My Stream Deck: How I’ve Configured it for Maximum Productivity and Production
Perhaps the best device I’ve purchased in the last couple of years is my 32-Key Elgato Stream Deck. It’s a streamlined way for me to manage live streams, devices, and automation. I absolutely love it. When I first got it, I shared a photo on Twitter, fully configured. A lot has changed since then…including upgrading from the 15- to the 32-key. Here’s a breakdown of how I’ve set it up – everything from what it’s connected to, to where I got the icons.
What is Stream Deck?
First up, what is the Stream Deck? It’s a hardware device with programmable buttons that you connect to your computer. It connects to services like OBS, eCamm Live, YouTube, Twitch, Phillips Hue, Apple Shortcuts, and much more!
A lot of streamers and podcasters (myself included) use it to manage live recordings and their environments during a live stream – it’s like a mini control room that only needs one person to manage!
Tip: It also makes editing YouTube videos a lot easier. Adding lower thirds, URLs, and transitions with the push of a button sure beats doing it in post-production.
Why Not Just Use Keyboard Shortcuts?
A common question I get is, “Why can’t you just use keyboard shortcuts?” I do. I love keyboard shortcuts. I have Karabiner Elements modify my Caps Lock key for even more keyboard shortcuts.
But you can’t put custom graphics on keyboard shortcuts, and the truth is that the Stream Deck makes it way easier to remember certain actions. Plus, Stream Deck makes certain integrations, like with Phillips Hue, easier. The same thing goes with eCamm Live.
How I’m Using the Stream Deck XL
I originally got the 15-key Stream Deck to switch between OBS scenes for my online courses. I wanted to easily move between talking head shots and slides without a ton of editing.
But I quickly discovered how powerful it can be, especially since it supports Keyboard Maestro, a Mac app for you to create your own advanced keyboard shortcuts and automated actions.
Today I have both a Stream Deck XL and a Stream Deck +, both with 1 pages. Let’s dive into the XL first!
Page 1 Configuration
Here’s what page 1 of my Stream Deck looks like:
Since the Stream Deck is for more than just streaming, I’ve set up page one mostly to run automations and lighting in my office. Here are a bunch of common tasks, mostly driven by the Shortcuts plugin for Stream Deck (now that Shortcuts has come to macOS). Here’s the breakdown by Row and Column (marked R# for Row number, and C# for Column number).
You’ll find that all of my scene controls are on the last 3rd of the deck. Productivity on the other 2/3s!
Row 1:
The Stream Deck has been a game changer for me with time tracking. That what this row is mostly about.
R1C1: Turn on the Focus app. This will block distracting websites and apps, as well as start a Timery timer, and sets my devices’ focus modes to “Green Zone,” which kills all notifications except texts and calls from my wife, my mom, and my kids’ schools.
R1C2: Launch Timery.
R1C3: Launches the “Start Timery” shortcut, which prompts me for which saved timer I want to start.
R1C4: Launches the “Stop Timery” shortcut, which stops the current timer.
R1C5: Launch the “Add Time” shortcut. If I forget to track time, this shortcut is perfect. It will prompt me for Project, Description, tags, start time, and an optional end time.
R1C6: Lower brightness on all Key Lights
R1C7: Increase brightness on all Key Lights
I know have 2 Key Lights, a Key Light Air, and a Key Light Mini. Lower and increase brightness are stepped by a certain percentage (for me, it’s 10%) each press.
R1C8: This is to turn the “Christmas lights” scene on in my office.
Row 2:
This row is mostly about launching common websites and apps.
R2C1: Launch Casabona.org admin
R2C2: Launch Podcast Liftoff admin
R2C3: Launch How I Built It admin
R2C4: Launch Podcast Workflows admin
R2C5: Launch my Bills spreadsheet
R2C6: Create a new Google Doc
R2C7: Aurora scene. This sets my Hue Lights to a teal/blue-green color.
R2C8: Turn on my Rocket lamp
Row 3:
R3C1: Previous Track in Apple Music
R3C2: Start/Pause Music in Apple Music
R3C3: Next Track in Apple Music
R3C4: Toggle Shuffle in Apple Music
R3C5: Open Notion
R3C6: Open the “Social Text” folder, which is mostly just random short-form writings
R3C7: Energize Scene. This sets all of my Hue Lights to white
R3C8: Purple scene. Set all of my Hue Lights purple, for recording video
Row 4:
R4C1: End current Zoom meeting. This will end, and confirm, all with one press.
