How to correctly use VinciFlow in OBS Studio

VinciFlow Setup & Common Pitfalls​

Resource Page: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/vinciflow-formerly-smart-lower-thirds.2275/

In this guide, I will show you how to correctly set up and use VinciFlow, and I will also address the most common issues users encounter.

I have been a web developer for almost 15 years. When I started creating plugins for OBS Studio, I naturally combined my web development background with C++ and OBS’s rendering pipeline. I initially assumed the workflow would feel intuitive to everyone. In hindsight, that assumption was wrong.

This guide exists to clarify the most frequent mistakes and sources of confusion reported by users.

1. “I see the dock, but I can’t add new lower thirds”​

This usually happens because of Windows file permission restrictions. If OBS Studio is installed on a protected partition (typically C:\Program Files) and is not running with administrator privileges, VinciFlow may fail to create or write its resource files.

Solution​

Create your VinciFlow Resources Folder inside your Documents directory (or any user-writable location), then select it in the plugin settings. This guarantees full write access and resolves the issue.

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2. “I set my resources folder, but I can’t see any lower thirds on screen”​

VinciFlow renders graphics through a Browser Source. To make lower thirds persistent across scenes and scene collections, the correct setup is:

Recommended Workflow​

1. Create a dedicated scene (e.g. LowerThirds).
2. Add a Browser Source to that scene.
3. In the VinciFlow dock, select this Browser Source.
4. Nest the LowerThirds scene into any scene where you want the graphics to appear.

This ensures:

• Global visibility
• Scene-collection persistence
• Clean layering and transitions

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3. “I imported a template, but nothing shows up”​

Some templates use Custom In/Out Animations, meaning:

• They do not rely on VinciFlow’s default animation toggles.
• Their animation logic is driven by custom JavaScript.

What to do​

Check the template description. If it uses custom animations, contact the template author (myself or another community creator) to confirm compatibility or required settings.

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4. “When I trigger another lower third, the previous one doesn’t disappear”​

This is controlled by Group Exclusivity.

Each Group can be set as:

• Exclusive – only one lower third in that group can be visible at a time.
• Non-exclusive – multiple lower thirds may run simultaneously.

If you want automatic replacement behavior, enable Exclusive on the group.

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5. “Groups and Carousel behavior are confusing”​

Groups can have a Carousel Mode:

• Items in the group appear one after another.
• Each item stays visible for a defined duration.
• The sequence can loop indefinitely.

This is useful for:

• Rotating speaker names
• Cycling sponsors
• Automated lower third playlists

Understanding that Carousel is a Group feature, not a global one, is key to using it effectively.