How to add a countdown timer in OBS

Step by step

1. 01

   Download the plugin from the official repository

   Official OBS Countdown Timer releases ↗

   You've got a Starting Soon screen and no countdown on it. Not great, because while you sit there in silence, half your viewers are already scrolling TikTok. Open the official Ashmanix Countdown Timer repository on GitHub and go to Releases. In the video, Nicole picks the Windows x64 Installer, the .exe, and says she doesn't know how to install the ZIP version. That was true when she recorded. Since version 2.1.0, new releases no longer ship a Windows installer: the file to download is the Windows x64 ZIP (macOS has a .pkg and Linux a .deb). Take the one for your system from the official page, not from files re-uploaded on other sites. Guide tip: the README asks for OBS 30 or later, so check your version.

   What you should see: Your downloads folder has the Windows x64 ZIP (or the macOS .pkg or Linux .deb for your system).

2. 02

   Copy the plugin into the OBS folder with OBS closed

   2.1.0 release notes on GitHub ↗

   Close OBS completely before you start. Extract the ZIP and copy the entire plugin folder into C:\ProgramData\obs-studio\plugins, which is what the 2.1.0 release notes ask for. If you had an older version installed with the Windows installer, delete those files first, because they interfere with the new one. Then open OBS. In the video (1:33), Nicole uses the old installer: Windows warns it's an unknown app, she clicks Run anyway, follows the steps and insists on having OBS closed. She also reminds you that you always download at your own risk.

   What you should see: Countdown Timer is listed in the OBS Docks menu.

   

3. 03

   Create the text source for the timer

   Nicole, text source ↗

   In your Starting Soon scene, go to Sources, click + and choose Text (GDI+). Pick Create new, name it countdown or timer and click OK. The properties window opens. Click OK again for now, we'll do the design later.

   What you should see: A source called countdown shows in the Sources list of your Starting Soon scene.

4. 04

   Link the dock to your text and start it

   Nicole, linking the source ↗

   Open the Countdown Timer dock and click the gear icon. Under General, set Source to your countdown text. There are two timer types. P lets you enter days, hours, minutes and seconds and counts down from there. D lets you pick a date and time and counts down to that moment. To start, enter 5 minutes under P and press Play.

   What you should see: The number appears in your scene and drops by one every second.

   

5. 05

   Decide what happens at zero

   Nicole, final message and scene ↗

   In the gear settings there's an option to start the timer automatically when your stream starts. That's the easiest way. Message sets what appears when it ends, so if you're counting down to a game launch, something like Silent Hill is out. Scene picks where OBS goes when it finishes. I'd start on Just Chatting for a few minutes: if people are in chat, talk a bit, and if not, say hi for the YouTube upload later. Careful with auto-switching, though. If you're away from your desk, the stream starts anyway. A guide tip, not from the video: test with 10 seconds so you're not waiting around after each change.

   What you should see: At zero, OBS switches to the scene you chose on its own, or the timer shows your message.

   

6. 06

   Pick the format and the font

   Nicole, format and design ↗

   Display format controls which units show: days, hours, minutes or seconds. I only show minutes, because I don't think people wait more than 10 minutes in a chat, and I'd say not even 3. Days and hours are for things like a 2-day stream. There's also Count up, which counts upward to the number you set. Then double-click the countdown source to change the font, which defaults to Arial and matches nothing. Pick one close to your overlay and bump the size, I use 26. If you can't see a thing, go to Color and pick your design color, with opacity or a gradient if you like.

   What you should see: The timer reads clearly over your overlay, in your font and color.

   

7. 07

   Set the alignment and outline

   Nicole, alignment and outline ↗

   In the same text properties, choose the alignment: center, left or right, depending on how your overlay is laid out. If your design uses outlined lettering, turn on Outline and set its color and thickness. The more you customize it, the more it looks like part of your design.

   What you should see: The timer lines up with the rest of your overlay text and, with outline on, a colored edge shows around the numbers.

8. 08

   Keep a plan B without the plugin

   Official OBS Studio overview ↗

   Duplicate your Starting Soon scene with static text, like Starting in 5 minutes, and assign a hotkey to your main scene under Settings, Hotkeys. If an OBS update breaks the plugin, you still start on time without fixing anything live.

   What you should see: You have a backup scene with static text, and pressing the hotkey jumps OBS to your main scene.

9. 09

   Use it every time you go live

   Nicole, using the countdown ↗

   Before each stream, check the timer is in your Starting Soon scene with the time you want. That way people know exactly when you're starting and they stick around in chat. And that's it, your countdown timer works and looks good, and you didn't have to sell your soul to some sketchy app. No excuses now.

   What you should see: When you go live, the Starting Soon scene shows the timer counting down from the time you set.