Understanding LiveSplit One and Its Purpose in Streaming

LiveSplit One is a timer program created for speedrunners—people who play video games as quickly as possible while recording their attempts. The software tracks elapsed time, splits (predetermined checkpoints in a run), and personal records. Unlike the original LiveSplit, LiveSplit One uses a modern codebase written in Rust, which makes it lighter and faster for computers with lower specifications.

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Speedrunning communities track performance across thousands of games. Speedrunners use timers to measure their progress against world records and their own previous attempts. LiveSplit One integrates with Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), the most popular free streaming tool, allowing speedrunners to display their timer on stream in real time. This transparency helps viewers follow the run's progress and adds credibility to recorded attempts submitted to leaderboards like Speedrun.com.

The timer appears as an overlay on the stream—typically showing elapsed time, current split, and split time comparisons. Viewers watching a stream can see exactly how the speedrunner is performing against their goals. For content creators, this creates engaging visuals that keep audiences invested in the outcome. The data displayed helps explain why certain moments matter within a run.

LiveSplit One runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The program is free and open-source, meaning anyone can view its code and contribute improvements. No account creation, payment, or registration is required to use it.

Practical Takeaway: LiveSplit One is a timer program that shows speedrunning performance on streams. Understanding its basic function—tracking time and splits—will help you set it up effectively in OBS.

What You Need Before Starting Setup

Before configuring LiveSplit One in OBS, you need several things in place. First, you need a working installation of OBS Studio. OBS Studio is free software that handles streaming and local recording. You can obtain it from obsproject.com. The setup process for OBS is straightforward—download the installer for your operating system, run it, and follow the prompts. Most computers from the last 5-10 years can run OBS without performance issues.

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Second, you need LiveSplit One itself. You can get this from livesplit.org. The website provides direct links for Windows, macOS, and Linux versions. For Windows users, you typically receive an executable file (.exe) that installs the program. macOS users get a disk image file (.dmg). Linux users may find packages through their distribution's repository or download the binary directly. The program requires minimal disk space—typically less than 50 megabytes.

Third, you need the specific game you plan to run. You'll want to know the run category beforehand—for example, "Any% No Glitches" or "100% Completion." Different categories have different splits. Researching your game's splits on Speedrun.com helps you understand what segments matter.

Fourth, you should have your splits file prepared. A splits file contains the names of each segment, estimated times for each split, and personal records. LiveSplit One can create splits from scratch, but having a reference file beforehand streamlines setup. Many games have community-created split files shared on forums or Discord servers.

Finally, ensure your streaming computer has stable internet connection if you plan to stream, or simply have OBS and LiveSplit One running if you're recording locally. You don't need special hardware—a standard gaming or productivity computer works fine.

Practical Takeaway: Gather OBS Studio, LiveSplit One, your target game, and a reference splits file before beginning. These components work together to create your streaming setup.

Installing and Configuring LiveSplit One on Your Computer

Start by obtaining LiveSplit One from the official website at livesplit.org/one. Click the download link corresponding to your operating system. Once downloaded, Windows users should run the executable installer. The installer will ask where you want to install LiveSplit One—the default location in Program Files works well for most users. The installation completes in under a minute.

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After installation, launch LiveSplit One. You'll see a window with buttons for "Open Splits," "New Splits," and various settings options. If you have a splits file from your speedrunning community, click "Open Splits" and navigate to that file. If you're starting fresh, click "New Splits" to create a custom splits file for your game.

When creating new splits, you'll enter the game name and select a category. Then you add individual segments. Each segment represents a meaningful checkpoint in your run. For example, a run of Super Mario 64 might have segments like "Bob-omb Battlefield," "Whomp's Fortress," "Jolly Roger Bay," and "Final Boss." After entering segment names, you set estimated times for each one. These estimates help LiveSplit One calculate split comparisons during your run.

Next, configure your timer appearance. Go to Settings within LiveSplit One. You can adjust font sizes, colors, and which information displays. Many speedrunners prefer a large, easily readable timer. The "Layout" section lets you choose which elements appear—timer, splits list, personal records, and comparisons. Experiment with different layouts to find what you prefer.

Save your splits file in a memorable location on your computer. You'll need to reference this file path when adding LiveSplit One to OBS. Consider creating a dedicated folder for speedrunning files to keep everything organized.

Practical Takeaway: Install LiveSplit One, create or open your splits file, customize the appearance in Settings, and save the file in an accessible location. These steps prepare LiveSplit One to run independently before integrating it with OBS.

Adding LiveSplit One as a Source in OBS

Open OBS Studio and create a new scene for your speedrun stream. A scene is a collection of sources—video feeds, images, text, and applications that appear on your stream. In the "Scenes" panel on the left, click the "+" button to create a new scene. Name it something descriptive like "Speedrun Stream" or "LiveSplit Stream."

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Once you have an active scene, look at the "Sources" panel below the Scenes panel. Click the "+" button to add a new source. A menu will appear with various source types. For LiveSplit One, you have two main options: "Window Capture" or "Application Capture" on Windows, or "Window Capture" on macOS and Linux.

Select "Window Capture." A dialog box will appear asking you to choose which window to capture. Click the dropdown menu labeled "Window" and look for your LiveSplit One window. It will appear in the list if LiveSplit One is currently running. Select it. Click "OK" to confirm.

The LiveSplit One window will now appear as a source in your OBS scene. However, it likely appears at an awkward size and position. You'll need to resize and reposition it to fit your stream layout. Click and drag the corners of the LiveSplit One source to resize it. Right-click on the source and select "Transform" then "Fit to Screen" if you want it to fill the entire canvas, or manually position it in a corner or along the edge of your stream layout.

Many speedrunners place the timer in the top-left or bottom-right corner to avoid covering the game footage. Others create a dedicated timer panel. Experiment with placement to find what works for your content style. Once positioned, the timer will display in real time during your stream. Every action you take in LiveSplit One—starting the timer, clicking splits, stopping the timer—will be visible to your viewers.

Practical Takeaway: Create a new OBS scene, add a Window Capture source pointing to LiveSplit One, and position it on your stream layout. This makes your timer visible to viewers during broadcasts.

Managing Your Timer During Streams and Recordings

Once LiveSplit One is integrated into OBS, managing it during your speedrun involves straightforward controls. Launch LiveSplit One before you start your stream or recording. Have the timer visible on your screen—not just in OBS, but on your actual monitor—so you can see it during gameplay. This lets you stay aware of your current split time and pace.

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When you're ready to begin your run, click the "Start" button in Live