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DocumentaryTube
Browser Source

How to Add a Clock Overlay to an OBS YouTube Loop Stream

Add a local HTML clock or webpage as an OBS Browser Source, place it above your loop video, and check the layout, timezone and playback before going live.

By DocumentaryTube Team 4 min read
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Add a clock to an OBS YouTube loop stream by placing it in the same scene as the video: add a Browser Source for a local HTML clock or a clock webpage, then move that source above the video in the Sources list. OBS layers sources; YouTube does not need a separate clock-overlay setting.

What you need

  • An OBS scene with your loop video.
  • A clock page, either a local HTML file or a hosted webpage URL.
  • Browser Source enabled in OBS, plus a stream preview to check the final layout.

OBS’s Browser Source can display local web pages and URL pages. Its documented default viewport is 800 by 600 pixels; treat that as a default, not a recommended size for every clock layout. See the OBS Browser Source documentation.

Add a clock Browser Source

  1. Open the OBS scene that contains the loop video.
  2. In the Sources dock, click + and choose Browser Source.
  3. For a downloaded clock page, enable Local File and browse to its HTML file. For a hosted clock page, enter its URL instead.
  4. Set the Browser Source width and height to fit the clock page and your intended layout. These values define the page viewport, not the size or position of the source in the scene.
  5. In the Sources list, move the clock above the video source. Drag it into position in the preview, then resize it to suit the frame.
  6. Check the preview for legibility, cropping, display format and timezone. If the clock shows seconds, confirm that they advance.
  7. Check the final OBS output or stream preview before going live.

A source higher in the Sources list renders above sources below it, so the clock stays visible over the video. If your video is an OBS Media Source, make sure its Loop property is enabled. OBS documents these source controls in its Sources Guide and Media Sources documentation.

Choose a clock that fits a long stream

Approach Useful when Trade-off
Local HTML Browser Source You want to keep the clock page on the streaming computer rather than depend on an external clock webpage. You need to obtain and configure the HTML file. Inspect community files and download them only from a source you trust.
Hosted clock webpage You already have a suitable clock page and want to add it by URL. It depends on that webpage continuing to load. OBS supports URL pages, but that does not guarantee the availability of a particular third-party clock service.
Community clock project You want controls such as timezone, 12/24-hour display, seconds or styling, if the selected project provides them. Those controls belong to the project, not to OBS generally. The author of the cited OBS clock project README says it was tested on OBS 30+; that is the project’s compatibility statement, not an independent test.

A forum example of a local HTML clock explains how to edit its HTML and CSS; its default display uses day/month/year and 24-hour time with seconds. See the OBS forum clock example. A basic Text Source is for customizable text; the cited OBS material does not establish that Text Source alone provides a live-updating clock.

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Make sure the video loops independently

The clock and video should remain separate sources. For a single local video, use OBS Media Source and enable Loop so playback restarts when the file ends. If you use an OBS VLC Video source for a playlist, VLC must be installed for that source type to appear, and the source offers a Loop Playlist property. VLC is unnecessary for the basic clock overlay.

Clock overlay troubleshooting

The clock is missing

  • Check that the source is visible and that its Browser Source viewport has nonzero width and height.
  • Confirm the local file path or hosted URL is correct and that the page loads.
  • Move the clock above the video source in the Sources list.

The clock is clipped or hard to read

Adjust the Browser Source viewport dimensions, then resize and reposition the source in the OBS preview. Check the layout at the resolution viewers will see, including whether the time remains readable over changing video imagery.

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The clock stops after the source is hidden

Browser Source has a Shutdown source when not visible option, which unloads the page while hidden. Leave that option off if the clock needs to keep running while hidden. OBS also documents a refresh-on-scene-activation option if you prefer the page to reload when its scene becomes active.

The displayed time is wrong for viewers

Choose an explicit timezone if the clock implementation offers one. If viewers need to interpret the time, label the timezone on screen. Timezone controls are project-specific, not guaranteed for every Browser Source clock.

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The video stops instead of repeating

Open the Media Source properties and check that Loop is enabled. For a VLC playlist, check Loop Playlist instead.

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