If you are having issues with chat not displaying properly in Streamlabs OBS, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to try and resolve the problem.
Check Your Streamlabs Settings
The first thing to check is your settings within Streamlabs OBS itself. Open the application and go to View > Docks > Chat Box. Make sure the “Enabled” box is checked for the Chat Box dock. This will display the chat bar in Streamlabs OBS.
You’ll also want to check your Streamlabs account settings. Log in to your Streamlabs dashboard and go to Settings > Chatbot. Confirm that the “Enable Chat Overlays” setting is turned on. This will allow Streamlabs OBS to pull chat data from your channel.
While in your Streamlabs dashboard settings, also check Settings > API Settings. Verify that your Twitch API credentials are properly entered so Streamlabs can connect to Twitch’s servers.
Confirm Your Streaming Software Settings
In addition to Streamlabs OBS, double check that your main streaming software like OBS Studio or XSplit is configured correctly.
In OBS Studio, click Settings > Advanced and confirm the “Enable Advanced Encoder Settings” box is checked. Then go to Tools > Chat and verify that “Enabled” is selected under the Twitch Chat category. You’ll also want to check your Stream key is properly entered in OBS Studio.
For XSplit, open the app settings and click on Chat. Confirm that the Twitch account is logged in and linked to your XSplit account. Also check that the correct Channel is selected in the Channel dropdown.
Connect Your Twitch Accounts
A common issue that can prevent chat from showing up is disconnected or improper Twitch account connections. Open Streamlabs OBS and go to Settings > Stream. Click on Twitch and confirm you are logged into the proper Twitch account.
You should also connect your Twitch account in the Streamlabs dashboard. Go to Settings > Connections and click Connect Account under the Twitch icon. Log into Twitch and allow Streamlabs access to your Twitch account.
While in your Twitch settings at www.twitch.tv/settings, click on the Connections tab. Make sure Streamlabs and any other streaming programs are properly connected.
Check Your Twitch Chat Settings
Your chat settings on Twitch itself could also be causing issues. Go to www.twitch.tv/yourchannel/settings/channel and confirm the following:
- Chat is enabled
- Allowed chat privileges are set appropriately
- Moderation levels are not restricting chat
You can also try toggling some of these settings off and on again to see if it resolves any connectivity issues between Twitch and your streaming software.
Confirm Your Browser Sources
If you are displaying Twitch chat on your stream using a browser source in OBS or Streamlabs OBS, make sure that is configured properly:
- Browser source url is set to your Twitch channel page
- Browser is refreshed frequently enough to show new messages
- Browser source size and position covers the area you want to display chat
- Scene you want chat shown in is configured to display the browser source
Double check all of those settings to troubleshoot any issues getting chat to show via a browser source.
Restart Your Software and Computer
If you’ve confirmed all the settings are configured properly in both Streamlabs OBS and your main streaming software, try restarting those applications to see if it fixes any connectivity problems.
You can also try rebooting your entire computer, as this can reset any cached connection issues between streaming programs and Twitch’s servers.
Log Out and Reconnect Accounts
Logging out and then reconnecting accounts is another troubleshooting step that can resolve chat connection problems:
- Log out of your Twitch account in both Streamlabs OBS and your streaming software like OBS Studio.
- Log out of the Twitch account on the Twitch website.
- Log out of your Streamlabs account on the Streamlabs website.
- Close any open streaming programs and browser windows.
- Reopen your streaming software and Streamlabs dashboard.
- Log back into your Twitch account in the streaming software.
- Log back into your Streamlabs account in the dashboard.
- Reconnect your Twitch account in Streamlabs.
Completely logging out and back in will force fresh connections and may resolve any lingering connection issues.
Try Viewing Your Own Stream
One way to test if the issue is on Twitch’s end is to open an incognito/private browser window and view your own stream. See if you can view chat on your end while chatting from another account. If chat looks good on your streaming preview but still won’t show up for regular viewers, it points to a problem on Twitch’s side.
Contact Twitch Support
If you’ve tried all troubleshooting steps above and chat still does not show up, you’ll need to reach out to Twitch’s customer support team. They can investigate issues on Twitch’s end that may be preventing chat from displaying properly:
- Go to www.twitch.tv/help
- Click on Contact Us and select Chat Issues
- Explain the problem you are experiencing with chat not displaying
- Include details on troubleshooting steps you’ve taken
- Provide account names and stream info to help them investigate
The more details you can provide Twitch support, the better able they will be to pinpoint and resolve the root cause of your missing chat issue.
Common Chat Troubleshooting Issues
Here are some of the most common specific issues that can lead to chat not displaying in Streamlabs OBS:
Streamlabs OBS Not Running Admin Mode
Streamlabs OBS needs admin access to overlay chat properly over your game or program capture sources. Make sure to run Streamlabs OBS as administrator to allow this access.
Outdated Streamlabs OBS Version
Using an old version of Streamlabs OBS can cause compatibility issues and bugs. Make sure Streamlabs is updated to the newest version.
Ad Blockers Blocking Chat
Some ad blockers like uBlock Origin can accidentally block Twitch chat from loading. Try disabling or whitelisting chat with ad blockers.
Too Many Viewers to Display Chat
If you suddenly have a spike in viewers, your chat may freeze up if you don’t have Slow Mode enabled. Turn on Slow Mode or increase the interval to manage chat with large viewer counts.
Internet Connection Problems
Unstable internet connections can cause chat disconnects and freezing. Use a wired internet connection for the most consistent speeds if possible.
Twitch Server Issues
Like any website, Twitch’s servers occasionally have problems. This can prevent chat from loading properly. Check Twitch’s server status page and contact support if needed.
Viewer Banned from Channel
Banned viewers won’t be able to chat. Make sure you haven’t accidentally banned the viewer you are testing chat with.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting missing Twitch chat in Streamlabs OBS requires a systematic checking of possible issues – from settings to account connections to software versions. If carefully going through all troubleshooting steps does not reveal the cause, Twitch’s support team can help investigate problems on their end. Being diligent to resolve chat problems will lead to a smooth and engaging streaming experience for both you and your viewers.