To add a BRB screen in OBS, create a new scene called "BRB", add a Media Source (for an animated MP4 or WebM) or an Image source (for a PNG), tick Loop, fit it to the screen, then set a Switch to scene hotkey in Settings > Hotkeys so you can cut to it in one keypress.
That is the whole job in one sentence. Below you'll find the exact steps for OBS Studio and Streamlabs, the settings that stop your BRB loop from stuttering or restarting at the wrong moment, how to add music to a BRB screen without risking a muted VOD, and how to keep your mic off air while you're away.
Quick answer: BRB screen settings for OBS
| Setting | Recommended value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Scene | A dedicated scene named "BRB" | One click or hotkey swaps your whole layout |
| Source type | Media Source (MP4/WebM) or Image (PNG) | Media Source plays animated loops; Image is for stills |
| Size | Same as your canvas, usually 1920 × 1080 | Avoids black bars or blurry upscaling |
| Loop | On | Keeps the animation running for as long as you're away |
| Restart playback when source becomes active | On | The loop starts from frame one every time you switch to it |
| Hotkey | Settings > Hotkeys > BRB > Switch to scene | Go to BRB without alt-tabbing out of your game |
| Mic | Muted or not present in the BRB scene | Viewers don't hear you while you're away |
What you need before you start
You need OBS Studio (or Streamlabs Desktop) and a BRB file. The file can be:
- An animated video (MP4 or WebM). Most full overlay packs include one, and it reads as "still live" to viewers far better than a frozen image.
- A static image (PNG or JPG). Fine for a minimal look, but it can make the stream look stalled.
Make sure the file matches your OBS canvas size. Check it under Settings > Video > Base (Canvas) Resolution. For most Twitch, YouTube and Kick streams that is 1920 × 1080. If you need a BRB screen right now, the full packs in our animated stream overlay collection include an animated Be Right Back screen alongside Starting, Ending, Offline, Intermission and Just Chatting screens, built for OBS Studio, Streamlabs and StreamElements.
How to add a BRB screen in OBS Studio (step-by-step)
Here is how to add a BRB screen in OBS in seven steps. It takes about two minutes.
- Create the scene. In the Scenes dock, click + and name it "BRB".
- Add the source. With the BRB scene selected, click + in the Sources dock. Choose Media Source for an animated MP4/WebM, or Image for a PNG. Name it "BRB loop".
- Pick your file. Leave Local File ticked and click Browse to select your BRB video.
- Turn on Loop. Tick Loop so the animation never ends on a frozen frame.
- Tick "Restart playback when source becomes active". This makes the animation start from the beginning each time you switch to BRB. Click OK.
- Fit it to the canvas. Right-click the source, choose Transform > Fit to screen (Ctrl+F on Windows). If the file and canvas are both 1920 × 1080, it should already fill the preview exactly.
- Add extras on top (optional). A Text source with "Back in 5 minutes", a chat box or your socials go above the BRB loop in the Sources list. Sources higher in the list draw on top.
The Media Source options above use the labels from the official OBS Media Sources documentation. You'll also see Use hardware decoding when available (leave it on to take load off your CPU) and Close file when inactive, which releases the file while the BRB scene is off air, at the cost of a slightly slower start when you switch back.
Do I need WebM or MP4 for a BRB screen?
For a full-screen BRB screen, either works, because nothing needs to show through it. WebM matters when the file has transparent areas, for example a BRB frame that sits on top of a paused gameplay capture. MP4 (H.264) has no alpha channel, so transparent parts would render black. OBS's Media Source accepts .mp4, .mov, .mkv, .webm, .gif and more.
How to set a hotkey to switch to your BRB scene
Assign a hotkey so you can cut to BRB while your game is still focused:
- Open Settings > Hotkeys.
- Scroll to the section named after your scene, "BRB".
- Click the box next to Switch to scene and press a key combination you won't hit in-game, such as Ctrl+Alt+B.
- Do the same for your main gameplay scene (for example Ctrl+Alt+G) so you can switch back just as fast.
- Click Apply.
If the hotkey changes the preview but not what viewers see, you're in Studio Mode. In Studio Mode a scene switch only loads into the preview until you press Transition. Turn Studio Mode off for instant switching, or bind the Transition hotkey too.
Stream Deck owners can map the same "Switch to scene" action to a physical button.
How to mute your mic on the BRB screen
By default, the mic and desktop audio you set in Settings > Audio are global: they play in every scene, including BRB. You have two clean options:
- Mute hotkey (fastest). In Settings > Hotkeys, find your Mic/Aux device and bind Mute and Unmute. Press both your BRB hotkey and mute before you leave.
- Per-scene mic (automatic). Set the global Mic/Auxiliary Audio to Disabled in Settings > Audio, then add an Audio Input Capture source for your mic inside each live scene but not inside BRB. Switching to BRB now removes your mic automatically. If you use nested scenes, put the mic in a shared scene you nest everywhere except BRB.
