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To show the current item from an OBS playlist, put a text source above the playlist source. For automatic updates, use the third-party Tuna plugin to read the OBS VLC source and write available track information to a text file; configure an OBS text source to display that file. If you only need a filename or a fixed label, a manually maintained text file is simpler. The automatic method depends on metadata being available, so test it with your actual playlist before going live.
Choose what the overlay should show
“Now playing” can mean a filename, a manually written label, or the artist and title embedded in a media file’s metadata. These are not interchangeable: Tuna is designed to display available music information, while a filename may be a practical fallback when usable tags are missing. Confirm what appears in the scene rather than assuming every playlist item supplies the same fields.
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- Filename or fixed label: use a text file that you update yourself, or a separate metadata process you have verified.
- Available artist/title information: use Tuna to connect a VLC source to text-file output, then display that file in OBS.
Set up the OBS playlist source
- In OBS, open the scene where the playlist should appear and select Sources > + > VLC Video. VLC must be installed for this source to appear. OBS Project describes the distinction this way: “Unlike Media Source, you can create a playlist of items, similar to an Image Slideshow.” Read OBS Project’s Media Sources guide.
- Name the source, then add your media files in the order you want them played.
- Set loop, shuffle, and source visibility according to how you want playback to behave. Confirm that the VLC source itself plays the playlist before adding the overlay.
- Match VLC’s architecture to OBS where required: OBS says a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC.
Connect Tuna to the VLC playlist for automatic text
- Install Tuna using the instructions for your system. Tuna’s VLC-source integration requires VLC 3.0.0 or later. Installation steps differ by platform; Tuna documents a Debian-based Linux installer and manual alternatives for other distributions, and notes possible loading issues with the Flatpak OBS build.
- In OBS, open Tools > Tuna settings. Choose VLC as the music source, select the scene and the VLC source that plays your playlist, then add it. If you use multiple VLC sources or nested scenes, check the selected source carefully.
- In Tuna’s Basics/output configuration, set a text-file path and choose a format. Tuna’s example
{artists} - {title}creates an artist/title line when those fields are available. You can also configure formatting and character limits. - In the OBS scene, choose Sources > + and add a text source. Configure it to read from the output file Tuna writes, then position it above the VLC Video source in the source stack.
- Style and position the text for your layout. Constrain its width or otherwise account for longer titles so the overlay remains readable.
- Play several playlist items and watch for updates. Check that the text changes at transitions and does not remain blank or stale. Inspect the media tags if names or fields are missing or incorrect.
Use a manual text file when automation is unnecessary
A basic OBS text source can display text from a file, but an OBS VLC playlist and a text source do not automatically create a link between the current playlist item and that file. For a fixed label or a filename you can maintain yourself, edit the file and point the text source to it. If another tool updates the file, verify that process separately; the presence of both OBS sources alone does not make updates automatic.
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| Route | Updates | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Manual text file | Only when you edit it or a separately tested process changes it | Exact wording is under your control, but labels can become outdated if the playlist changes. |
| Tuna output file | Automatically from information Tuna can obtain from the selected source | Displayed fields depend on metadata and source availability; plugin installation and VLC compatibility add setup requirements. |
Troubleshoot blank, wrong, or stale text
- The VLC Video source is missing: install VLC, then check that its architecture meets OBS’s requirement. For 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC.
- Tuna does not offer or read the VLC source: confirm VLC is version 3.0.0 or later, and that Tuna is pointed to the correct scene and VLC source.
- The overlay is blank or missing artist/title: the file may not contain usable tags, or the selected source may not provide the requested field. Check the media tags and test a format using fields actually available from your files.
- The text does not change between items: play multiple items and confirm that Tuna is monitoring the VLC source that is actually advancing. Also check the output-file path and that the OBS text source reads that same file.
- Linux plugin loading fails: follow Tuna’s instructions for your distribution. Its documentation notes possible loading issues with OBS Flatpak, so do not assume the Debian-based installer applies to every Linux setup.
- You use a nested scene or multiple VLC sources: verify the selected source and check the plugin release notes. Tuna’s history records a nested-source fix on May 7, 2024, and a change to select the first active VLC source on May 19, 2023.
- Your OBS build behaves differently from the documented setup: check Tuna’s current release notes for compatibility changes. Its latest listed update in the available release history is September 12, 2025, and addressed a crash with the latest beta.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the playlist is meant to keep a YouTube channel live around the clock, StreamNeo is a separate option for looping uploaded videos from the cloud. It does not create a live camera feed or provide the OBS now-playing overlay workflow described above. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and each slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot.
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