R4C2: Record Zoom Call
R4C3: Mute all Zoom participants
R4C4: Mute my mic in Zoom.
R4C5: Record a Loom video
R4C6: Open the Stream Deck app
R4C7: Turn my recording light outside my office door red
R4C8: Go to Page 2.
Page 2 Configuration
And here’s page two:
This page is for eCamm Live almost exclusively, and it changes a lot more, depending on what I’m recording and what scenes I want accessible, so I’m not going to take this one row-by-row. Here are some general descriptions though.
The first 4 columns are pretty set (different cameras, screen sharing, lower thirds, etc). I also have ways to easily display subscribe buttons, and show/hide the latest comments w hen I’m live streaming.
The next 3 columns have to do with the recording work I do for RSS.com. They are scenes with the branding, one sets my office to the RSS.com orange, and other helpful overlays depending on the type of video I’m creating (they make post-production so much easier).
The last column has buttons to go live, start recording, and then a couple of variables buttons based on the content I’m making.
So there you have it! That’s everything on the current (April 2022) iteration of my Stream Deck XL. The configuration goes through some minor changes over time, but I’m pretty happy with what I have now.
How I’m Using the Stream Deck +
The Stream Deck + has been a great addition to my line-up, though I do wish there was better dial support across apps.
Since there are fewer buttons, they are reserved for my my common actions:
Page 1: General Work
This is general use / my most common buttons:
R1C1: Open Things 3
R1C2: Add new task to Things 3
R1C3: Toggle Key Lights
R1C4: Go to next Stream Deck + Profile
R2C1: Add new note to Bear Notes
R2C2: Launch shortcut to add new blog post to Ulysses (usually this is a title and a synopsis for me to fill out later)
R2C3: Turn Office lights on/off
R2C4: Go to next page
Dial 1: Change Keylight Color Temperature. Pressing the dial will cycle through my 3 Keylights. Tapping the screen panel will turn the Keylight on or off.
Dial 2: Change Keylight Brightness. Pressing the dial will cycle through my 3 Keylights. Tapping the screen panel will turn the Keylight on or off.
Dial 3: I’ve mapped keyboard shortcuts to adjust the brightness of my Studio Display. You can map a different shortcut to each turn, as well as pushing the dial
Dial 4: Currently blank.
Page 2: Controlling The Elgato Prompter
I love the Elgato Prompter — it’s the first teleprompter that’s actually worked for me. So I decided to set up all of the actions I can on a page in the Stream Deck +. Functions include:
- Start / Stop the prompter
- Switch between scrollable text and a second monitor for the computer
- Display comments (helpful during live streams)
The dials adjust brightness, text size, and scrolling speed.
If you want me to do a bigger write-up on the Prompter, let me know!
Screenflow Profile
Admittedly, this is experimental and sparse, and I stole the idea from MacSparky. But when I launch Screenflow to edit videos, this profile pops up and allows me to quickly scrub on my timeline, as well as cut sections of the video while also moving the timelines to the left (this is called Ripple Delete, and it’s a game changer).
Eventually I can see this becoming an “editing” profile, where I have Logic Pro shortcuts too.
Additional Apps and Tools
Aside from the Stream Deck and accompanying software (which supports a lot of stuff out of the box), there are a few plugins and graphics I’m using.
Additional Plugins
I’m using 3 plugins to help me automate. All of them can be found in the Stream Deck Shop plugins area:
- Keyboard Maestro: The companion plugin to the App, this allows you to map macros directly to Stream Deck buttons.
- Zoom Plugin: I was originally using Keyboard Maestro to control Zoom, but this plugin is, again, a lot more straightforward.
- eCamm Live: This one gets installed when you install eCamm Live. It even comes with its own pre-configured profile.
Icon Set: MacStories Pixel Shortcuts Icons
For the icons, I’m using the Shortcuts Icons set by MacStories Pixel. These are designed really well, there are a ton, and it gives the Stream Deck a consistent look across each button.
They were originally designed for use with iOS Shortcuts, which I also use them for. But since they are standard images I can use them for the Stream Deck as well.
The Stream Deck Pedal has been retired. I just don’t use it enough.
Tell Me What You Want to See!
Do you have a Stream Deck? Want to see what’s possible? Let me know in the comments!
Updated March 15, 2024.