• Technology
  • March 18, 2026

How to Make Scrolling Text on OBS: Browser Source & Plugin Tutorial

So, you want to add some moving text to your OBS stream or recording? Maybe a ticker for latest donations, a news headline bar, or just a cool scrolling message. Honestly, figuring out how to make scrolling text on OBS isn't as hard as it might seem at first, but the devil's in the details. I remember fumbling with this myself ages ago, trying plugin after plugin until things clicked. Let's cut through the confusion.

Getting scrolling text working smoothly can feel like a win. Messing up the speed or having it look blurry? Not so much. We'll cover the main ways to do it, the pros and cons of each, and tackle those annoying hiccups everyone runs into. By the end, you'll be scrolling text like a pro.

The Big Question: How *Do* You Actually Get Text to Scroll in OBS?

Right, down to business. You've got a few solid paths to choose from when figuring out how to create scrolling text on OBS. Each has its own vibe. Let me break down the most common ones I've used and seen others use successfully.

Using the Built-in Sources (Text & Browser)

OBS gives you tools right out of the box, which is great if you don't want extra plugins. The Text source is super basic, while the Browser source opens up more possibilities. Honestly, the Text source alone isn't great for smooth scrolling – it's more for static stuff.

Method What You Do Best For Gotchas
Text Source + Move Filter
  1. Add a Text (GDI+) source.
  2. Type your message.
  3. Right-click source > Filters.
  4. Add Effect Filter > Scroll.
  5. Tweak Horizontal Speed (Vertical too, if needed).
 Super simple one-liners. Quick messages. Movement can be jerky. Limited control. Text quality issues sometimes.
Browser Source + HTML/CSS/Javascript
  1. Add a Browser source.
  2. Set width/height (e.g., 1920x100).
  3. Paste code like this into the Local File field (or use URL):
    Your scrolling text here!
  4. Customize with CSS for fonts, colors, background.
 Much smoother scrolling. Way more customization (fonts, colors, speed, pauses). Requires VERY basic HTML understanding. Can be overkill for simple needs.

I usually recommend the Browser source route for anything beyond a quick test. The `` tag is old-school but works surprisingly well inside OBS. Here's a slightly better snippet to paste:




    


    

        
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Adjust `scrollamount="5"` – higher number = faster scroll. Tweak the CSS bits inside the `