The Tool Desk
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What Streamlabs widgets do
Widgets are software elements placed in a livestream scene. Each serves a different purpose; choose only those that help viewers understand or respond to what is happening.
- Alert Box: Displays configured alerts for channel events or viewer support. Streamlabs’ YouTube setup guide covers subscriber, member, and Super Chat alerts.
- Chat Box: Displays chat on screen. Streamlabs says this can preserve a sense of interaction in clips and VODs; that is the company’s rationale, not independently demonstrated performance evidence.
- Goals: Shows a target and progress. Streamlabs documents goals for different support objectives, including a YouTube Super Chat Goal widget.
- Event List: Displays activity. Streamlabs’ examples include follows, donations, stars, likes, and merchandise sales; which events appear depends on the connected platform and account.
- Other widgets: Streamlabs also lists Tip Jars, End Credits, Spin Wheel, and Media Share.
See Streamlabs’ widget overview for its descriptions of these tools.
Set up YouTube alerts in Streamlabs
- Sign in to Streamlabs and select your YouTube channel or platform settings.
- Open Alert Box and choose the YouTube alert types you want, such as subscribers, members, or Super Chats.
- Customize the available options for each alert. Depending on the alert type, these can include layout, image or GIF, sound, font, animation, duration, text-to-speech, and variations for conditions such as subscription milestones or gift memberships.
- Use the dashboard’s preview or test function to check the result before going live.
- Add the widget to your streaming software using one of the routes below.
Streamlabs recommends linking channels in a Streamlabs ID for creators who broadcast to multiple platforms. Its guidance does not establish that this is required for every YouTube-only user. For the detailed YouTube workflow, consult Streamlabs’ YouTube alert instructions.
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Add a widget to your streaming software
Streamlabs Desktop
- Open the scene where the widget should appear.
- Select the Sources plus button and choose the widget, such as Alert Box.
- Position and size it in the scene, then test it before the broadcast.
OBS with the Streamlabs plugin
- Open Streamlabs from OBS.
- Go to Widgets and add the widget to the scene.
- Arrange it in the scene and test the display.
OBS or other compatible software using a Browser Source
- Copy the widget URL from the relevant Streamlabs settings.
- In your streaming software, add a Browser Source to the scene and paste the URL.
- Set the source dimensions and FPS to suit the scene, then preview and test it.
Treat widget URLs as private: Streamlabs warns against showing or sharing them publicly. Its instructions are in How to Locate and Use Streamlabs Widget URLs.
Configure a YouTube Super Chat Goal
For this widget, Streamlabs’ setup instructions cover the label, target amount, end condition, colors, and font. After configuring it, add it from Streamlabs Desktop or use its widget URL as an OBS Browser Source. The instructions are available in Streamlabs’ YouTube Super Chat Goal guide.
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Choose widgets for a clear purpose
- Use alerts when you want to acknowledge a channel event or viewer support.
- Use a Chat Box when chat should remain visible in the video itself.
- Use an Event List when an activity feed helps viewers follow what is happening.
- Use a Goal when a visible target gives context to what viewers are supporting.
Before adding one, check that the event you need is supported for the connected platform and account, and that the widget’s placement and customization suit the scene. Streamlabs documents YouTube subscribers, members, and Super Chats for its YouTube alert setup.
Cost and what widgets can prove
Streamlabs’ Alert Box product page describes the Alert Box as free for all users, with provided designs and sounds or uploaded assets available for customization. It presents Streamlabs Ultra as an optional way to access its full library of overlays and widget and alert themes. The page does not give a price figure, and product plan details can change; check the current Alert Box page for what is included.
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Widgets can make events, chat, and targets visible, but the cited Streamlabs pages do not establish a measured increase in engagement, retention, or revenue. Treat those outcomes as unproven rather than assuming a widget will improve channel metrics.
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