How to Make a Professional Twitch Starting Screen (Free Tool)
Your "Starting Soon" screen is the first thing viewers see when they join your stream. It sets the mood, lets early birds chat, and gives you time to check your audio levels before going live. The good news? You don't need Photoshop or expensive design software to create one—our free starting screen maker does it all in your browser.
Why You Need a Starting Screen
- Builds Hype: A 5-10 minute countdown builds anticipation and signals professionalism.
- Tech Check: Gives you a buffer to ensure your stream is stable and audio is synced before you go on camera.
- Chat Engagement: Allows your community to gather and say hello before the show starts.
- Brand Identity: A custom screen with your colors, fonts, and social handles reinforces your brand.
Types of Stream Screens You Can Create
Our generator supports four essential screen types that every streamer needs:
- Starting Soon: The classic pre-stream screen. Display this while you're setting up or waiting for viewers to arrive.
- Be Right Back (BRB): Use this during bathroom breaks, food runs, or when you need to step away mid-stream.
- Stream Ending: Say goodbye gracefully with a closing screen that thanks viewers and promotes your socials.
- Offline: When you're not live, show an offline screen so visitors know when to catch your next stream.
Animation Styles Explained
Static screens work, but animated screens capture attention and look more professional. Here's what each animation does:
- Neon Glow: Adds a pulsing glow effect around your text—perfect for gaming and cyberpunk themes.
- Pulse Effect: Your main text subtly scales up and down, creating a breathing effect.
- Wave Animation: Text gently floats up and down like a calm ocean wave.
- Floating Particles: Adds decorative particles that drift across the screen.
- Spotlight Sweep: A light beam sweeps across the screen for a dramatic effect.
- Glitch Effect: Retro-style digital glitches for that hacker/vaporwave aesthetic.
Pro Tip: Add Background Music
A silent starting screen feels awkward. Add a "Media Source" in OBS with copyright-free Lo-Fi, synthwave, or chill beats. Keep the volume around -20dB to -25dB so it doesn't overpower your voice when you go live.
How to Use This Generator
- Select Screen Type: Choose from Starting Soon, BRB, Stream Ending, or Offline.
- Customize Text: Change the main text and subtext to match your brand.
- Pick Your Font: Choose from 8 premium fonts—from clean and modern to retro pixel art.
- Set Colors: Match your Twitch or YouTube channel's color scheme.
- Choose Animation: Select an animation style (PNG will be static, HTML will be animated).
- Add Socials: Include your Twitch, YouTube, Discord, and Twitter handles.
- Download: Get your screen as PNG (static) or HTML (animated) for OBS.
Adding Your Screen to OBS
For PNG files: Add an "Image" source in OBS and select your downloaded file. For HTML files: Add a "Browser" source, check "Local file", select the HTML file, and set the resolution to 1920x1080.
Best Practices
Keep it simple. A clean design with your social handles and a clear title is all you need. The focus should be on chat interaction and background music, not visual clutter. Use our Countdown Timer tool as a separate layer for a live countdown.