Understanding Canvas: How to Decide What to Stream – StreamElements

Requirements:

- SE.Live installed

- OBS v31.x or newer

Purpose

SE.Live Multistreaming Canvases allow you to create separate streaming layouts for different platforms. This feature ensures your content looks optimized whether you’re streaming in standard (16:9) or vertical (9:16) formats for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and more.

Key Benefits

Vertical Streams – Create 9:16 Canvases for TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
Platform-Specific Designs – Customize layouts for each platform individually.
Custom Resolutions – Set your Canvas to match any platform’s requirements.

This feature helps you maintain high-quality streams across multiple platforms simultaneously.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Adding a Source

Click the ●●● Menu:
- Locate the ●●● (three dots) menu on any output.
Select Add Source:
- From the dropdown menu, choose Add Source.
Choose Source Type:
- Select the type of source you want to add (e.g., Video Capture Device, Media Source, etc.).

You’ve now added a source to your Canvas!

Creating Your First Vertical Canvas

Open the Canvas Menu:
- Click the three dots menu next to any output in your Multistreaming panel.
- Select Canvas and then click Create New Canvas.

Name and Set Resolution:
- A new window will pop up.
- Give your Canvas a name.
- For vertical platforms like TikTok or YouTube Shorts, select the 1080x1920 resolution.

Save the Canvas:
- Once you've named your Canvas and selected the resolution, click OK to create it.

In the Canvas window:

Viewers' Preview:
At the top, you’ll see a preview of what your viewers will see during the stream.
Create Scenes and Add Sources:
At the bottom, you can create Scenes and add Sources, just like you would in OBS.

This allows you to fully customize your stream layout and content before going live!

TIP!
If you accidentally close the StreamElements Canvas panel, you can always reopen it by going to the StreamElements menu and selecting SE.Live Docks.