OBS Browser Source Test

1. Test page for OBS

Add a short beep every 5 seconds (audio test)

2. Check an overlay URL

URL you pasted into OBS

Paste a URL to check it.

What the test page shows

Size: the width and height OBS gives the page. It should match the Width/Height in the source properties.
FPS: how often the page redraws. It follows the FPS setting of the browser source (30 by default; tick “Use custom frame rate” to change it).
Transparency: the page has no background. If you see your scene behind the box, transparency works. A white or black rectangle means the page (or custom CSS) sets a background.
Audio: with the beep on, tick Control audio via OBS in the source settings and the beep appears in the Audio Mixer.

Browser source not showing: common fixes

Refresh the source: right-click it → Refresh, or open Properties and click “Refresh cache of current page”.
Turn off “Shutdown source when not visible” if the overlay needs to keep a connection open (chat, alerts).
Check the size: a 0 × 0 or tiny Width/Height makes it invisible. Use the size the overlay asks for.
Hardware acceleration: if every browser source is black, go to Settings → Advanced → Sources and toggle “Enable Browser Source Hardware Acceleration”, then restart OBS.
Local files: tick Local file and pick the HTML file instead of typing C:\… into the URL field.
Custom CSS: the default CSS sets a transparent background. If you replaced it, add body { background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0); } back.

Last checked: 2026-09-24.

FAQ

Why is my OBS browser source not showing?

Most often the URL is wrong, the source size is 0, or the page needs a refresh. Add our test page: if it shows, OBS is fine and the problem is the overlay URL.

Why is my browser source black?

Try toggling browser source hardware acceleration in Settings → Advanced and restart OBS. Also check that custom CSS keeps the background transparent.

Why is there no audio from my browser source?

Tick “Control audio via OBS” in the source properties, then check the source in the Audio Mixer. Our test page can beep every 5 seconds to test this.

Does this work in Streamlabs Desktop?

Yes. Add a Browser Source there and paste the same test URL.