Now Playing Overlay: Show What's On Screen
The Now Playing overlay automatically displays the title of the current video or audio track on your stream: updated in real time as content changes.
What's New
The Now Playing overlay automatically displays the title of the currently playing video or audio track on your stream, updated in real time as content rotates.
Add it once. Forget it. The overlay tells viewers what they're watching, every minute, forever.
What It Shows
By default, Now Playing displays:
Video or track title
Optional artist or subtitle field
Optional track duration or progress
Customize the format, position, and styling in the Composition Editor.
When to Use It
Music streams
Essential. Viewers tune in mid-song all the time and want to know what they're hearing. Now Playing answers without them needing to ask in chat.
Movie marathon channels
Important. Viewers join mid-film constantly. Now Playing tells them the title and (optionally) the year, genre, or runtime.
Podcast / video podcast channels
Useful. Show the episode title and date. Helps viewers identify content they want to find later.
Sermon archive channels
Useful. The current sermon title, speaker, and date give viewers context they need to engage.
Anywhere with rotating content
If your stream cycles through named content, Now Playing helps viewers track where they are.
When It's Less Useful
Live shows where the content is "you" (talk shows, interviews, gaming)
Streams with one piece of content (a single talk, a single film)
Designs where any text overlay is too much
For these, skip Now Playing and rely on title and description metadata instead.
How to Add It
Open the Composition Editor for your stream
Click Now Playing in the editor sidebar
Style it (font, color, background, position)
Save
The overlay updates automatically as your playlist or calendar progresses.
For a full walkthrough see Adding a Now Playing Overlay to Your Live Channel.