For a nonstop YouTube overlay that should keep its page state while you switch OBS scenes, leave Refresh browser source when scene becomes active and Shutdown source when not visible turned off. The first reloads the page when its scene is activated; the second unloads it while it is hidden or inactive. Neither setting is a periodic refresh timer.
Which OBS refresh settings should you use?
For an alert overlay or other browser page whose state should persist across scene changes, keep both options off. OBS documents both as off by default.
| Browser Source setting | What it does | Recommended for a persistent overlay |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh browser source when scene becomes active | Refreshes the page when its scene becomes active—that is, when you switch to that scene. It is not documented as a recurring timer. | Off |
| Shutdown source when not visible | Unloads the page when the source is hidden or is not in the active scene. | Off |
| Refresh cache of current page | Immediately refreshes the page and reloads its content when you activate the action. | Use manually when a reload is needed |
These controls are described in the OBS Browser Source documentation. The browser source’s default 800 × 600 viewport and 30 FPS custom frame rate are display settings, not refresh intervals.
Why can a scene switch reset an overlay?
A browser source displays a web page inside an OBS scene. If scene activation refresh is enabled, returning to that scene reloads the page. Reloading can discard state stored only in the page’s memory; what survives depends on how the overlay is built.
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For its own alert overlay, Kulhad’s help article, last updated September 4, 2026, warns that a reload can make the overlay forget what it has already shown and miss alerts received while the scene was away. That warning is specific to that provider’s overlay, not a guarantee about every overlay service. See Kulhad’s overlay instructions.
Turning on Shutdown source when not visible also prevents the page from staying loaded while the scene is inactive. If state or a live page session needs to persist between scene visits, leave it off. OBS documents the unload behavior, but does not quantify resource savings for this use case.
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How to check or change the settings
- In OBS, select the scene containing the overlay in the Scenes list.
- Select the overlay’s Browser Source in Sources, then open its properties. OBS’s Sources Guide explains that Browser Source adds a web page to a scene and is commonly used for alert overlays and chat boxes.
- In the Browser Source properties, make sure Refresh browser source when scene becomes active is unchecked if you do not want a scene switch to reload the page.
- Make sure Shutdown source when not visible is unchecked if the page should remain loaded while its scene is inactive.
- Choose OK or Apply to save the properties, then switch away and back to the scene to verify the overlay behaves as intended.
OBS’s official property descriptions are documented at Browser Source. OBS’s browser implementation uses the Chrome Embedded Framework (CEF), as noted in the obs-browser project README.
How to refresh an overlay deliberately
If the page is stale and you want to reload it, use Refresh cache of current page in the Browser Source properties. This is a manual action that refreshes the current page and reloads its content; it does not schedule automatic refreshes. Because it reloads the page, any in-memory state may be lost, depending on the overlay implementation.
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Test the overlay before relying on it
- Send a test alert or use the overlay provider’s preview, if available, then switch to another scene and return. Check whether the page or visible alert state changes.
- Test the specific overlay URL: OBS documents its controls, but does not guarantee the uptime or scene-switch behavior of every third-party page.
- Whether an overlay polls for updates or maintains a connection is controlled by the loaded page or overlay service, not by the OBS scene-activation refresh checkbox.
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