Starting Soon
A Starting Soon screen greets viewers the moment they show up early, giving you a few minutes to finish tech checks, settle in, and let chat gather before you actually go live, rather than starting cold the instant your stream flips on.
Starting Soon vs. Be Right Back
These cover two different moments in a stream, not the same one. Be Right Back is for a pause mid-stream once you’re already live, a short interruption viewers already committed to watching are waiting out. Starting Soon comes before that entirely, the screen viewers see while they wait for your stream to actually begin, giving early arrivals something to look at and a reason to stay rather than clicking away before anything’s even started. The stakes are a little different too: someone who clicks away during a Be Right Back break already knows your content and is likely to return, while someone who leaves during a Starting Soon wait may never have seen your content at all, making that first impression matter more than it might seem.
Why a Starting Soon Screen Actually Helps
Beyond just filling time, a Starting Soon screen buys you a genuine buffer to confirm audio and video are working correctly before you’re actually on camera, catching a problem here is far less awkward than discovering it live. It also gives early viewers and regulars a chance to chat with each other while they wait on platforms like Twitch, building a bit of community momentum before the main content even starts. Most streaming guidance suggests keeping the wait reasonably short, somewhere around 5 to 10 minutes, since interest tends to drop off if people are left waiting much longer than that.
Common Ways People Use a Starting Soon Screen
This works well as the very first thing viewers see when your stream goes live on Twitch, YouTube, or Kick, a pre-show screen while you finish setup, or a scheduled countdown for an event stream people know is coming in advance. It’s also a small but genuine branding opportunity, the first visual impression a new viewer gets of your channel before you’ve even said a word. Pair it with an On Air Sign once you actually go live to make the transition from waiting to live feel clear and deliberate.
FAQ
Do I need OBS or Streamlabs to use this?
No, you can display it directly in a browser tab as your active scene in OBS or any streaming software, before switching over to your live content once you’re ready.
Can I add a countdown timer to it?
Depending on the build, many Starting Soon screens include or pair with a countdown so viewers can see exactly how long they’ll be waiting.
How long should I leave a Starting Soon screen up?
Somewhere around 5 to 10 minutes is a common sweet spot, long enough to gather viewers and finish setup without losing people who won’t wait indefinitely.
Do I need to download anything?
No, it runs directly in your browser, nothing to install.
Will this work on my phone if I stream from mobile?
Yes, it renders the same in any modern mobile browser as it does on a laptop or desktop.
Is any of my data collected while I use it?
No, it runs locally in your browser with nothing uploaded.
Should I show a fixed message or an actual countdown timer?
A visible countdown tends to work better than a static message alone, since it gives viewers a concrete sense of how much longer they’ll be waiting rather than an open-ended “soon.”
Is it worth including my social media handles on this screen?
Yes, it’s a natural spot for that, viewers waiting for you to start have a bit of downtime to notice and follow your other channels before the main content pulls their attention.
