Create Nested Scenes in OBS Studio for Overlays

Managing multiple branding elements like logos, social media handles, and webcam borders in OBS Studio can quickly clutter your sources list and make live switching stressful. This article provides a straightforward, step-by-step guide on how to use nested scenes (scenes within scenes) to group your branding overlays together. By the end of this guide, you will be able to toggle your entire branding package on or off across multiple scenes with a single click or hotkey.

Step 1: Create the Branding “Child” Scene

First, you need to create a dedicated scene that will hold only your branding assets.

  1. Go to the Scenes dock in OBS Studio and click the + (plus) icon to create a new scene.
  2. Name this scene something recognizable, such as [SUB] Branding Overlays.
  3. Select this new scene. In the Sources dock, click the + icon to add your design assets (e.g., Image sources for logos, Text sources for social handles, Media sources for animated overlays).
  4. Arrange and position these sources exactly where you want them to appear on your stream.

Step 2: Nest the Branding Scene into Your Live Scenes

Now you will import your newly created branding scene into your main streaming scenes (such as your gameplay, camera, or “Be Right Back” scenes).

  1. In the Scenes dock, select your primary live scene (e.g., Gameplay Scene).
  2. Go to the Sources dock and click the + icon.
  3. Select Scene from the dropdown menu.
  4. In the pop-up window, choose Add Existing, select [SUB] Branding Overlays from the list, and click OK.
  5. Repeat this process for any other scenes where you want your branding overlays to appear.

Step 3: Easily Toggle the Branding Group

Once nested, your entire branding package behaves as a single source within your main scenes.