To place a web graphic over prerecorded footage in a YouTube live stream, add the footage as an OBS Media Source and the graphic as a Browser Source in the same scene. Put the Browser Source above the Media Source in the Sources list, size and position it on the canvas, check the complete video and audio, then send OBS to YouTube Live using your stream URL and key. This creates a live encoder stream from OBS; it does not change a video that has already been uploaded to YouTube.
Choose the right kind of overlay
For a persistent logo, title, lower third, or other graphic layered over prerecorded program footage, build the composition in OBS. Its Browser Source displays a webpage or local file, while its Media Source plays a local video file. Because both are separate scene sources, you can adjust or hide the graphic independently of the footage. OBS Browser Source documentation and the Media Sources guide describe these source types.
YouTube also has an “Overlay for breaks” feature in Live Control Room. That is a separate break-slate workflow for switching away during a live broadcast, not a way to add a persistent graphic to the OBS program. The distinction matters: the OBS scene controls the composed program and its audio mix; YouTube’s break overlay is configured in Live Control Room, and any slate audio you want must be included in the encoder mix. See YouTube’s break-overlay instructions.
Build the OBS scene
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Create or select the scene
In OBS, choose the scene you want to send to YouTube, or create one for this program. The scene’s canvas is the composition viewers will receive.
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Add the prerecorded video
In the Sources panel, select + and add a Media Source. Choose the local video file in its properties. Set playback behavior for your program: enable looping if it should repeat, choose whether it should restart when the source becomes active, and decide whether it should show nothing when playback ends. These controls are part of OBS Media Source properties; the right choice depends on whether the program is a continuous loop or a one-time playback.
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Add the web overlay
Select + in Sources and add a Browser Source. Enter the webpage URL, or enable Local file to load a local overlay page. Set the Browser Source width and height to the intended stream canvas dimensions. OBS’s default custom CSS makes the webpage background transparent, removes page margins, and hides scrollbars; the page itself still needs to render the graphic and preserve any transparency you want.
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For setup details, consult the OBS Browser Source guide.
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Layer and place it
In the Sources list, move the Browser Source above the Media Source. OBS draws higher-listed sources over lower-listed ones, so reversing their order can hide the overlay behind the video. Use the preview to position, resize, or crop the browser layer as needed. The OBS Sources Guide explains source ordering and transforms.
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Check the complete program before streaming
Play the scene from beginning to end, or test representative sections, before sending it live. Confirm that the overlay is visible where intended, that it does not cover important documentary footage or captions, and that video playback and audio behave as expected. Check that the Media Source’s end-of-playback and looping behavior match the planned broadcast. YouTube recommends testing with representative motion and audio and checking the preview and stream health; see its live streaming tips.
- Watch the OBS preview for unexpected cropping, scaling, scrollbars, or opaque backgrounds.
- Listen to the full audio mix, including any audio associated with the video. Browser Source audio and other OBS sources should be checked in the mix you intend to send.
- Confirm the video’s ending behavior: a non-looping file can finish while the live encoder stream remains active.
- Test the YouTube preview before the event if possible, rather than assuming that a correct-looking OBS preview guarantees a healthy stream.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
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Prepare the stream in YouTube Studio
Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room and create or select the live stream. Copy the stream URL and stream key from the encoder setup. YouTube’s current workflow is documented in Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Enter the encoder details in OBS
In OBS, open Settings > Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and enter the stream URL and key using the available connection method. Treat the stream key as a credential: do not show or share it publicly.
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Start the encoder feed and verify the preview
Start streaming in OBS. Wait for the incoming feed to appear in Live Control Room, then check its preview and stream health before beginning the event using YouTube’s controls. YouTube distinguishes sending the encoder feed from starting or ending the live event in Live Control Room; follow the controls shown for the stream you created.
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If you meant YouTube’s break overlay
Use this alternative only when you want YouTube’s break/switch-away slate during a live broadcast, rather than a permanent graphic over prerecorded footage.
- In Live Control Room, use the break-overlay setup to copy its overlay URL.
- Add that URL as a Browser Source in OBS and set the source dimensions to match the stream.
- Enable Shutdown source when not visible, then test the break flow before relying on it.
- If using the “Choose from your video” slate, enable Allow embedding for the selected video.
- If the slate needs sound, include that audio in the encoder mix; the break overlay does not control OBS’s audio sources for you.
Follow YouTube’s break-overlay setup guidance for the current Live Control Room flow.
Troubleshoot common problems
- The overlay is missing or behind the footage: Move the Browser Source above the Media Source in the Sources list, then check its visibility and URL or local-file setting.
- The overlay has a solid background or unwanted margins: Check the webpage’s own background and layout. OBS’s default Browser Source CSS supplies transparency and removes margins and scrollbars, but the page must still render its visual elements appropriately.
- The graphic is clipped, too small, or misplaced: Match the Browser Source width and height to the intended canvas, then adjust its position, size, or crop in the OBS preview.
- The video stops before the live event ends: Check whether looping is enabled and what the Media Source is set to do at the end of playback. The end of a local file and the end of a YouTube live event are separate.
- The YouTube preview does not appear or stream health is poor: Confirm OBS is sending to the stream URL and key for the selected Live Control Room stream. Wait for the preview and inspect YouTube’s stream-health indicators before starting the event.
- A YouTube break slate has no sound: Add the desired slate audio to the OBS encoder mix; the break-overlay feature does not add or manage that audio source.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a prerecorded YouTube channel live continuously, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative to leaving OBS and a computer running at home. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. StreamNeo plays uploads rather than going live from a camera.
- Any quality up to 4K 60fps as uploaded, at one flat price per slot.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Learn about StreamNeo or start the free first day.
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