To set up Streamlabs alerts, link the platform account you stream from, configure the Alert Box, add it to your streaming software using the matching integration route, then test an event in the scene where it should appear. The exact steps differ between Streamlabs Desktop, OBS with the Streamlabs Plugin and a browser source, so do not assume the same controls apply to all three.
Alerts can show a message, image or sound when a supported event occurs, but they depend on the account and platform you have connected. Complete the setup and test it before going live; a dashboard preview alone does not confirm that the alert is reaching your broadcast software.
Link Your Platform Account
Sign in to Streamlabs and check which platform account is connected before changing alert settings. The events available in Alert Box depend on the platform accounts configured there. If you stream on more than one platform, make sure you are editing the account relevant to the broadcast you are preparing rather than assuming one connection covers every destination.
Streamlabs' quick guide to setting up alerts describes signing in and navigating from the profile menu to Account Settings, then Platforms. It recommends using a Streamlabs ID to combine accounts and describes choosing Merge for the platform account you want to add. Follow the current prompts in your account; labels or available options can change.
After linking, return to the alert settings and check the platform selector. If you expect a follow alert, for example, confirm you have selected the platform where that follow would happen. A successful sign-in to Streamlabs by itself is not proof that the relevant event account has been linked.
If your channel is still being prepared, you may also want to confirm its live access separately. Our guide on checking whether a YouTube channel is eligible to livestream covers that platform-side step; it is separate from connecting an account in Streamlabs.
Open Streaming Essentials and Alert Box
In the Streamlabs dashboard, use the left-hand navigation to find Streaming essentials, then open Alert Box. This is the widget where you set general behaviour and the appearance of individual event alerts. It is useful to finish these settings before adding the widget to a scene, so you can test a stable version rather than changing several things at once.
Streamlabs describes alerts as sounds and messages that appear on screen during a stream. In practice, an Alert Box may combine visual elements and audio, and different event types can have different treatments. A follow notification need not look or sound like a subscription notification, if those events are available for your linked platform.
The dashboard preview and the integrated source in your streaming software are different checkpoints. A preview can help you judge an image or animation, but it may appear only in the dashboard preview window. You still need to trigger a test through the route you added and confirm it appears in the intended scene.
If you are building a longer-running channel around scheduled or repeated content, alerts are one part of the live setup, not a substitute for checking the broadcast itself. The practical checks in creating a 24/7 YouTube live stream for a relaxation music channel cover a different part of that workflow.
Set General Alert Behaviour
Start with settings that affect all alerts, especially delay and moderation. Streamlabs' quick guide recommends an alert delay of 2–5 seconds. Treat that as Streamlabs' guidance rather than a universal technical requirement: a short pause may help you review an event before it appears, but it also means the alert is not immediate.
Moderation options can hold an alert for approval before it is shown. That can be useful when you want to review incoming events, but it adds a task during a live broadcast. Streamlabs distinguishes a limited approval window from an Unlimited moderation delay. Read the descriptions shown in the current dashboard before choosing, and consider who will be available to approve alerts while you are on air.
For a solo host, a moderation queue that requires attention may be awkward during a long broadcast. For a channel with a moderator present, it may be a sensible way to review events. Decide based on who is actually monitoring the stream, rather than enabling a control and expecting it to manage itself.
Keep the first configuration simple. Set a delay only if it serves a clear purpose, choose a moderation approach you can maintain, and save the settings. If you are also managing audience interaction, moderating YouTube live chat while streaming is a related but separate job: chat controls do not determine whether Alert Box events are enabled.
Customize Individual Event Alerts
Choose the linked platform in Alert Box and then select an event, such as follows, to edit its alert. Depending on the event and the controls offered, you can change the image or sound and adjust the message presentation. Make one or two deliberate choices that suit the channel. A devotional stream might favour a restrained sound, while a local news loop may need a brief visual cue that does not obscure important text.
Some events can have variations, allowing a different alert when a specified condition or milestone applies. Use a variation only when you know what condition it is meant to cover. If a variation is not clear to you during setup, viewers are unlikely to benefit from it, and it makes testing less straightforward.
Check each event's Enabled control. It is the direct way to turn an event on or off across the routes described here. Do not confuse it with Filter Events: Streamlabs says that filtering applies to Widget URLs used as browser sources, not Alert Box sources in Streamlabs Desktop or the OBS Plugin. Those integrations rely on the event's Enabled setting instead.
Save your changes before navigating away. Then review the event list once more, especially if you have edited more than one platform or event. A quiet, consistent set of alerts is often easier to understand than a collection of effects that compete with the programme audio or cover the content viewers came to see.
