How To Connect and Control Streamlabs Desktop

SheevChat can control Streamlabs Desktop from Commands, Automations, Timers, and SheevPad. This is a separate connection and action family from OBS Studio.

Enable Third-Party Connections in Streamlabs

  1. Open Streamlabs Desktop.
  2. Open Settings → Mobile → Third Party Connections.
  3. Enable Allow third party connections.
  4. Copy the displayed port and API token.

Keep Streamlabs Desktop open while testing or using its actions.

Connect SheevChat

  1. Open Settings → Connect in SheevChat.
  2. Expand Streamlabs Desktop.
  3. Enable Streamlabs Desktop connection.
  4. Leave Host as 127.0.0.1 when both apps run on the same computer. For another computer, enter the Streamlabs computer's reachable LAN IP.
  5. Enter the port and API token from Streamlabs Desktop.
  6. Click Test Connection.
  7. Click Refresh Scenes after it connects.

The card reports the number of scenes and sources detected and shows the current scene. Enable Refresh scenes on SheevChat launch or Refresh scenes when Streamlabs reconnects when you want its catalogs refreshed automatically.

Add a Streamlabs Action

Create or edit a Custom Command, Automation, Timer, or SheevPad button, then:

  1. Open Action Builder.
  2. Select Streamlabs Desktop Control.
  3. Add the desired action.
  4. Select its live scene, source, or audio-source fields where required.
  5. Save and test the item.

Available operations include:

  • Get connection status or refresh the scene/source catalog
  • Get, set, or return to the previous scene
  • Show, hide, or toggle a source
  • Mute, unmute, or toggle an audio source
  • Change a browser source URL
  • Start, stop, or toggle streaming and recording
  • Start, stop, toggle, or save the replay buffer
  • Send an advanced raw Streamlabs request

Start with a harmless scene or source-visibility test before using output controls. Start/stop actions wait for Streamlabs to confirm important state changes before the action sequence continues.

React to Streamlabs Changes

Automations can react to Streamlabs Desktop scene changes, stream or recording state, replay-buffer state, source visibility, and source mute changes. Choose the Streamlabs trigger, narrow its condition when needed, then add the actions that should run after that state changes.

Overlay Builder layouts can also be linked directly to Streamlabs scenes. This is useful when a layout should follow manual scene changes without creating a separate automation for every scene.

Choose the Correct Visibility Target

For a source-visibility action, choose one target mode:

  • Linked source — all instances changes every Streamlabs scene item sharing that source, including horizontal and vertical canvas instances.
  • Selected scene item only changes only the exact item inside the selected scene.

Use the selected-item option when the same source should be visible in one scene but hidden in another. Duplicate names include scene or canvas context to help identify the intended item.

Refresh the Streamlabs catalog after renaming, moving, duplicating, or deleting scenes and sources. SheevChat verifies saved targets before changing them and rejects stale items instead of silently controlling a different source.

Use Streamlabs in a Sequence

Example SheevPad ending button:

  1. Scenes — Set scene to your ending scene.
  2. Pause / wait for the scene transition.
  3. Run any chat, Credits, overlay, recording, or streaming actions needed afterward.

Streamlabs Desktop actions and OBS Studio actions are independent. Connecting one does not connect the other, and their scene/source lists and control behavior are not interchangeable.

When a Streamlabs scene change also swaps Master Overlay, use Fade to match the Streamlabs transition and prevent visible snapping. See How To Match Overlay Fades to Scene Transitions.

Common Problems

  • Connection fails: Confirm Streamlabs is open, third-party connections are allowed, and the port and token are current.
  • Another computer cannot connect: Use the Streamlabs computer's LAN IP and allow the connection through its firewall. Do not use 127.0.0.1 across computers.
  • Scene or source is missing: Click Refresh Scenes after changing the Streamlabs collection or canvas.
  • Saved action reports a stale target: Edit the action and select the current scene item again.
  • Linked visibility changes too much: Switch the action to Selected scene item only.
  • Replay save fails: Start the replay buffer before trying to save a replay.
  • OBS changes instead: Replace the action with the Streamlabs Desktop Control version; the two action families are separate.