Browser Source
Browser Source Captions for OBS
Real-time captions delivered as an OBS browser source. No plugin to install, no model to download, no CPU cost. Just one URL — captions on your stream in 60 seconds.
Why "browser source" is the right way to do captions
OBS Browser Source is a built-in feature (since 2017). It loads any web page into your OBS canvas as a layer — same way you'd add a PNG overlay or webcam.
Doing captions via browser source means: no plugin install, no compatibility issues with OBS updates, no CPU cost on your machine. The captions render in our cloud, OBS just displays the result.
How browser source captions work
- Sign up at /control — 3 free hours every month
- Set your audio source language and target caption language
- Copy the unique browser source URL
- In OBS: Sources → + → Browser Source → paste URL → set 1920x1080
- Start streaming — captions appear on your video
The browser source maintains a real-time connection connection to our backend. As you speak, audio is captured by our control panel (separate browser tab), transcribed in our cloud, and sent to your OBS browser source for display.
Browser source advantages over plugins
- Zero install — no .exe, no .deb, no DLL
- OBS-update-proof — Browser Source spec is stable since 2017
- Cross-platform — same URL works on Windows, Mac, Linux OBS
- No GPU cost — transcription runs in our cloud, not your GPU
- No model downloads — 65 languages, all available immediately
- Easy to disable — just toggle the source visibility off
Common OBS browser source caption questions
- Does it work in Streamlabs OBS? Yes — Browser Source is identical.
- What about OBS forks like StreamUP, AzkOBS? All OBS-based forks support Browser Source.
- Twitch Studio is retired. Twitch ended support after May 30, 2024; use a current supported broadcasting workflow.
- Will the captions slow down OBS? Browser Source has been performance-optimized for years. Captions are lightweight HTML — minimal impact.
Frequently asked
Are browser source captions reliable for production streaming?
Yes. We've handled tens of thousands of streaming hours. Browser Source captions are production-grade. Many partner-tier streamers use them.
Can I customize browser source captions?
Yes — font size, color, outline, position, font family, all customizable in real time via /control.
Do browser source captions cost more CPU?
Minimal. Browser Source rendering is GPU-accelerated in OBS. Captions are lightweight HTML/CSS, no significant cost.
Will browser source captions work in OBS recordings?
Yes. If you record OBS output, captions are baked into the recording video.
How does this compare to OBS plugin captions?
A Browser Source renders a web page inside OBS. Cloud speech processing avoids a local speech model, while capture and rendering still use resources. Plugin = local processing, heavy CPU/GPU cost, install required, OBS update fragility. Full comparison.