Quick start
From zero to your first overlay in OBS in about five minutes.
You need Windows 10 or 11, OBS Studio 28 or later, and a YouTube channel. The ForgeCast installer is rolling out to early-access streamers first.
You can try every screen without connecting anything: turn on Preview mode in Settings → Preview & device.
Create your ForgeCast account
Go to Sign in and choose Continue with Google or Continue with Discord. Signing in for the first time creates your account on the Free plan. See Account & plans.
Install the app and sign in
Install ForgeCast, open it, and choose Sign in. Your browser opens a page asking you to authorize the app — click Authorize. Details: Connect the desktop app.
Connect YouTube
In the app, open Integrations and press Connect YouTube. Your browser opens ForgeCast, then Google, where you pick the account that owns your channel; the app updates by itself. (Or type your @handle instead.) This is what lets ForgeCast see your live chat and alerts. Details: Connect your YouTube channel.
Connect OBS
Turn on OBS's WebSocket server (Tools → WebSocket Server Settings), then connect from Integrations → OBS Studio. You can then see your scenes, switch them and mute your audio from ForgeCast. Details: Connect OBS.
Pick an overlay
Add an overlay or widget to your library, such as Midnight Forest, or design your own on the website (Pro and Ultimate). Press Use on the app's Marketplace page and ForgeCast puts it in OBS. If OBS lags, set the overlay's Performance to Saver. Details: Widgets, overlays and themes.
Test it
Open Widgets → Alert box, press Use, then Send test to see one in OBS. When you go live, real Super Chats, memberships and gifts arrive in the Dashboard, in Recent events, on your alert box and in your chat actions the same way.
Next steps
- Want to make your own overlays? That needs a Pro or Ultimate plan — see Account & plans.
- Something not working? See Troubleshooting.