The short answer
- To keep your browser teleprompter out of an OBS Studio recording, open the reader separately and select the demo window in OBS. If you capture a whole display, put the reader on another display or device.
- Record a short clip with a harmless cue. Watch the scene changes and window switches you’ll make during the real take.
Keep your browser teleprompter out of OBS Studio recordings by giving the script its own window and capturing the window you want viewers to see. If the demo and script are tabs in the same captured window, switching tabs can put your notes in the video.
1. Choose what OBS will capture
Open the demo and the script in two separate windows. For a spreadsheet walkthrough, leave the spreadsheet in the first window. In the second, paste the cue into Free Teleprompter Online and select Start teleprompter. Name the OBS source after the demo, such as Spreadsheet window, so you can recognize it when checking another scene.
| Your setup | Select in OBS | Put the reader here |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, one demo window | Window Capture. Select the demo window under Window. | In a separate browser window. |
| Mac, one demo window | macOS Screen Capture. On macOS 13 or later, set Method to Window Capture and pick the demo window. Application Capture can include other windows from that app. | In a separate window, even if both windows use the same browser. |
| Viewers need the whole desktop | Choose the demo display in Display Capture, or use the Display Capture method in macOS Screen Capture. | On another display or a separate device. With only one captured monitor, paste the cue into the reader on your phone. |
On Windows, check Window Match Priority if closing or reopening the demo makes the source pick a different window. Window title must match leaves the source blank when OBS cannot find a matching title. If your demo changes titles, check the selected window again before recording.
2. Check each scene you will switch to
Check the Sources list for the intro and demo scenes, plus any other scene you plan to use. An old display source can still show up when you leave a camera-only intro and cut to the demo. If you use Studio Mode, check the scene on the right after the transition. The left preview is where you prepare the next scene.
Keep the browser reader running while you make the same window changes you expect during the take. If you pause with Space, bring the reader forward and focus Play/Pause first. The browser reader’s keyboard shortcuts explain what happens when the editor or another window has focus.
3. Record a harmless cue and watch the switch
Put a line in the demo window and a different line in the script window. For example:
Demo window: Q4 chart rehearsal Browser reader: PURPLE CUP CHECK
- Use Start Recording in OBS and switch from your intro to the demo. Click or pause the reader at the same point you would during the real take. Leave the reader visible to you so the test can catch an exposed window.
- Stop and open the saved clip. Check the frames around the scene change and the reader interaction. You should see the demo marker during the demo, with the reader marker absent from the whole clip.
- If the cue appears as soon as you change scenes, inspect that scene’s display or application source. If it appears when you change tabs, move the script into its own window and select the demo window again. If the demo goes blank, reselect its target and record the switch again.
Open the free browser teleprompter and paste the sample cue for your OBS rehearsal. Replace it with your real script after you’ve checked the saved clip.
Free Teleprompter Online and Teleprompter Pal are made by the same team. Read how our guides are prepared and checked, or send a correction.