For a playlist of local video or music files, the simplest documented setup is an OBS VLC Video source for playback and an OBS Text source reading a plain-text file for the title. The text file must be updated when the playlist advances—OBS’s documented sources do not automatically detect and display the current YouTube playlist title.
How the title overlay works
There are three separate jobs: play the playlist, identify the title of the item currently playing, and display that title in the OBS scene. OBS provides sources for playlist playback and for displaying text or web content. The documented features do not provide an automatic link that detects a playlist change and updates the overlay.
For local files, OBS’s VLC Video source can play a media playlist. An OBS Text source can display text from a file; put it above the video source in the scene to show it over the video. You supply the current title by editing the file or using a separate, tested process to update it. See OBS Project’s Media Sources and Sources Guide.
Set up a VLC playlist with a title overlay
- Install VLC to match your OBS architecture. OBS’s Media Sources guide specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC for the VLC Video source.
- Add the playlist. In your OBS scene, add a VLC Video source and configure its media playlist and item order.
- Choose playback behavior. Set loop, shuffle, and visibility behavior to suit the stream. Check whether playback should continue when the source is hidden or when a different scene is active. The available settings are described in the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Create a title file. Make a plain-text file containing the title of the item currently playing.
- Add the text overlay. Add a Text source, select its text-file option, and point it to the file. In the Sources list, place the Text source above VLC Video so the title appears over the video. OBS’s Sources Guide describes text sources and their placement.
- Keep the title in sync. Update the file when playback changes, either manually or with a separate metadata process you have tested. Preview playlist transitions and scene changes to check that the displayed title matches the playing item.
Choose a text file or a Browser Source
| Approach | Best for | How the title updates | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text source reading a file | A simple title label | A person or external process changes the file | Few moving parts, with less styling flexibility than HTML |
| 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 | Flexible presentation, but requires an overlay page and title data |
A Browser Source can load a URL or local file and supports custom CSS and width and height settings. OBS Project describes it as “one of the most versatile sources available in OBS.” The page can render a title label, but it still needs a reliable way to receive the correct current title. See the Browser Source guide.
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What if the playlist is playing in a browser?
The VLC Video workflow is for a playlist configured in OBS from local media; it is not a drop-in solution for YouTube playback in a browser. You may need a browser-based or external metadata integration to identify the playing title. The cited OBS documentation does not establish a universally supported integration that extracts a YouTube playlist title and updates an overlay automatically. Test any tool with your actual player, OBS version, operating system, and playlist before relying on it live.
OBS’s source API documents playback events including media_started, media_ended, and media_next. A developer can use these as triggers, but the events alone do not establish access to a YouTube video’s title. See the OBS Source API Reference.
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Troubleshoot a missing or stale title
- The VLC Video source is unavailable or does not play. Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS; the OBS Media Sources guide specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- The video plays but the title is not visible. Confirm the Text source is enabled and positioned above the video source in the scene. Check that its text-file input points to the intended file.
- The overlay shows an old title. The text source can display the file, but it does not update the file when the playlist changes. Update it manually or troubleshoot the separate process that supplies the title.
- Playback or the title behaves differently after switching scenes. Review the VLC source’s visibility behavior and test whether playback continues when the source is hidden or another scene is active.
- An automation script or plugin does not work. Verify it against the OBS build, operating system, and playback source in use. OBS’s documentation does not guarantee compatibility for every third-party overlay or automatic title-detection setup.
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