Choose the Route That Fits Your Software
There are three practical ways to put Alert Box into a broadcast. Streamlabs Desktop has a native source; OBS can use the Streamlabs Plugin; and OBS without the plugin, or other streaming software, can use the Widget URL as a Browser Source. The controls and setup location differ, so use the route that matches the software already running your stream.
| Route | Where you add Alert Box | Useful when | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamlabs Desktop | Add an Alert Box source in Sources | You stream with Streamlabs Desktop | Use the source's event Enabled controls; Filter Events is not the browser-source route |
| OBS with Streamlabs Plugin | Add the widget through the Streamlabs menu in OBS | You want plugin widget controls available in OBS | Add it to each scene where alerts should appear; edit settings through the plugin's Settings control |
| Browser Source | Paste the Widget URL into a Browser Source | You use OBS without the plugin or other compatible software | Browser-source settings may need appropriate dimensions or FPS; Filter Events applies to this route |
The Streamlabs guide to setting up alerts documents these integration routes. Choose one for the scene you are configuring and test it before adding extra copies or routes. If you change software later, revisit the event and filtering controls rather than assuming that settings from the previous route behave the same way.
Add Alerts in Streamlabs Desktop
In Streamlabs Desktop, open Sources, select the plus button and choose Alert Box. Add the source, then place it appropriately in the scene. The source should be visible in the scene where you want the event to appear, and it should not be hidden behind another element that covers its alert area.
This is the native-source path, not the same as using a URL in a Browser Source. Streamlabs says Filter Events is not the control for this Alert Box source. If an event should not fire, check its Enabled setting in the event controls instead. That distinction can save time when the dashboard seems to show a filter choice that does not affect the source you added.
Test after adding the source, not just after previewing the event in the dashboard. Trigger a test event and look at the actual Streamlabs Desktop scene. Check that the visual appears in the right place and that the sound is at a sensible level relative to your programme audio. If the alert is missing, verify the source is present and visible, the event is enabled, and the correct platform account is connected.
For channels that play a prepared video or playlist, scene layout and alert placement deserve particular attention: a notification can cover captions or essential on-screen information. If your workflow uses OBS for scheduled playlists, see how to run different YouTube playlist schedules on one OBS PC for the broader scene and schedule context.
Add Alerts in OBS
OBS has two relevant paths. With the Streamlabs Plugin installed, open Streamlabs from OBS's top menu, choose Widgets, then add Alert Box. Streamlabs' Plugin quick start guide notes that the widget should be added separately to each scene where it needs to appear.
Put the Streamlabs widget source near the top of the OBS Sources list so that the alert can sit in front of gameplay or other scene sources. If you need to change widget settings, use the widget's Settings control. Streamlabs says this opens the relevant settings in a browser; the plugin interface itself is not where you edit the widget's configuration.
Without the plugin, or when using another compatible broadcasting application, copy the Widget URL from the Alert Box dashboard and add it as a Browser Source. Streamlabs' Widget URL guide explains where to locate and use those URLs. Treat the URL as the address of your alert widget and keep it private; do not post it publicly or place it in a public document.
A Browser Source may need suitable width, height or FPS settings to match the alert design and canvas. If the alert is clipped or appears at an unexpected size, inspect those source properties and the alert layout rather than immediately rebuilding the widget. For this route, Filter Events can control which events the Widget URL displays; that filtering behaviour does not carry over to the native Desktop source or OBS Plugin.
Test Events Before Going Live
Use the test control in the dashboard, or, with the OBS Plugin, open Widgets > Test Events and choose the platform and event. The key is to test the source as it is integrated into your streaming software. A dashboard preview may only display in its own preview window and does not prove that the source in OBS or Streamlabs Desktop is working.
Run a test for each event you have enabled and expect to use. Look at the scene where it should appear, not only the scene currently open in the dashboard. Confirm that the message is readable, the graphic is not cropped, the sound is audible without overwhelming speech or music, and the alert clears as expected. If the widget is used in more than one OBS scene, test it in each relevant scene.
When a test fails, check in a steady order: the correct platform account is linked; the selected platform and event match; that event is enabled; the widget source is present and visible in the scene; and you used the right integration route. For a Browser Source, also review its URL and source dimensions. For the plugin, inspect the source order and open the settings through the plugin control. Change one thing at a time, then trigger another test.
Do a final check after any change to account linking, event design, source route or scene layout. The point is not to prove every platform event will work identically in all circumstances; it is to verify the specific account, event and route you intend to use. If you are preparing a long broadcast, include this check in your pre-stream routine rather than relying on an old test from a different scene.
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FAQ
Why do my Streamlabs alerts not appear in OBS?
Check that the linked platform, event and Enabled setting are correct, then confirm the widget source is present and visible in the scene. With the OBS Plugin, make sure the widget is added to that scene and is not buried in the Sources list. Test the integrated source rather than relying on a dashboard preview.
Should I use the OBS Plugin or a Browser Source?
Use the Plugin route if you want to add widgets through Streamlabs' OBS menu. Use a Browser Source if you do not use the plugin or are working in other compatible software. Their controls differ: in particular, Streamlabs documents Filter Events for browser-source Widget URLs, not for the plugin or native Desktop source.
Does changing the dashboard preview test my live alert?
Not necessarily. The preview can appear only in the dashboard window, so trigger a test event through the route you added and inspect the actual scene. Confirm the visual and sound before going live.
Can I use the same alert setup for every platform?
Do not assume so. Link the relevant account, select the platform in Alert Box and test the event through your chosen integration route; available events and controls depend on the configured platform and route.