How to Set Up Animated Stream Overlays in OBS Studio & Streamlabs(Complete Guide 2026)

How to Set Up Animated Stream Overlays in OBS Studio & Streamlabs(Complete Guide 2026)

Are you a streamer looking to make your channel stand out? Animated stream overlays are the perfect way to create a professional and cinematic broadcast. In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to set up animated stream overlays in OBS Studio using overlay and JSON files.

What Are Stream Overlays?

Stream overlays are animated graphic elements that appear on top of your gameplay or camera feed during a live stream. A complete overlay pack includes:

  • Starting Soon screens
  • Be Right Back (BRB) screens
  • Intermission screens
  • Animated Facecam overlays
  • Animated Alert overlays (Follower, Sub, Donation, Bits, Raid and more)
  • Animated Bar and Chat overlays
  • Stinger Transitions
  • Stream Panels (About Me, Schedule, Rules, Socials and more)
  • Ending Soon and Offline screens

What You Need Before Starting

  • OBS Studio (free at obsproject.com)
  • Streamlabs or StreamElements (for alerts)
  • An animated overlay pack from StreamOverlays.Tv
  • A Twitch, YouTube or Kick account

Step 1 — Download OBS Studio

Head to obsproject.com and download OBS Studio for free. It works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Step 2 — Get Your Overlay Pack

Purchase your overlay pack from StreamOverlays.Tv. After purchase you'll receive a PDF with Google Drive access instructions. Once approved, download your files which include animated screen files and a JSON file.

Step 3 — Import the JSON File into OBS (Easiest Method)

The JSON file automatically sets up your entire overlay layout in one click!

  1. Open OBS Studio
  2. Click "Scene Collection" in the top menu
  3. Select "Import"
  4. Browse to your downloaded JSON file
  5. Click "Import"
  6. OBS will automatically create all scenes with your overlays perfectly positioned

This is the fastest way to get started — no manual positioning needed!

Step 4 — Manual Setup (Without JSON)

If you prefer to set up manually:

  1. Open OBS Studio
  2. Create a new Scene (click + under Scenes)
  3. Under Sources click the + button
  4. Select "Media Source" for animated overlays
  5. Browse to your overlay file (.webm or .gif)
  6. Check "Loop" so it plays continuously
  7. Click OK
  8. The overlay will appear on your canvas — resize if needed

Repeat for each screen (Starting Soon, BRB, etc.)

Step 5 — Set Up Your Webcam Inside the Facecam Frame

  1. Click + under Sources
  2. Select "Video Capture Device"
  3. Choose your webcam
  4. Position it inside the animated facecam frame
  5. Right click → "Order" → "Send to Back" so the frame appears on top

Step 6 — Set Up Animated Alerts

Your overlay pack includes animated alerts for:

  • New Follower
  • New Subscriber
  • Gifted Sub
  • New Donation
  • New Bits
  • New Cheer
  • New Host
  • New Raid
  • New Like and Share

To set up alerts in Streamlabs:

  1. Open Streamlabs
  2. Go to Alert Box settings
  3. Upload each alert animation file
  4. Set the duration and test each alert

To set up alerts in StreamElements:

  1. Go to your StreamElements dashboard
  2. Open Alert Box
  3. Upload your animated alert files
  4. Save and test

Step 7 — Add Your Stinger Transition

A stinger transition is an animated video that plays when switching between scenes — making your stream look ultra professional!

  1. In OBS go to Scene Transitions
  2. Click + and select "Stinger"
  3. Browse to your stinger transition file
  4. Set transition point to when the animation covers the full screen
  5. Click OK

Now every scene switch will have a smooth animated transition!

Step 8 — Set Up Your Stream Panels

Stream panels appear below your stream on Twitch. Your pack includes panels for:

  • About Me
  • Schedule
  • Rules
  • Socials
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • PC Specs / Hardware
  • Goals and more

To add them on Twitch:

  1. Go to your Twitch channel
  2. Scroll down to panels section
  3. Click + to add a new panel
  4. Upload each panel image
  5. Add your links (donation link, social links etc.)

What's Included in StreamOverlays.Tv Packs

When you buy from StreamOverlays.Tv you get a complete animated overlay system including animated screens, alerts, facecam frame, bar overlay, chat overlay, stinger transition and all stream panels — everything matches perfectly for a unified professional look.

Our packs work seamlessly with:

  • ✅ OBS Studio
  • ✅ Streamlabs
  • ✅ StreamElements
  • ✅ Twitch
  • ✅ YouTube
  • ✅ Kick

Conclusion

Setting up animated stream overlays in OBS is easier than ever with JSON file import. In just a few clicks your entire stream layout is ready to go. Browse our collection of 145+ premium animated overlay packs at StreamOverlays.Tv — trusted by 3000+ streamers worldwide!

Ready to upgrade your stream? Shop now at streamoverlays.tv 🎮

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