How to Refresh an OBS Browser Source for Lyrics

Refresh keeps crop, position, and size

OBS can reload a Browser Source without throwing away the scene item. Use that when the Overlay page is stale but the placement is still correct.

Repeated clicks will not outrun Free polling or a revoked URL. Wait for the page to reconnect once.

Verify URL, size, transparency, and contrast

Confirm the URL is the current credential, width and height match 1920×1080 or 1080×1920, and the background is transparent.

A transparent source can look blank when lyric color matches the camera. Raise contrast or add a restrained outline before assuming the page failed.

Look for CSS or shutdown settings that hide the page

Custom CSS, unexpected zoom, or “Shutdown source when not visible” can freeze or hide lyrics after a scene switch. Reset those after a refresh if the page still looks empty.

Do not paste the Overlay URL into a public snippet while debugging CSS.

Recreate the source last, and record the transform first

Write down position, crop, and size. If the URL was revoked, paste the replacement into the existing source instead of building a second overlapping source.

Recreating is for a corrupted source, not for a credential you have not rotated.

Step-by-step setup

1. 01
   Use the Browser Source refresh action

   Reload the page in place so crop and position stay. Do not delete the source yet.

2. 02
   Read URL, width, height, and transparency

   Match 1920×1080 or 1080×1920 and keep the background transparent.

3. 03
   Check contrast before blaming the URL

   Light text on a bright camera can look like a blank refresh.

4. 04
   Replace a revoked URL, then recreate only if the item is corrupt

   Record the transform first. A second source stacked on the old one is harder to debug.

Frequently asked questions

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