OBS Captions Plugin Broken? Try This Instead

OBS caption plugins frequently break when OBS updates. The fix: StreamTranslate uses OBS browser source instead of a plugin — it never breaks from OBS updates and has zero GPU overhead.

Start Translating Free → No credit card · 28+ languages · Works with OBS, Streamlabs, XSplit

Why OBS Caption Plugins Break

OBS plugins are compiled for specific OBS versions and must be updated every time OBS releases a major update. If you update OBS without updating your caption plugin, the plugin will crash or stop working. This is a known issue with LocalVocal, Closed Captioner for OBS, and similar plugin-based tools.

The Fix: Use Browser Source Instead

StreamTranslate bypasses this problem entirely by using OBS browser source instead of a plugin. A browser source is a native OBS feature that's never broken by OBS updates. It simply loads a URL in an embedded browser window.

This also means zero performance impact on your streaming PC — all transcription and translation processing happens in the cloud, not locally.

How to Switch From a Plugin to StreamTranslate

1. Remove your broken OBS caption plugin. 2. Sign up at streamtranslate.live. 3. Copy your unique overlay URL. 4. In OBS: Sources → Add → Browser Source → paste URL. 5. Go live. That's it — and it'll never break from an OBS update.

Frequently asked questions

Why do OBS caption plugins break?
OBS caption plugins are compiled for specific OBS versions and break when OBS updates. They need to be manually updated after each OBS release, creating frequent downtime. Browser source-based tools like StreamTranslate are not affected by OBS updates.
What is a good OBS caption plugin alternative?
StreamTranslate is the best OBS caption plugin alternative. It uses browser source instead of a plugin — works on all OBS versions, never breaks from updates, has zero GPU overhead, and supports 28+ languages with under 2-second latency.
Does StreamTranslate work after an OBS update?
Yes. StreamTranslate uses OBS browser source, not a plugin, so it is never affected by OBS updates. As long as your browser source URL is in OBS, it will work regardless of which OBS version you are running.

Related guides

Setup Guide → OBS Browser Source → Pricing → Stream Translate → Twitch Translation →