To show a now-playing title that changes while prerecorded video plays, put an OBS Text Source above your video and set it to read from a text file. You then need a separate process to update that file when the current title changes; OBS does not automatically derive a title from every playlist or player.
This distinction matters: scheduling a prerecorded stream is not the same as displaying a changing title over playback. The workflow below covers OBS playback and the overlay, explains how to choose an updating method, and gives you a scheduling alternative when a dynamic overlay is not needed.
Choose a media source or playlist source
Start by deciding whether the broadcast will play one video file or move through a playlist. In OBS, a Media Source is suited to a single local file. A VLC Video source can play a playlist, and OBS documents options such as looping and shuffle. The VLC source requires VLC to be installed; OBS notes that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. Check the current OBS Media Sources guide for supported formats and source behaviour.
For one bhajan recording, lecture, or ambience video, a Media Source keeps the playback chain straightforward. Add the file to a scene and set the source options you need, such as whether it should restart when the scene becomes active or loop when it reaches the end. The exact controls available depend on the source and your OBS version. Preview the scene before going live so you can confirm that the file plays, fills the intended area, and has the right audio.
For a collection of tracks or clips, a VLC Video source can be more convenient than adding each file as a separate scene source. Build and check the playlist in VLC first, then select it for the OBS source. Decide whether the sequence should play in order, loop, or shuffle. A title overlay is especially useful for music and study channels, but the playlist feature does not itself guarantee that OBS will place each current filename on screen.
That last point is easy to miss. A VLC playlist knows what it is playing, but the OBS documentation cited here does not promise a universal mechanism that writes that item's title into a text file. Treat playback and title display as separate jobs. If you need a playlist-specific updater, verify that the tool supports your player, source, and operating system rather than assuming the playlist will feed the overlay automatically.
The same separation is useful when planning an always-on channel more broadly. A local playlist can simplify sequencing, but the playback computer still has to remain on and the broadcast has to be monitored. For a different perspective on playback choices, see this guide to streaming a YouTube playlist from a Raspberry Pi.
Add and position the text source
Create or select the OBS scene that contains your video. Add a Text source, choosing the text source type available for your operating system, then place it above the media source in the Sources list. Sources higher in the list are composited above those below them. If the text is hidden behind the video, move it above the video source.
Set the initial text to something recognisable, such as “Now playing: Evening bhajans”. Choose a readable font, size, and colour. Position the title where it will not cover a face, important lyrics, or a key part of the image. For devotional or lecture content, a solid or semi-transparent background strip can make the wording legible over both dark and bright footage. Keep the title short enough to fit at the output resolution you use.
Use the preview at the resolution and aspect ratio intended for the stream. A label that fits a computer preview may wrap or extend beyond the frame when the output is vertical or lower resolution. If you need a vertical layout, plan the position and safe margins for that layout rather than merely shrinking the text until it fits. The article on streaming vertical videos in a 24/7 YouTube channel covers that broader framing decision.
OBS allows you to transform sources, including moving and resizing them in the canvas. Avoid putting the title tight against an edge, where it can be difficult to read on a phone or may be obscured by the player interface. Test a long title as well as a short one. Decide what should happen if the title is longer than your design allows: shorten it before playback, reduce the font within sensible limits, or split the information into separate lines.
Do not confuse the text inside the video frame with the stream title or description in YouTube Studio. The OBS overlay is part of the outgoing picture. YouTube metadata is managed separately and does not automatically become an on-screen label. If you want a persistent, changing track or segment label for viewers, put it in the composition and make sure its update path works.
Connect the text source to a file
Open the properties for the Text source and enable the option labelled “Read from file”. Select a plain text file that OBS can access. OBS describes this feature as reading the displayed text from a text file rather than from the fixed Text property; see the OBS Text Sources documentation. The file is the bridge between the title shown in the scene and whatever person or tool supplies the next title.
Create the file in a stable location and give it a clear name, for example now-playing.txt. Put one title in it and save it. In OBS, select that file, apply the source settings, and check that the preview displays the contents. If the text does not appear, confirm the file path, that the file exists, and that the text source is visible above the video. Also check font colour, size, and position; a correctly read title can still be invisible against the picture.
