OBS UPI Donation Alert Not Working? 12 Common Issues and How to Fix Them (2026)

1. Browser Source Loads Blank / White

Symptom: Added the URL but the source shows white or transparent. No alert ever appears.

Fixes:

• Right-click the browser source → Refresh cache of current page.
• Verify the URL has no typo. Copy fresh from the Stream Alert dashboard.
• Check that your streaming PC has internet (try opening the URL in Chrome).
• Set source width/height to 1920×1080 — some OBS builds render 0x0 invisibly.
• If on Windows, restart OBS as administrator once.

2. No Alert Triggers Even With Test

Symptom: You click "Test alert" in the dashboard. Nothing on stream.

Fixes:

• Open the alert URL directly in a browser — if test fires there, OBS source is the problem.
• Make sure the browser source isn't toggled invisible (eye icon).
• Check OBS Filter chain — a stray Color Key or Crop filter can hide the alert.
• Ensure scene order: alert source must be above game capture in the Source list.

3. Alert Shows but No Sound

Symptom: Visual fires correctly, but no chime / TTS audio.

Fixes:

• Properties of the browser source → check "Control audio via OBS".
• Verify audio mixer for the source isn't muted (volume slider).
• Make sure your streaming output (Track 1) includes that audio source.
• Test by opening alert URL in Chrome with the volume up — if Chrome silent too, sound file isn't loading.

4. Alert Fires Twice / Duplicates

Symptom: Every donation triggers two alerts back-to-back.

Fixes:

• You likely have the browser source in two scenes with the same URL active simultaneously — deduplicate.
• If you run StreamElements + Stream Alert both for UPI, disable Stream Alert UPI in SE settings.
• Some users open the alert URL in Chrome on the streaming PC for monitoring — that monitoring window also reacts. Close it.

5. TTS Doesn't Speak Donor Name

Symptom: Alert appears but TTS doesn't read out the name or message.

Fixes:

• Enable TTS in Stream Alert dashboard — it's off by default for first-time users.
• Confirm the right language is selected (Hindi vs Indian English use different voices).
• Make sure donation amount exceeds the TTS minimum threshold (default ₹10).
• For donations under threshold, set "Always read names" on.

6. Real UPI Payments Don't Trigger (Only Tests)

Symptom: Test alert works, but actual GPay/PhonePe payments don't.

Fixes:

• Go to Android Settings → Notification Access → ensure Stream Alert is enabled.
• Disable Battery Optimization for Stream Alert (Settings → Apps → Stream Alert → Battery → Unrestricted).
• Ensure you haven't swiped Stream Alert out of recent apps.
• Check that GPay/PhonePe notifications themselves are enabled (not silenced via Do Not Disturb).

7. Stream Alert Disconnects After 30 Minutes

Symptom: Alerts fire for the first 30 minutes of stream, then stop.

Fixes:

• This is a battery-saver kill. Go to Phone Settings → Battery → Stream Alert → Don't optimize / Allow background activity.
• On Xiaomi/MIUI — also enable Autostart.
• On Realme/Oppo — lock the app in Recent Apps (the lock icon).

8. OBS Browser Source Lags or Stutters

Symptom: When alert fires, OBS FPS drops or game audio cracks.

Fixes:

• Reduce browser source resolution to 1280×720 — full 1080p costs more CPU.
• Disable hardware acceleration if you're on an older GPU (rare).
• Move the source to a Dedicated Browser Source instance via OBS Studio settings.

9. Alert Shows Old / Wrong Data

Symptom: Alert displays a 2-week-old donation.

Fixes:

• Refresh cache of the browser source.
• In Stream Alert dashboard, click "Clear queue" to drop stuck events.
• Sign out and sign back in to Stream Alert — rebuilds the event subscription.

10. Business UPI Account Not Detected

Symptom: Personal UPI works fine but GPay Business / Paytm for Business doesn't fire.

Fixes:

• Make sure the Business app (e.g., Paytm for Business) is installed and notifications are on.
• In Stream Alert → Apps → toggle on the Business app.
• Confirm the Business app actually sends a notification when payment arrives — some Business apps default to silent.

11. Hindi/Tamil Characters Show as Boxes

Symptom: Donor message in Hindi/Tamil shows as squares or question marks.

Fixes:

• In your alert font settings, switch to a font that supports Indic scripts: Mukta, Hind, Tiro Devanagari, Noto Sans Tamil.
• If using a custom font, make sure the .ttf has Indic Unicode ranges.

12. Alert Fires Late (10+ Second Delay)

Symptom: Alert lands 10–30 seconds after donation.

Fixes:

• Check phone's Wi-Fi/data — high latency adds delay.
• Restart Stream Alert app to rebuild socket connection.
• If you're multistreaming through a relay (Restream), inherent 2–5 sec lag from the relay adds up — this is normal.

13. FAQ

My phone restarted mid-stream — do I need to redo setup?

No. Re-launch Stream Alert and grant notification access if Android dropped it.

Can I use Stream Alert on two phones?

One device at a time per account. If you switch phones, sign out on the old phone first.

Does Stream Alert work on iPhone?

Not currently — iOS blocks third-party apps from reading other apps' notifications. Android-only as of May 2026.

Do I need to keep OBS open the whole time?

Yes — OBS is what renders the browser source. The alert can't display without OBS running.

My phone hits 95% battery during long streams. Safe?

Yes, but use a fan/cooler. Avoid charging-while-streaming on phones that don't support bypass charging.