To add a lower third, place a transparent graphic above your camera or video layer in your streaming software, position it near the bottom of the frame, and test it at your actual output resolution. In OBS Studio, add it as an Image source for a static nameplate or a Browser source for a graphic you need to update live. Rehearse showing and hiding it before the broadcast.
What a lower third does
A lower third is a graphic layered over the lower portion of a live video. It commonly identifies a speaker with a name and role, or labels a segment. The video remains visible behind transparent parts of the graphic. Keep the text brief and the design legible without obscuring a face, captions, or important screen content.
Choose a workflow
| Workflow | Best suited to | Editing while live | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static image source in OBS | A nameplate or title that will not change during the broadcast | Replace or edit the image, or pair it with a separate text workflow | Simple once prepared; use a transparent PNG and put it above the video source. |
| Browser source in OBS | A web-based or dynamic graphic | Often managed through the graphics provider’s control page; capabilities depend on that provider | Requires the provider’s URL and any documented dimensions or setup. |
| StreamYard studio overlays | Productions run in StreamYard’s studio | Toggle uploaded overlays; live banners can handle changing text | Its guides describe platform-specific dimensions, formats, and limits; check current support documentation. |
| Vimeo browser production graphics | Productions using Vimeo’s in-browser production mode | Edit speaker name or title fields and show or hide the graphic on stage | Vimeo’s Help Center describes availability for Advanced or Premium plans, or Enterprise with the Events feature added. Confirm current access requirements. |
| vMix GT title | Productions run in vMix using a title template | Edit the title input and use an overlay channel to transition it in or out | GT Designer is used to create templates. The vMix guide describes animation support in 4K and Pro editions, except included built-in GT templates, which work in all editions; verify current edition details. |
These are workflow differences, not a universal ranking. Choose based on whether the text must change live, where you are producing the show, and how the operator will cue the graphic.
Add a lower third in OBS Studio
- Choose the scene. In OBS, select or create the scene that contains the camera or other video you want to show behind the graphic.
- Add the graphic. In the Sources panel, select +, then choose Image for a static graphic or Browser for a web-based graphic.
- Set the source. For an Image source, select your transparent PNG. For a Browser source, enter the URL supplied by the graphics provider and follow its documented dimensions and requirements.
- Set its layer and position. In the Sources list, move the lower-third source above the camera or video source so it appears on top. Position and resize it in the preview.
- Check the real output. Preview the scene at the stream’s actual output size. Confirm the text is legible and does not cover faces, captions, or important screen details.
- Rehearse the cue. Practice showing and hiding the source. A static source can be controlled through its visibility in the scene; a browser-graphic provider may supply separate on-air controls.
Browser-source dimensions are not universal. For example, StreamSlayers documents a setup using one Browser source at 1920×1080; that size applies to its described setup, not every provider. Its Stream Deck plugin is optional, not a requirement for the basic OBS method.
#1 Best Overall
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Prepare a readable graphic
Match the canvas to the output
Build the graphic on a canvas matching your production’s output resolution, leave the rest of the canvas transparent, and export with transparency enabled. A 1280×720 canvas is a baseline in StreamYard’s 720p guidance, not a universal requirement. If your broadcast uses another resolution, design for that canvas instead. Follow the selected platform’s current file-format and size limits.
Keep the design clear
- Use strong contrast between the lettering and the visible nameplate.
- Keep names, roles, or segment labels short enough to read at the size viewers will see them.
- Keep the graphic clear of faces and useful on-screen information.
- Use animation sparingly and preview it in the actual scene before going live.
These are practical design recommendations, not a claim about a formal broadcast safe-area standard.
Rank #2
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Platform-specific alternatives
StreamYard
StreamYard’s guides describe uploading assets through the studio’s overlays panel and toggling them during a live broadcast. For names that change between speakers, its lower-third guidance distinguishes static transparent overlays from live banners that can be updated with text. Check current official documentation for the service’s supported dimensions, formats, and limits.
Vimeo browser production
Vimeo’s Help Center says its lower thirds are available when producing in the browser using “Stream through your browser” mode. The described workflow lets you create graphics, add them to scenes, edit speaker name and title fields, and choose Show or Hide on stage. Vimeo states that access requires an Advanced or Premium plan, or an Enterprise plan with the Events feature added; verify availability for your account before planning a production around it.
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vMix
- Use GT Designer to create or edit a title or lower-third template.
- In vMix, select Add Input → Title and choose the template.
- Use an overlay-channel button to transition the title in; use it again to transition the title out.
The vMix User Guide describes animation support in the 4K and Pro editions, with included built-in GT templates as an exception that work in all editions. Edition features can change, so confirm the current details for your installation.
Rank #3
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- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
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Common problems and fixes
- The graphic is hidden behind the video. Move its source above the camera or video source in the scene’s layer order.
- The PNG has a solid background. Re-export it with transparency enabled and check the resulting file before adding it again.
- The graphic looks misplaced or scaled incorrectly. Confirm the canvas matches the production output and reposition it in the preview. Do not assume another provider’s dimensions apply to your setup.
- Text is hard to read on the stream. Increase contrast, shorten the text, and preview at the actual output size rather than judging only from the full-size design.
- A browser graphic does not appear or update. Check the provider URL, its documented source dimensions and requirements, and any separate on-air controls it supplies.
- The lower third covers a face or shared-screen detail. Move or resize it, then review the complete scene again before going live.
- The platform does not offer the described controls. Check that you are using the required production mode and that your account has the relevant plan or feature access.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is for keeping a YouTube channel live with uploaded videos; it does not go live from a camera. To use it with a lower third, include the graphic in the video before uploading, then:
- Upload the finished recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded video from the cloud.
Nothing has to stay on at home. The video streams as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or start the free day.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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