How to Add a Countdown Timer in OBS Studio

Setting up a countdown timer on your “Starting Soon” screen in OBS Studio is a great way to build anticipation before your stream starts. This guide will show you how to natively create and customize a countdown timer using OBS Studio’s built-in scripting tools, completely eliminating the need for third-party browser sources or external plugins.

Step 1: Create a Text Source

Before activating the timer, you need a text element in your scene to display the countdown.

  1. Open OBS Studio and select the scene where you want the timer (e.g., your “Starting Soon” scene).
  2. In the Sources dock, click the + (plus) icon and select Text (GDI+).
  3. Name the source (e.g., “Countdown Timer”) and click OK.
  4. In the properties window, customize your font, size, and color. You can leave the “Text” box empty for now, as the script will automatically overwrite it. Click OK.

Step 2: Load the Native Countdown Script

OBS Studio comes with a pre-installed Lua script designed specifically for countdowns.

  1. In the top menu bar, click on Tools and select Scripts.
  2. In the Scripts window, click the + (plus) icon in the bottom-left corner of the “Loaded Scripts” tab.
  3. This will open the OBS scripts folder. Select the file named countdown.lua and click Open.

Step 3: Configure the Countdown Settings

Once the script is loaded, you will see its settings pane on the right side of the Scripts window.

  1. Duration (minutes): Enter the length of your countdown (e.g., 5 for a five-minute timer).
  2. Text Source: Click the dropdown menu and select the Text source you created in Step 1 (e.g., “Countdown Timer”).
  3. Final Text: Type the message you want to display when the timer hits zero (e.g., “Stream Starting Now!” or “Welcome!”).
  4. Click Close.

Step 4: Position and Test Your Timer

Your countdown timer is now active and will begin counting down immediately.