Game audio follows the same logic: if you capture it globally, it keeps playing on BRB. Use an Application Audio Capture source (Windows) in your gameplay scene instead if you want the game silent while you're away.
How to add music to a BRB screen in OBS
Add a second Media Source to the BRB scene and point it at an audio file (MP3, WAV or similar):
- In the BRB scene, click + > Media Source, name it "BRB music".
- Browse to your track, tick Loop and Restart playback when source becomes active.
- Set its volume in the Audio Mixer. Keep it noticeably quieter than your voice so it doesn't overpower you when you come back.
- To hear it yourself, open Edit > Advanced Audio Properties and set the source's Audio Monitoring to Monitor and Output.
Be careful with what you play. Twitch only allows music you own or have the rights to stream, and buying a song or paying for Spotify does not grant that. Twitch's Music Options for Streamers page lists licensed sources such as NCS, Pretzel and Monstercat Gold. Unlicensed music on a BRB loop is a common cause of muted VOD segments.
How to add a BRB screen in Streamlabs Desktop
The steps mirror OBS, with slightly different labels:
- Click + next to Scenes and name the scene "BRB".
- Click + next to Sources and choose Media File (or Image for a PNG).
- Browse to your BRB file and tick Loop.
- Right-click the source and use Transform > Fit to Screen if it doesn't fill the canvas.
- Open Settings > Hotkeys and bind a key to switch to the BRB scene.
Can OBS switch to the BRB screen automatically?
Not on its own. OBS has no built-in "away" detection, so switching is manual (hotkey, click or Stream Deck). If you want automation, the free Advanced Scene Switcher plugin lets you build macros, for example "if the mic has been silent for a set time, switch to BRB" or "switch to BRB when a specific window is focused". Test any automation offline first: a false trigger mid-match pulls viewers off your gameplay.
Common BRB screen problems (and fixes)
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Black screen instead of the animation | Wrong file path, or the file was moved | Open the source properties and browse to the file again |
| Animation plays once, then freezes | Loop is off | Tick Loop in the Media Source properties |
| Loop starts halfway through | Restart playback is off | Tick Restart playback when source becomes active |
| Black bars or a small screen in the corner | File size doesn't match canvas | Right-click > Transform > Fit to screen, or use a 1920 × 1080 file |
| Transparent areas render black | MP4 file (no alpha) | Use a WebM with alpha for overlays that need transparency |
| Viewers still hear you | Global mic plays in every scene | Use a mute hotkey or a per-scene Audio Input Capture |
| Hotkey does nothing on stream | Studio Mode is on | Turn off Studio Mode or also bind the Transition hotkey |
Make your BRB screen match the rest of your stream
A BRB screen is one of the screens viewers stare at longest without gameplay, so it carries more of your branding than you'd think. It should look like it belongs to the same set as your starting soon screen, webcam frame and alerts: same colors, same fonts, same motion style. Mixing a free BRB from one site with a webcam frame from another is the fastest way to look unplanned.
That's the main reason matched packs exist. For example, the Synthwave animated Twitch overlays and the Purple Neon animated Twitch overlays each include a Be Right Back screen plus Starting, Ending, Offline, Intermission and Just Chatting screens, webcam overlays in 16:9, 9:16 and 4:3, 12 animated alerts and 2 stinger transitions in the same style. Anime fans can browse the anime overlays collection for ninja, demon-hunter and pirate themes. For more on choosing a pack, see our guide to the best animated overlay packs for OBS Studio.
Want to test the workflow before buying anything? Grab something from our free stream overlays and practice the scene and hotkey setup above.
FAQ
What size should a BRB screen be for OBS?
Match your OBS canvas, which is set under Settings > Video > Base (Canvas) Resolution. For most streams that is 1920 × 1080 (16:9). If you stream at 1280 × 720, a 1920 × 1080 file still works: use Transform > Fit to screen and OBS scales it down cleanly.
Should my BRB screen be animated or a still image?
Animated is usually better. A looping animation tells viewers the stream is still live and you're coming back, while a static image can look like the stream froze. A still PNG is fine for a deliberately minimal style.
Can I show chat on my BRB screen?
Yes. Add your chat widget (for example a StreamElements or Streamlabs chat box as a Browser source) to the BRB scene and drag it above the BRB loop in the Sources list. Chat staying visible gives viewers something to do while you're away.
How long can I stay on a BRB screen?
There's no technical limit; OBS will loop the file indefinitely. The practical limit is your audience: the longer the break, the more viewers drift off, so a "Back in X minutes" text source helps set expectations.
Does a BRB screen work for YouTube Live and Kick too?
Yes. The BRB screen lives in OBS or Streamlabs, not on the platform, so the same scene works for Twitch, YouTube Live, Kick or any service you stream to from that software.
