OBS setup for Twitch overlays and boards
How to drop custom Twitch overlays and boards into OBS without covering your cam or game.
On this page
Phone-only stream is fine for a simple show. The second you want a branded kit (overlays, break boards, starting and BRB scenes) you need OBS. Custom art lives as sources on a vertical canvas, locked once, then run every show.
The platform already documents how to connect OBS in Help (stream key and troubleshooting). This post is the design side: how to place GFX Bracket files so viewers still see your cam and game. For canvas rules and safe areas, read Twitch overlay size and safe area on this blog.
Why phone-only is not enough for a full kit
The stream app handles going live from a phone. It does not give you a layered brand system: separate starting screen, live board, sold flash, BRB hold, ending card. Those pieces need a desktop compositor. OBS is the default for streamers who care how the room looks.
If you only run occasional singles with no custom art, stay on phone. If you fill PYT spots, run Stash or Pass, or want a recognizable show brand, plan for OBS from day one.
Canvas first: 1080 x 1920
Set the OBS canvas to 1080 x 1920 (9:16). That matches the platform's live feed and show thumbs. A mismatched canvas will crop wrong, shrink type, and look cheap on a phone feed.
Build every GFX Bracket file at the canvas size you stream. Do not design landscape and stretch it later. Export PNG or WebP for static boards. Use Browser Source when the kit is HTML and needs short motion on claimed or sold states.
- Base resolution: 1080 x 1920, not 1920 x 1080.
- Name sources clearly: LIVE_BOARD, STARTING, BRB, CAM.
- Lock transform after you nail position once.
- Keep a backup scene collection before big format changes.
Image Source vs Browser Source
Static boards and frames go in as Image Source. Point at the file, fit to canvas, check that claimed cells still read. Animated sold flashes or ReSpin cues often ship as Browser Source so timing stays crisp without baking a huge video loop.
Do not stack five half-transparent Twitch alerts on top of a stream board. The platform already draws chat, bids, and chrome. Extra noise fights the pull.
A simple scene stack
You do not need twenty scenes. Four clean states beat a messy folder of half-finished layouts.
- Starting: logo, show title, soft brand. No live card yet. Buyers joining early see who you are.
- Live: card cam + overlay chrome + board (or scoreboard) with safe areas clear. This is the money scene.
- BRB: short hold graphic while you reset inventory, fix audio, or swap boxes. Keep it readable on a small phone.
- Ending: thank you / next show time. Same brand language as starting so the night feels finished.
Hotkeys or a Stream Deck help. Mid-break is the wrong time to hunt a source in the list.
Where the card, cam, and board sit
The card is the product. Facecam earns trust. The board tells the room which spots are open. If those three fight, the card and board win. Cam goes in a corner that stays clear of bids and critical board cells.
Test the full live scene on a real phone while a friend watches the stream. Desktop preview lies about type size.
Widgets and brand kits
Tools like Overlay Deck or Fantasy Road Live add data widgets (leaderboards, comps). A GFX Bracket kit is the branded stream: type, color, sold states, boards. They can sit together. Widgets are not a substitute for a look that matches your streamer brand.
For real kit examples (and why Twitch packs fail on Twitch or Kick), see Best Twitch overlay examples on this blog.
For official OBS connect steps and troubleshooting, use platform Help. We do not rewrite tokens or WHIP steps here.
Common mistakes
- Running a 16:9 Twitch pack cropped into 9:16.
- Parking board type under chat or platform UI.
- Animating every layer so the card never rests.
- One giant PSD with starting, live, and BRB all visible at once.
- Skipping a phone test before a full PYT night.
What we deliver
We build the files sized for your canvas. You drop them into OBS Image or Browser Source, lock positions once, and run the show. If you want the stack built around Pick Your Team, Stash or Pass, or a TCG set board, say so up front.
Ready to wire a kit? Start with a Free Audit, or jump into Discord and tell us OBS or phone-only.
Need overlays, panels, alerts, or a full OBS package sized for your stream?
