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To show the story currently playing, add an OBS Text source to the scene and set it to read from a text file. The title will change only when a person or an external process updates that file (or updates the OBS source another way); adding the source does not connect OBS to a story feed automatically.
Add a file-backed title to an OBS scene
- Select or create the scene. Choose the scene in the Scenes dock where the title should appear. If needed, click the add button in the Scenes dock and create a scene.
- Add a Text source. In the Sources dock, click the add button and choose the text source available in your OBS installation. OBS documents Text (GDI+) on Windows and Text (Freetype 2) on macOS and Linux; Freetype 2 is marked deprecated on Windows, so check the available source type in your installed version. See the OBS Text Sources guide.
- Point it to the title file. Open the source properties, enable Read from file, and select the text file that will contain the current story title. OBS describes this option as reading text from a file instead of the source’s Text property. Put one title in the file and make sure the account running OBS can access it.
- Make the title readable. Choose legible text styling, then position and resize the source in the preview. Keep it above any source that could cover it: sources higher in the list appear on top. For precise placement, use Edit Transform. OBS explains scene, source, and layout basics in its Quickstart guide.
- Verify the update. Change the file contents and confirm the preview shows the new title. Test the full scene and stream settings before broadcasting; OBS recommends testing before an initial stream.
Choose how the title stays current
The overlay displays a title; a separate workflow must decide which story is current and supply its title. Choose the update method that matches the people or systems already operating the stream.
Update the file manually
For a manually operated broadcast, assign an operator to replace the text in the selected file whenever the story changes. Agree on who makes the change and when, then check the preview so an outdated or blank title is not left on screen.
Have an existing process write the file
If another application already knows which story is playing, configure that process to write the current title to the selected file when the story changes. The OBS Text source guide covers displaying file contents; it does not define a story feed, file format, or update schedule. Those parts need to be configured and checked in the external system.
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Use an OBS script or WebSocket integration
OBS supports Python and Lua scripts, as well as a built-in WebSocket endpoint that external applications and scripts can use to interact with OBS. WebSocket is included by default in OBS Studio 28 and later. This can suit an established automation workflow, but OBS’s documentation does not provide a ready-made story-feed connector. Protect WebSocket with a password, as advised in the OBS Remote Control Guide, and verify the source changes as intended.
| Approach | Best fit | What you must handle |
|---|---|---|
| File-backed Text source | A person or existing process can write the current title to a file. | Keep the file accessible and update it at each story change. |
| Script or WebSocket integration | An automation workflow already has a way to identify the current story and interact with OBS. | Build and secure the integration, then test its update and failure behavior. OBS documentation does not supply a ready-made story-feed connection. |
Connect OBS to YouTube and test the broadcast
- In YouTube Live Control Room, get the stream URL and stream key for the encoder workflow, then enter them in OBS’s stream settings. Follow YouTube’s current encoder streaming instructions for the relevant live-stream workflow.
- Keep the stream key private. Do not put it in the title file, overlay, or other public material.
- Start the encoder. For YouTube’s scheduled-stream workflow, wait for the preview to appear in Live Control Room and click Go live.
- Check that the title is visible and changes when the story changes. Test the whole operating sequence before relying on it for a continuous broadcast.
What a 24/7 stream does—and does not—guarantee
YouTube Help says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That published threshold does not establish what happens to one uninterrupted stream lasting 12 hours or more, so it cannot be used to promise automatic archiving for a continuous 24/7 broadcast. The OBS and YouTube workflows described here also do not guarantee that the encoder, computer, or title-update process will run without interruption.
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Common problems and fixes
- No title appears: Confirm that the Text source is enabled, that Read from file is selected, and that the chosen file exists and contains text. Check that OBS can access the file.
- The old title remains: Check that the person or process updated the same file selected in the source properties. For an integration, verify that its update runs when the story changes and that the displayed source is the one it controls.
- The video covers the title: Move the Text source above the covering source in the Sources dock, then confirm its visibility and placement in the preview.
- The title is difficult to read or cut off: Adjust its styling, size, and position in the preview; test with the longest expected story title.
- YouTube does not show a preview or go live: Recheck the stream URL and key in OBS, confirm the encoder is running, and follow the applicable Live Control Room workflow. Keep the key private while troubleshooting.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep uploaded stories looping on YouTube while your computer is off, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload your video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It does not replace the OBS file or integration workflow described above for dynamically changing a story-title overlay.
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