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For a playlist of local video files, the simplest documented setup is an OBS VLC Video source for playback and an OBS Text source above it that reads a text file containing the current title. The title will not update automatically just because the playlist advances: you must change the file yourself or connect a separately tested metadata process.
What the setup does—and what it does not do
Showing a title involves three separate jobs: playing the playlist, identifying the item that is currently playing, and displaying its title in the OBS scene. OBS has documented sources for playlist playback and for showing text or web content, but its documentation does not describe a universal feature that detects the current title in a YouTube playlist and updates an overlay automatically.
For local files, OBS’s Media Sources guide documents the VLC Video source and its playlist options. The Sources Guide describes text sources, including reading from a text file. You supply and maintain the title data.
If your videos are playing in a YouTube page in a browser, the VLC playlist method below is not a drop-in solution. The official OBS documentation cited here does not identify a universally supported way to extract the currently playing title from YouTube’s browser player. Any browser integration, plugin, or script that claims to do this needs to be tested with your OBS version, operating system, playback method, and playlist.
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Set up a local playlist with a title overlay
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Install VLC that matches your OBS architecture
Install VLC before adding the playlist source. OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If OBS cannot find VLC, check that both applications have matching architectures and restart OBS after installing VLC.
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Add and configure the playlist source
In your OBS scene, add a VLC Video source and configure its media playlist in the source properties. Arrange the files in the intended playback order. Set loop or shuffle according to your needs, and review the source’s visibility behavior so playback behaves as expected when the source is hidden or another scene is active. The VLC Video source also exposes settings such as network caching and audio track options; adjust them only when relevant to your media and setup. See OBS’s Media Sources guide.
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Add a text source that reads the title file
Add an OBS Text source to the same scene and place it above the VLC Video source in the Sources list. Enable the text-file input option and select a plain text file containing the title you want displayed. Style and position the text in the preview so it remains legible over the video. OBS’s Sources Guide explains text sources and source ordering.
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Keep the title synchronized
When the playlist advances, update the text file with the new item’s title. You can do this manually, or use a separate metadata process that you have verified with your actual setup. OBS’s documented source setup does not provide that automation by itself.
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Check playback, scenes, and transitions
Preview the stream scene and watch a playlist transition. Confirm that the displayed text changes when the title file changes and that the VLC source continues playing through scene changes as you intend. If the overlay displays stale text, check the file and whatever process updates it; the text source can display text without knowing which playlist item is playing.
Choose a text file or a Browser Source
| Approach | Best for | How the title updates | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Text source reading a file | A straightforward title label | You or an external process changes the file | Fewer moving parts; less layout flexibility than HTML |
| OBS Browser Source with local HTML or a URL | A custom layout, animation, or richer styling | The page or an external process must receive the current title | More flexible presentation, but you still need a source for the title data |
OBS’s Browser Source guide describes loading a URL or local file and configuring dimensions and custom CSS. OBS Project calls Browser Source “one of the most versatile sources available in OBS.” That flexibility concerns presentation; it does not identify the current playlist item for you.
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When automation is worth adding
OBS’s source API documents playback events including media_started, media_ended, and media_next in its Source API Reference. A developer can use such events as triggers for a custom workflow, but the events alone do not establish access to a YouTube video’s title. A working automation needs both a dependable title source and a tested way to write or provide that title to the overlay.
The official obs-browser project describes Browser Source as a CEF-based plugin with OBS JavaScript bindings. Its repository says it ships by default with official packages on Windows, macOS, Ubuntu PPA, and official Flatpak. That does not establish compatibility for every third-party overlay or title integration.
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The cited OBS documentation pages for Media Sources, Sources Guide, and Browser Source are dated 2022-01-11; interface labels can vary by installed build. The API reference identifies OBS Studio 33.0.0. Check the documentation and options for your installed version before relying on a particular label or third-party integration.
Common problems and fixes
- VLC Video is missing or will not load: confirm VLC is installed and, if you use 64-bit OBS, that VLC is also 64-bit. Restart OBS after installation.
- The video plays but the title does not change: the text source displays the contents of its file; it does not automatically follow playlist changes. Update the file or verify the separate process intended to update it.
- The title is behind the video or cannot be seen: move the Text or Browser Source above the video source in the scene’s Sources list, then check its position and styling in the preview.
- Playback changes when you switch scenes or hide the source: review the VLC source’s visibility behavior and test the transitions you use during the stream.
- A YouTube browser playlist is not detected: the local VLC workflow does not read titles from YouTube’s browser player. Treat any proposed browser integration as unverified until you test title accuracy and synchronization in your own setup.
- A custom Browser Source page appears blank or incorrectly sized: check that its URL or local file loads, then review its width, height, and CSS settings in the source properties.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel playing uploaded videos around the clock, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative to leaving OBS running at home. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; uploaded videos stream as made, 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 pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos to YouTube; it does not go live from a camera. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free day.
Further reading
A Reddit user described a related question as “Is there a way to show the name of the song that’s playing from YouTube on my YouTube streams?”: the community question. It illustrates the distinction between displaying text and obtaining the correct current title; it is not documentation of an automatic OBS feature.
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