Keep the file in a location that the account running OBS can read and write. If you move the file after setting up the source, OBS may continue pointing to the old path. If another application or script will update it, make sure that updater uses the same file and has permission to write there. On a computer shared by multiple accounts, test under the account that will actually run the broadcast.
A text file gives you an editable title without changing the video itself. It does not decide what the title should be, extract the current song name, or know when the playlist advances. Those tasks belong to a separate update mechanism. That can be a person changing the file, a helper tool, or a script designed for the exact playback arrangement. The reliable choice is the one you can observe and test, not the one that sounds most automatic.
If your text contains non-English characters, including Hindi lyrics or names, save it using an encoding supported by the editor and verify that OBS renders the characters correctly. Choose a font installed on the streaming computer that includes the required script. A title that displays as boxes or question marks is usually a file or font issue, not a playback issue. Check it in the actual scene before the channel depends on it overnight.
Choose how the current title updates
There are three practical ways to keep the file current. A manual update is simplest when a person is present and the programme changes infrequently. A separate helper tool may update the title when a supported player changes track. A script can be tailored to a known playlist or naming convention, but it needs to handle transitions and failures sensibly. None is universally right for all players and operating systems.
| Update approach | Useful when | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Edit the text file by hand | A person is present and changes are occasional | Someone must remember to update it at the right time |
| Use a compatible helper tool | Its documented support matches your player and operating system | Compatibility and update behaviour must be verified |
| Use a custom script | You control the playback setup and can maintain the script | Errors, path changes, or unusual filenames need handling |
| Embed titles in the video | The sequence is fixed and titles need not change independently | A correction means editing or replacing the video |
For manual updates, keep the text file easy to reach and practise changing it without stopping the stream. A basic text editor is enough if you can save to the same file OBS reads. Check whether the new wording appears after saving; if it does not, review the source properties and file path before relying on that workflow. Manual editing is not a good fit for an unattended playlist that changes while nobody is available.
For automatic updates, first identify what the updater actually reads. It might monitor a media player, read metadata, follow a playlist, or react to a script you control. Confirm the precise supported player and operating system on the tool's own documentation. Then check whether it can write to the file OBS uses and whether the title changes at the right moment. Do not infer compatibility from the fact that both applications can read media files.
A custom script is only helpful if it has a dependable way to know which item is playing. Some workflows can use a known sequence and schedule title changes; others can query a player's current item. The details vary. A script based only on elapsed time can drift if playback is paused, a file fails, or a clip's actual duration differs from the planned duration. If you cannot monitor and maintain those details, choose a less automated workflow or put the wording into the video itself.
For an unattended channel, a dynamic title introduces another moving part alongside playback and the live connection. StreamNeo can remove the need to keep your own computer switched on for a file-based broadcast, but it does not make this OBS text-file workflow or its title-update mechanism universal; choose and verify the overlay method independently.
Test title changes during playback
Do not stop at confirming that a title appears once. Test a real change while the media is playing: update the file manually or run the selected helper, then watch the OBS preview to confirm that the new wording appears. If your method depends on a playlist transition, test the transition with the same player, source, operating system, and file naming pattern planned for the broadcast. A title that changes in a separate tool but not in OBS is not a working overlay.
Check ordinary and awkward cases. Use a short title, a long title, punctuation, and any language or script you expect to show. Confirm that the title does not overflow its box, become unreadable over a bright scene, or disappear when the background changes. If the file is briefly empty while an updater writes it, you may see a blank overlay. Where possible, have the updater write a complete replacement cleanly, and test what viewers will see during an update.
Then confirm the complete route to YouTube. In YouTube Studio, create or schedule the live event and connect OBS using YouTube's encoder workflow. The encoder settings provide the server URL and stream key; enter them in OBS and keep the key private because it grants access to the broadcast connection. Follow the current YouTube instructions for creating a live stream with an encoder, including the Live Control Room steps.
