To add an overlay to TikTok LIVE Studio, click Add source under your scene, pick Link, paste the overlay's link and confirm, then size and drag the source where you want it on the canvas. The link comes from the tool that makes the overlay. LIVE Studio also has built-in widgets for alerts, chat, goals, rankings and countdowns, if those cover what you want.
What you need
- TikTok LIVE Studio on your computer, and LIVE access on your account
- A BetterTok account, free to start, with your TikTok username connected
- One overlay to begin with: a goal bar, alerts or a leaderboard
Built-in widgets or a Link source?
LIVE Studio calls everything in your scene a source. Its own widgets include alerts, a chatbox, goals, a viewer ranking and a countdown, and they need nothing else installed. If that list is all you want, start there.
A Link source puts a web page in your scene. An overlay is exactly that: a web page that updates from your LIVE. It is how you add what the widgets do not have, such as a spin wheel, a gift auction or a battle score.
How to add a BetterTok overlay to LIVE Studio
Connect your TikTok username
In BetterTok, open Setup in the sidebar to reach Overview. Type your username in the Connect to go live card and press Connect. BetterTok only listens to your LIVE and never posts for you.
Copy a link
Open Overlays in the sidebar, choose the overlay from the menu, for example Goal Overlays or Alerts, and press Copy live link. Each overlay has its own link.
Add a Link source
In LIVE Studio, select your scene, click Add source and pick Link. Paste the link and confirm.
Place it on the canvas
An overlay draws in the centre of its source unless its editor has a position control, so drag the source to where you want it, and make it bigger if part of it is cut off. Keep the source above your camera or game so it draws on top.
Check it and test it
The chip on the overlay's preview changes from Not connected to TikTok LIVE Studio or OBS to Connected. Then open Event Simulator from the sidebar, pick an event and press Fire this event. Most overlays react the way they would on a real LIVE, with no LIVE needed. A gift challenge only moves on real LIVE events.
Keep each overlay in one place
An overlay link is meant for one place at a time. If the same overlay is open in two sources, the newest copy can take over and leave the old one blank or frozen.
Your link is also private. Anyone who has it can show your overlays, so do not paste it in chat or show it on stream.
Check what TikTok covers
TikTok draws its own buttons and comments over your video on a viewer's phone. Turn on Safe zone above the overlay's preview to see which parts of the screen they cover, and move anything important out of them.
If the overlay does not appear at all, work through the overlay not showing checklist. Prefer OBS? The same links go in a Browser source: add overlays in OBS Studio.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a stream key to add overlays to TikTok LIVE Studio?
No. LIVE Studio signs in with your TikTok account, so an overlay only needs a Link source. What LIVE Studio does need is LIVE access. You can check your status in the top right corner of the app, and TikTok says the requirements vary by country or region.
What is a Link source in TikTok LIVE Studio?
A Link source is a source type that shows a web page inside your scene. TikTok describes it as adding a webpage preview to your LIVE. Overlays are web pages, so they go in a Link source, the same way they go in a Browser source in OBS.
Can I use the same overlay in TikTok LIVE Studio and OBS at the same time?
Not the same overlay. A link is meant for one place at a time: the newest copy can take over and leave the old one blank or frozen. Pick one app per overlay.
How many Link sources can TikTok LIVE Studio run?
TikTok does not publish a limit, but its troubleshooting guide says each source uses more of your computer, so add only the overlays you need.
Can I add overlays if I only go LIVE from my phone?
Not with a Link source, because that belongs to LIVE Studio on a computer. Overlays are drawn by your streaming software, so a phone-only LIVE cannot show them on the video.
Can I add BetterTok overlays to LIVE Studio for free?
Yes. The goal, leaderboard, timer and last-follower overlays are free in their Classic themes, with no watermark on your stream. The Creator plan ($9.99 a month) adds every theme, live auctions and games.