ready, select Create Automation. Then confirm that the new entry appears in the list and that it is enabled before going live. Creating an automation and enabling it are separate things to check; do not assume that completing the form alone means it will run on your broadcast.
Use the test control in the settings window where available, then observe the result in a controlled situation. Check the relevant scene, source or replay behaviour. If the event is difficult to reproduce safely, use the available testing options and make a plan for manual control instead of waiting for a high-stakes live moment to find out whether it works.
Streamlabs notes a testing caveat for Sidekick voice: the selected voice may not play during an Automation test, although the preferred voice should play on stream. Treat that as a specific caveat about voice testing, not as confirmation that all other behaviours are validated. If voice matters to your programme, make a low-risk check before relying on it in front of viewers.
The Streamlabs guide dated August 20, 2026 states that all users can enable up to five Automations at once, while Streamlabs Ultra subscribers can enable up to ten. Treat these as the limits stated in that guide, and check the current official page for changes before subscribing or planning around a limit. If you are near the applicable maximum, review which entries truly need to be enabled for the next broadcast.
You can edit or delete Automations from the settings window. If a test behaves unexpectedly, disable or edit the entry and inspect the trigger and actions rather than adding a second automation to compensate. A simple list of each automation’s purpose, trigger and expected action can help you diagnose changes later.
Before a live session, check the active scene, the enabled state of each required automation, and the presence of the sources those actions use. For continuous shows, also plan how you will notice a problem and intervene. Advice on keeping a stream playing when OBS restarts addresses recovery planning for a different workflow; the useful shared principle is to consider what happens when software or a planned action does not behave as expected.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Do all games work with Streamlabs Desktop Automations?
No. The available games and conditions are limited to what Streamlabs currently supports and exposes in the app. Check the template and trigger choices in your installed version rather than assuming your game is included.
Is a Cloudbot Timer the same as an Automation?
No. Automations respond to supported gameplay events with configured actions in Streamlabs Desktop. Cloudbot Timers are for recurring chat messages and use their own settings, including an interval and a line minimum.
Does creating an Automation turn it on automatically?
The setup process asks you to create the Automation and make sure it is enabled before going live. Check its enabled state in the Automations window, and test the behaviour before relying on it during a broadcast.
Can I test every action before streaming?
The Automations window supports testing, but Streamlabs documents a caveat that the selected Sidekick voice may not play during a test. Test the behaviour you can, and use manual controls or a lower-risk check for anything you cannot confidently verify.