Before an important broadcast, start the encoder and confirm that the preview reaches the Live Control Room. Check the picture, audio, title, and playback order there. Follow YouTube's go-live process rather than assuming that a successful OBS preview means the public event is already live. YouTube's encoder help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; check the current official guidance for the conditions and any changes relevant to your event.
A useful test is long enough to include a title change and at least one real playback transition. Keep a note of what you checked, including whether the title updater recovered after a pause or a restart if those events matter to your setup. For wider unattended-operation planning, this guide on monitoring a 24/7 stream when the computer is unattended addresses the separate question of noticing problems while nobody is at the desk.
Plan around the title's limitations
A now-playing title is useful only when it is accurate enough to help the viewer. For a bhajan stream, a performer or album label may be more useful than a raw filename. For a lecture loop, the current subject or lesson number may be clearer than the file name. Decide what the title communicates before choosing the update mechanism, and use consistent wording across the sequence.
If filenames are the source of your labels, rename and review them before building the playlist. File names can contain internal notes, abbreviations, or text that does not belong on screen. A helper that simply copies the current filename may expose that material or display an unfriendly path. Create a clean title list or use a workflow that lets you control the displayed wording.
Plan for pauses and recovery. If playback stops or OBS is restarted, your title file may still show the previous item until the update mechanism runs again. Decide what viewers should see in that interval: a neutral channel label, a “next programme” message, or the last known title. The right answer depends on the channel, but leaving it to an accidental stale filename is not a plan.
For a one-off event or a fixed playlist, embedding a title card or lower-third in the video can be more dependable than a live title system. The trade-off is that the title cannot be independently corrected or changed once the video is prepared. If your schedule changes often, a separate text file offers flexibility, provided someone or something can keep it accurate. Match the amount of automation to the consequences of a wrong label.
Alternative: schedule prerecorded streams
If you want a prerecorded video to air automatically at a scheduled time and do not need a title that changes during playback, a scheduling service may be a better fit than a locally operated OBS scene. StreamYard's help centre documents prerecorded streaming to YouTube. Its automatic mode does not allow overlays or other media assets to be controlled during playback, so a changing OBS-style overlay is not part of that workflow. See its prerecorded streaming guidance and stream scheduling instructions for current details.
If the title must appear in an automatically scheduled video, add it to the video before uploading, or choose a workflow that permits live control of the overlay. Embedding gives you predictability but makes later corrections less convenient. An OBS scene with a file-backed text source gives you more control during playback, but you remain responsible for playback, updates, and the broadcast connection.
YouTube also lists specialised encoder hardware such as the AJA HELO Plus in its encoder information, including support for scheduled prerecorded playback and graphics. That is an optional hardware route, not a requirement for adding a title. Check the current manufacturer's information and YouTube's encoder guidance before choosing dedicated hardware; it is most relevant when your existing production workflow calls for a hardware encoder.
The choice is about control, not which label sounds more automated. If a person needs to correct the current title during a programme, use a workflow that gives them that control and test it. If the video is fixed and scheduling matters more than changing graphics, an automatic prerecorded mode can reduce hands-on steps. For a broader view of the computer-versus-hosted trade-off, see what a recorded lecture stream can cost to run.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can OBS show a title from a text file?
Yes. Add a Text source, enable “Read from file”, and select the text file OBS should display. A person or separate tool must still update the file when the title changes.
Does a VLC playlist automatically update the OBS title?
Do not assume that it does. OBS supports VLC playlist playback and a text source that reads a file, but those features do not establish a universal link between the current playlist item and the text file. Test any updater with your exact player and operating system.
Can I use this method for Hindi titles?
You can, provided the file encoding and the font used by the text source support the characters. Test the actual words in the OBS preview, since missing glyphs or incorrect encoding can produce unreadable text even when the file is being read.
What if I only need to schedule a prerecorded video?
An automatic prerecorded-stream workflow may suit you if you do not need to change overlays during playback. For StreamYard's documented automatic mode, prepare any title that needs to appear on screen in the video before scheduling, and check its current help page for limits and availability.