How to Set Up a Track Matte Stinger in OBS
A track matte stinger uses an animated mask to control how one OBS scene reveals another. A separate visual animation can sit over the change, creating a designed transition rather than a simple cut or fade.
This is an advanced layout feature. You do not need it to produce a clear webcam stream or recording.
Start with a compatible transition file
Use a track matte made for OBS's supported layout. The documented single-file arrangements are side by side or stacked:
- Side by side: the visual animation is on the left and the matte is on the right.
- Stacked: the visual animation is at the top and the matte is at the bottom.
For two 1920 × 1080 components, these arrangements produce a 3840 × 1080 or 1920 × 2160 combined file respectively.
Make sure you have permission to use the asset in your intended production.
Add the stinger
- 1.In Scene Transitions, add a Stinger transition.
- 2.Select the transition's video file.
- 3.Enable its Track Matte option.
- 4.Choose the layout that matches the file.
- 5.Review the available audio and playback settings.
Track matte controls require a suitable OBS version; the feature was introduced in OBS 27. Do not choose a regular cut-point setup for a file intended to use an animated matte.
Understand what the matte does
Black matte pixels show the outgoing scene, white pixels show the incoming scene, and intermediate brightness permits a blend.
If the wrong half of the file appears or the reveal is misplaced, check the selected layout before changing your scenes. A regular stinger file without the matching matte cannot be converted into one simply by selecting the checkbox.
Test between contrasting scenes
Create an offline test with two easily distinguished scenes. Watch the start, the reveal, and the end of the transition. Confirm the new scene is fully visible once it finishes and that no unwanted sound plays.
Repeat in the other direction and in a recording. A smooth preview alone does not confirm your computer can render the full show plus the transition.
Keep the file arrangement supported
OBS's track-matte guide warns against separate video and matte files because their playback cannot be assumed to stay synchronized. Use a supported combined-file layout unless your installed version's documentation explicitly provides another route.
Keep a simple cut or fade available if the designed transition causes performance problems.