Are you a streamer experiencing issues with your StreamElements overlay not working as expected?
Whether you’re encountering problems with alerts, widgets, or other elements, it can be frustrating when your overlay fails to display during your live streams.
In this blog, we’ll explore common reasons why StreamElements overlays may not be functioning properly and provide step-by-step solutions to help you get your overlays back on track.
How To Fix StreamElements Overlay Not Working?
To fix StreamElements overlay not working, you can ensure correct overlay URL, check OBS browser source settings, and refresh or recreate the browser source. Additionally, you can check your internet connection, and update OBS to the latest version.
1. Ensure Correct Overlay URL
When your StreamElements overlay is not working, it might be due to an incorrect overlay URL input in OBS.
Ensuring the correct URL is used is critical because OBS uses this URL to capture and display your overlay during the stream.
- Open your StreamElements dashboard and navigate to ‘My Overlays‘.
- Find the overlay you want to use and click on the ‘Copy URL‘ button to copy the correct URL.
- Open OBS and go to the ‘Sources‘ panel.
- Add a new ‘Browser‘ source or select the existing one that you want to fix.
- Paste the copied URL into the URL field of the ‘Browser‘ source properties.
- Click ‘OK‘ to save the changes and check if the overlay appears.
2. Check OBS Browser Source Settings
Sometimes the issue could be related to the settings of the Browser Source itself within OBS. Proper configuration is necessary to ensure that the overlay is displayed correctly.
- Right-click the Browser Source for your overlay in OBS and select ‘Properties‘.
- Make sure that the width and height are set correctly according to the overlay requirements.
- Confirm that the ‘Control Audio via OBS‘ option is checked if you want OBS to control the overlay sounds.
- Clear the cache of the Browser Source if available, to ensure it’s not loading an outdated version of the overlay.
- Click ‘OK‘ to apply the settings and check if the overlay is working.
3. Refresh Or Recreate The Browser Source
A simple refresh or recreation of the browser source can sometimes resolve any temporary glitches or loading issues with the StreamElements overlay.
- Click on the ‘Browser‘ source in OBS where your overlay is not working.
- Try using the ‘Refresh cache of current page‘ option to reload the overlay.
- If that doesn’t work, delete the ‘Browser‘ source altogether.
- Add a new ‘Browser‘ source and input the overlay URL again.
- Adjust the properties as needed and click ‘OK‘ to see if the overlay displays correctly.
4. Check Internet Connection
A stable internet connection is essential for StreamElements overlays to work, as they are hosted online and require constant communication with the server.
- Verify that your internet connection is stable and strong enough to handle streaming.
- If you’ve recently changed your Wi-Fi or internet settings, ensure that OBS is allowed through your firewall and that there are no network restrictions blocking the overlay content.
- Restart your router or modem by unplugging your router or modem, waiting at least 30 seconds, then plugging it back in and wait for it to fully restart.
5. Update OBS To The Latest Version
An outdated version of OBS can lead to compatibility issues with StreamElements overlays, so it’s important to keep your software up to date.
- Visit the OBS Project website and download the latest version of OBS Studio.
- Install the update by following the on-screen instructions, ensuring that you close OBS before proceeding with the installation.
- Once updated, reopen OBS and check if the StreamElements overlay is now working.
6. Disable Hardware Acceleration In Browser Source
Hardware acceleration in the OBS Browser Source can sometimes interfere with the performance of overlays, so disabling it may resolve the issue.
- Open OBS and go to ‘Settings‘.
- Navigate to the ‘Advanced‘ tab.
- Scroll down to the ‘Browser‘ section and uncheck ‘Enable Browser Source Hardware Acceleration‘.
- Restart OBS for the changes to take effect and test your overlay.
7. Upload The Current Log File For Analysis
Uploading the log file can provide detailed information about what is happening behind the scenes in OBS, which can be crucial for troubleshooting complex issues.
- In OBS, click on the ‘Help‘ menu.
- Select ‘Log Files‘ and then ‘Upload Current Log File‘.
- Wait for OBS to upload the file and provide you with a URL.
8. Contact StreamElements Support
If none of the above solutions work, there might be an issue with StreamElements itself, and contacting their support can provide you with additional assistance.
- Go to the StreamElements Support page.
- Look for articles related to your issue or use the contact form to get in touch with their support team.
- Provide them with details of the problem and any steps you’ve already taken to try and resolve it.