Your StreamElements alert box is crucial for viewer interaction, but it can be frustrating when it doesn't appear on stream. This issue usually stems from a configuration mismatch between OBS, StreamElements, and Twitch. This definitive guide walks you through a systematic troubleshooting process, from basic checks to advanced fixes, to get your alerts working perfectly.
Table of Contents
- Quick Diagnostic Checks
- OBS Browser Source & Settings Fixes
- StreamElements Dashboard Configuration
- Twitch Connection & Activity Feed
- Advanced & System-Level Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Quick Diagnostic Checks
Start here. These simple steps resolve a significant number of alert box issues in seconds.
- Send a Test Alert: In your StreamElements dashboard, go to your Overlay, find the Alert Box widget, and click "Send Test Alert". This confirms if the alert is functioning on StreamElements' end.
- Check OBS Source Visibility: In OBS, ensure the Browser Source for your alerts is not hidden (the eye icon is visible) and is placed above other visual sources like your game capture or webcam in the Sources list.
- Refresh the Browser Source: Right-click your Alert Box source in OBS, select "Properties", and click "Refresh" or simply "OK" to reload the page.
- Disable Ad Blockers & Script Blockers: Browser sources in OBS can be blocked by extensions like uBlock Origin or privacy settings. Temporarily disable them in OBS under Settings > Advanced > Browser Source Hardware Acceleration (more on this below).
OBS Browser Source & Settings Fixes
If quick checks fail, the issue is often within OBS's configuration of the browser source.
1. Verify Browser Source Properties
Incorrect properties are a primary culprit. Right-click your Alert Box source and select "Properties".
- URL: Ensure the URL is correct. The safest method is to re-copy it from your StreamElements overlay page. Navigate to Overlays > [Your Overlay] > Click the three dots next to "AlertBox" > "Copy URL" and paste it here.
- Width & Height: Set these dimensions to match your canvas. For a standard 1080p stream, use Width: 1920 and Height: 1080. An undersized source can make alerts render off-screen.
- Custom CSS: Leave this field blank unless you have specific code. Erroneous CSS can break the display.
2. Toggle Browser Source Hardware Acceleration
This setting is a common fix for visuals not loading while audio plays. The solution is often to disable it.
- Go to OBS Settings > Advanced.
- Find the setting for "Browser Source Hardware Acceleration".
- If it is enabled, uncheck the box to disable it.
- If it is already disabled, try enabling it.
- Click "OK" and restart OBS completely for the change to take effect.
3. Run OBS as Administrator
Running OBS with administrator privileges can resolve permission issues that prevent browser sources from loading content correctly. Right-click your OBS shortcut and select "Run as administrator".
StreamElements Dashboard Configuration
Ensure your alert box is set up correctly within the StreamElements platform itself.
- Overlay & Widget Status: Log into StreamElements and go to Overlays. Select your active overlay and confirm the Alert Box widget is present and not toggled off. For detailed setup guidance, refer to the official StreamElements setup guide.
- Alert Variations are Enabled: Click the cog (settings) for your Alert Box. For each event (Follow, Subscription, etc.), ensure the specific alert variation you want to use is enabled. A disabled variation will not trigger.
- Test in an External Browser: Open the "Copy URL" from your Alert Box properties in a regular web browser (like Chrome). Send a test alert from the dashboard. If it works in the browser but not in OBS, the problem is isolated to OBS. If it also fails in the browser, the issue is with your StreamElements setup or account connection.
Twitch Connection & Activity Feed
Alerts are triggered by events flowing from Twitch to StreamElements. If this connection is broken, no alerts will appear.
- Reconnect Your Twitch Account: In your StreamElements dashboard, go to Settings > Channels. Click "Disconnect" next to your Twitch account, then "Connect" to re-authorize the link. This refreshes the permission token.
- Check the Activity Feed: In your StreamElements dashboard, look for the "Activity Feed" (often in the sidebar). When someone follows, subscribes, etc., the event should appear here instantly. If events are missing, StreamElements isn't receiving them from Twitch. Follow the official Activity Feed troubleshooting guide.
- Mod the StreamElements Bot: In your Twitch chat, type
/mod streamelements. This prevents other moderation bots from accidentally timing out or banning the StreamElements bot, which can block event notifications.
Advanced & System-Level Troubleshooting
For persistent issues, these deeper system-level fixes can help.
- Clear OBS Cache: Close OBS. Navigate to
%appdata%\obs-studio(paste this into Windows File Explorer). Rename the "cache" folder to "cache_old". Restart OBS; it will create a new cache. This can resolve corrupted browser data. - Update Graphics Drivers: Outdated GPU drivers can cause browser source rendering issues. Download the latest drivers directly from your manufacturer:
- Check Firewall/Antivirus: Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus software to see if they are blocking OBS's browser source from accessing the StreamElements URL. If this fixes it, add OBS as an exception.
- Create a Fresh OBS Scene: As a last resort, create a brand-new scene in OBS and add a new Browser Source with the freshly copied StreamElements URL. This rules out corruption in your existing scene configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I can hear the alert sound but see no visuals. What's wrong?
This classic symptom means OBS is receiving the audio data from the browser source but failing to render the visuals. The fix is almost always related to Browser Source Hardware Acceleration in OBS Advanced Settings. Toggle this setting (enable it if disabled, disable it if enabled) and restart OBS. Secondly, verify the Width and Height of your browser source are set to 1920x1080.
The test alert works in my browser but not in OBS. Why?
This confirms your StreamElements setup is correct, isolating the problem to OBS. Focus on OBS-specific fixes: running as administrator, toggling hardware acceleration, checking source dimensions, and ensuring no ad blockers are interfering with the OBS browser engine.
My alerts worked yesterday but not today. What happened?
Sudden failures are often due to an expired connection token between StreamElements and Twitch. Reconnect your Twitch account in the StreamElements dashboard. It could also be a result of a recent OBS update changing settings, a Windows update, or the StreamElements bot being banned in your chat (use /mod streamelements).
Do I need to have the StreamElements dashboard open for alerts to work?
No. Once the browser source is added to OBS with the correct URL, the alerts are served directly from StreamElements' servers. You do not need to keep the dashboard webpage open. Your stream must be live on Twitch for events to trigger, however.
Are StreamElements alerts compatible with Twitch Studio?
Twitch Studio has its own integrated alert system. To use StreamElements alerts, you typically need to add them as a browser source. Consult Twitch Studio's documentation for adding custom browser sources, as the process differs from OBS. For general alert concepts, you can review Twitch's official Alerts FAQ.