Chat Overlay
Chat Overlay shows viewer comments directly on your live screen, in one of 14 themes.
What is Chat Overlay
Viewers on TikTok don't always look at the chat panel, especially if they're doing something else while they watch. Putting the chat on screen lets everyone follow the conversation and makes the live feel busy.
Read Comments reads comments out loud. This overlay shows them visually instead. You can use both at the same time.
Before you start
Your TikTok Live must be connected.
Setup steps
- Open the Chat menu.
- Pick a theme you like (see 14 Chat Overlay themes).
- Set up General Settings: who appears in the overlay.
- Add the overlay.
In General Settings, if no target is selected, you get "Please select at least 1 first." and no chat appears in the overlay.
Add the overlay
Open the Chat menu in the dashboard, find the Install Overlay in OBS / TikTok Live Studio card, and copy the overlay link. Paste it as a Browser Source in OBS, or add it through Add Source → Link in TikTok Live Studio, at 1920 × 1080.
Use the Customize button on the same card to change how this overlay looks.
Never installed an overlay before? Read Installing Overlays in OBS & TikTok Live Studio first. It walks through each step.
Important settings
The Customize button opens the display settings:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Choose Font, Font Size | Basic typography |
| Font Color, Background Color | Text and background colors |
| Line Spacing, Letter Spacing | Text density |
| Animation | How new messages appear |
| Chat disappears after | How long a message stays before it disappears |
| Max chats shown | How many messages are visible at once. 0 = show all |
| Minimalist | Compact layout |
| Profile Photo | Shows the sender's profile photo |
| Show Coins | Shows the coin count next to the message |
| Show Badge | Shows the sender's role badge |
| Stroke Text | Text outline, which keeps text readable on bright backgrounds |
| Right Align | Aligns the chat to the right |
If the chat sits on top of gameplay or your camera, plain white text often disappears over bright areas. Stroke Text keeps it readable without a dark background covering the screen.
A value of 0 shows everything and can fill the screen when the live is busy. 5 to 8 is usually enough.
Common problems
Symptom: the overlay is added but no chat appears. Check General Settings. Most likely no target is selected. Also check that your TikTok Live is connected.
Symptom: chat piles up until it runs off the screen. Lower Max chats shown and set Chat disappears after so old messages disappear on their own.
Symptom: text is unreadable over gameplay. Turn on Stroke Text, or set a fairly dark Background Color.