Can You Paste an Image Into OBS? Use an Image Source

No. OBS Studio can't paste an image from the Windows clipboard. Ctrl+V in the Sources list pastes a copied OBS source, not a picture. To get an image into OBS, save it as a file first (for example, paste it into Paint and save it as a PNG), then drag the file into the OBS window or add an Image source and browse to it. OBS reads the image from that file, so it's still there after you restart OBS or your PC.

Step 1: Turn the copied image into a file

If the image is only on your clipboard, save it before you copy anything else:

1. Open Paint and press Ctrl+V.
2. Select File > Save as > PNG picture.
3. Save it in a folder you keep for stream assets, for example Documents\OBS\overlays, with a clear name such as sponsor-logo.png.

Other ways to end up with a file:

• Screenshots: with Snipping Tool's automatic save on, every Win+Shift+S snip is also saved to Pictures > Screenshots. Move the ones you use on stream into your assets folder, because OBS will break if the file is later moved or deleted.
• Web images: right-click and choose Save image as instead of Copy image.
• ShareX: turn on Save image to file in After capture tasks, and add Copy file path to clipboard if you want the path ready to paste into OBS's file browser.

How to name and keep a copied image as an asset covers saving copied images in more detail.

Step 2: Add the image to OBS

Drag and drop (fastest)

Drag the image file from File Explorer onto the OBS preview or the Sources dock. OBS creates an Image source for it in the current scene automatically.

Drag and drop accepts .bmp, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .tga, .webp and, on Windows, .jxr files. Dropping other file types creates other sources: video and audio files become a Media source, and .html files become a Browser source.

If dragging does nothing, check whether OBS is running as administrator. Windows blocks drag and drop from a normal app such as File Explorer into an elevated one, and the OBS developers recommend not running OBS as admin if you need to drag images in. Why you can't drag into an elevated window explains the Windows rule.

Add an Image source

1. In the Sources dock, select + > Image.
2. Name the source, for example sponsor-logo, and select OK.
3. Next to Image File, select Browse and choose your file.
4. Leave Unload image when not showing off unless you need to save memory; turning it on frees the image while the source is hidden.
5. Select OK, then position and resize the image in the preview.

For a set of images that rotate, use an Image Slide Show source instead and add the files or a folder to it.

Which image formats OBS supports

The OBS Knowledge Base lists .bmp, .tga, .png, .jpeg, .jpg and .gif for Image sources. The Image source's file picker in current OBS versions also accepts .psd, .webp and, on Windows, .jxr.

For overlays that sit over your camera or gameplay, use PNG with transparency. JPEG has no transparency, so the background shows as a solid block. A screenshot can't capture transparency either: it records whatever was behind the window. Export transparent overlays from your design app instead. Keeping transparent PNGs transparent explains what keeps or loses the alpha channel.

Updating an overlay without touching OBS

An Image source remembers the file's path, and OBS checks the file about once a second. If you save a new version over the same file name, OBS reloads it automatically. That makes it easy to update a "now playing" graphic or a sponsor slot between segments: export over the same file and the change appears on stream.

The flip side: if the file is moved, renamed or deleted, the source goes blank. Keep stream assets in one dedicated folder rather than Downloads, Desktop or the Screenshots folder.

Dragging images from a clipboard manager

Some clipboard managers let you drag a copied image out as a file, and OBS will happily turn that into an Image source. Check where the file lives first. Edge Drop, made by the team behind this site, drags copied images out as temporary PNGs in its own temp folder, and deletes each one when you remove that item from its history, which would leave the OBS source blank. Files you copied in File Explorer are dragged as the original files, so those are safe. For anything that stays in a scene, save the image into your overlays folder and drag it from there. How to drag an item out of Edge Drop has more on how drag-out works.

Pre-stream checklist

• Every Image source points to a file in your stream assets folder, not Downloads or Screenshots.
• Overlays that need transparency are PNGs exported from a design app, not screenshots.
• Restart OBS once before going live. Any source that comes back blank has a missing or moved file.
• Clear your clipboard history if you copied a stream key or other secret during setup: Win+V > Clear all.

FAQ

What does Ctrl+V do in OBS?

With a source selected in the Sources list, Ctrl+C copies the source and Ctrl+V pastes it, for example to reuse a webcam or overlay in another scene. It doesn't paste images from other apps.

Can a Browser source show an image from the clipboard?

No. A Browser source loads a web page or a local HTML file. To show an image, save it to disk and either add it as an Image source or reference it from your HTML.

Can you add a GIF to OBS?

Yes. Save the GIF as a file and add it as an Image source or drag it into OBS. Copying an animated GIF from a browser usually only copies a still frame, so download the file instead.

Why is an Image source blank after a restart?

The file it points to has moved, been renamed or been deleted. Open the source's properties, select Browse and choose the file again.

Related reading

• How to Keep Transparent PNGs Transparent Through Paste
• How to Save a Copied Image With Your Own File Name
• Can't Drag and Drop Into an Admin Window? Here's Why
• How to Copy and Paste SVG as Vectors, Not Pixels

Sources

• Image Sources (OBS Knowledge Base) — Image File property, listed formats, Unload image when not showing, Image Slide Show.
• Keyboard Shortcuts (OBS Knowledge Base) — Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V copy and paste sources.
• OBSBasic_Dropfiles.cpp (OBS Studio on GitHub) — file types that drag and drop turns into Image, Media, Browser and Text sources.
• image-source.c (OBS Studio on GitHub) — Image source file filter and the once-a-second file change check.
• OBS Studio issue #4357 (GitHub) — OBS team's explanation and advice.
• Copy and paste objects (Figma Help) — most browsers copy an animated GIF as a static image.
• Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots (Microsoft Support) — automatic saving of snips.
• ShareX — Save image to file and Copy file path to clipboard.

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How to Install Guide · First 10 Minutes Guide · Drag & Drop Guide · Edge Drop vs Win+V · Support