OBS panels
PremiumStudio → Overlays → OBS panels20 settings4 min read
OBS can show web pages as docks — small panels next to your preview. The OBS panels tab gives you four: Control with your own buttons (replay or skip alerts, clips, markers, shoutouts, chat modes, your automations…), Activity with everything that happens on Twitch, YouTube and Kick, Stream info for title, category, tags and profiles, and Team picker for viewer queues. You compose the Control panel here; it updates in OBS by itself.
How it works#
- The Control panel automatically follows the overlay of the scene that's on air.
- Pick buttons with a ★ star; drag tiles in the preview to reorder; × removes one. Changes are saved straight away and OBS picks them up on its next refresh.
- Besides the built-in buttons, every automation and every layer (on/off) of your overlays can be a button, as well as Stream-info profiles.
- Custom buttons (up to 24) can send a chat message, run an automation, toggle a layer, or play a sound.
- Changes you make in OBS via Customize show up here too.
Before you start#
OBS Studio 28+ (Docks → Custom Browser Docks).
Twitch connected for chat/Twitch buttons.
Set it up#
Part 1Dock the Control panel in OBS5 steps
Open the page
In the Studio sidebar, under STREAM TOOLS, click Overlays.
Copy the link
Tab OBS panels → DAB Bot · Control → Copy link.
Add the dock
OBS → Docks → Custom Browser Docks… → name DAB Control, paste the link → Apply.
Place it
Drag the new panel where you want it (recommended ~360 × 520).
Pick your buttons
Back in the Studio, under Compose controls, star the buttons you want. Do the same for Activity, Stream info and Team picker if you like.
Clicking Test follower in the OBS panel plays a test alert in your overlay.
Every setting explained#
Panels
| Control | Your buttons (recommended ~360 × 520). |
| Activity | Live feed of follows, subs, bits, raids, tips and chat events from Twitch, YouTube and Kick (~380 × 600). |
| Stream info | DAB's version of Twitch's Stream Info: title, category, tags and classification, with profiles that set everything in one click (~360 × 640). |
| Team picker | Queue of viewers who want to join, and picking teams (~360 × 640). |
| Copy link | Copies the panel's private link for OBS. |
| Create new key | The links contain a secret key — whoever has it can use your buttons. If it leaked, make a new key; old links stop working and you re-paste the new ones in OBS. |
Built-in buttons
| Alerts | Pause alerts (toggle), Next alert, Replay last, Stop TTS, Alert sound off (toggle), Clear queue. |
| Overlay | Hide everything (toggle), Clear chatbox, Reload overlay. |
| Chat | Message to all platforms, Announcement, Shoutout raider, Pick a shoutout, Slow mode, Followers only, Subs only, Emotes only, Shield mode (toggles where it makes sense). |
| Twitch | Create clip, Set marker, Change title, Run 60 s ad, Start raid, Cancel raid. |
| Test events | Test follower, Test sub, Test bits, Test raid, Test donation. |
| Per overlay | Each automation (run), and each layer (on/off), grouped under Overlay: name. |
| Stream info profiles | Profile: name applies that title/category/tags set. |
| Default set | Replay last, Next alert, Pause alerts, Stop TTS, Alert sound off, Clear chatbox, Create clip, Set marker, Shoutout raider, Slow mode, Test follower, Reload overlay — until you customise. Reset to default brings it back. |
Custom buttons
Custom button — up to 24.
| Name / icon / color | Label (max 40 characters), an icon and a tile color. |
| Action: chat message | Sends a fixed message (max 450 characters) to chat. |
| Action: automation | Runs one of your overlay automations. |
| Action: layer | Toggles a layer of an overlay. |
| Action: sound | Plays a sound (https link) at a set volume. |
| Edit / Delete / ★ | Change it, remove it, or add/remove it from the panel. |
Good to know#
Risky buttons (Clear queue, Hide everything, Shield mode, Run ad, Start raid) are red in OBS and need a second click within 3 seconds to confirm.
Prompt buttons (Announcement, Change title, Start raid…) ask for the text when you click them.
Troubleshooting#
The panel says the link is invalid
The key was renewed. Copy the new link and update the custom dock in OBS.
Chat/Twitch buttons do nothing
Twitch must be connected with the needed permissions; re-authorise under Twitch Integration if you connected before these buttons existed.
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