# Captioning with OBS for Live Streams

### Using ZipCaptions with OBS to add Live Captions to your streams

{% hint style="info" %}
There is more information about other ways to caption using OBS in the [**Advanced**](/advanced/captioning-with-obs-browser-source.md) section.
{% endhint %}

To use this feature there are some steps that you will need to follow in both ZipCaptions, and in OBS. Before we begin you need to ensure that you have the following:

1. ZipCaptions open in a supported web browser
2. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) [Download Here](https://obsproject.com/) for Windows, Mac or Linux

Once you have your pre-requisites out of the way you then need to set up OBS

1. Open OBS and click on the **Tools** menu and then **Web Socket Server Settings** 

   <figure><img src="/files/UtbeMsF2iSdaBeOWepeI" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
2. In the window which opens, check the box **Enable WebSocket Server** set a port which you can use (the default is **4455** and should be fine), and click **Generate Password**.&#x20;

   <figure><img src="/files/ALBM9ljXciolK3rQCrCV" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
3. Now click on the **Show Connect Info** button and copy the *Password* shown in the box by clicking on the **Copy** button next to it.&#x20;

   <figure><img src="/files/p0nrdpZ1Af1W2jSKJsTa" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
4. Now close the box and go to your browser window with ZipCaptions in it. Click on the **hamburger** menu and choose **settings**.

   <figure><img src="/files/bEsZgElAdYI9MJ6HrYYw" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
5. Click on the OBS Tab on the settings page

   <figure><img src="/files/SGNChNP9rvsNSK72rX8u" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
6. Set the **Server IP** to *localhost* (unless you’re running OBS on a different computer to ZipCaptions, in which case you would enter the IP address of the computer running OBS), set the **Server Port** to *4455* (unless you chose a different port in the setup in OBS, in which case you should enter the port you chose), and finally paste the password that you copied from OBS into the **Password** box and click on the **Connect** button. *The Captioning will now automatically start*.&#x20;

   <figure><img src="/files/UAmewCL7JMlHSFjg5acz" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
7. You will now see at the top of the screen that OBS is connected. The OBS icon will now appear at the top of the screen with a blue dot. This icon can be clicked on to control the session.

   <figure><img src="/files/2gi9MU2Yro3n1oX55qfd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
8. Click on the OBS icon in the top right, and choose **Listen**

   <figure><img src="/files/RFUtYYpR7TPeatrJFZL7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
9. This takes you to the captioning screen

   <figure><img src="/files/xFIEGbducLHzrsw1lKnY" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
10. Leave ZipCaptions open and head back into OBS, you can now start your stream and the captions will be sent to the stream from OBS.

Depending on the service that you are using you may need to tell it that you are sending captions with your stream. For example, YouTube Live requires you to check the Captions box before you start your stream.

The captions that ZipCaptions outputs are in the 608 Format. You can see an example of the settings required for YouTube Live below:&#x20;

<figure><img src="/files/cA1OR7lgQcum9fI0kgMg" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

To disconnect from OBS, click on the OBS icon in Zip Captions and choose **disconnect** or, go to settings and choose **disconnect** under the OBS tab. You can reconnect from the same menu once you have disconnected as long as OBS is still open and the Websocket settings have not changed.


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