Getting Started with Song Overlays Pro in 5 Minutes

Introduction

Welcome to Song Overlays Pro! This quick start guide gets you from download to displaying what's playing in just a few minutes. No technical expertise required.

What you'll achieve:

• Install and launch Song Overlays Pro
• Grant necessary permissions
• Detect your first song
• View the overlay in your browser
• Ready for OBS, Discord, or other integrations

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

• macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
• Active internet connection (for song detection)
• Music playing capability (Spotify, Apple Music, browser, DJ software — anything that plays audio)

Step 1: Download and Install

Get Song Overlays Pro from the Mac App Store.

1. Open the Mac App Store on your Mac
2. Search for "Song Overlays Pro"
3. Click Get (or the price button if purchasing)
4. Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or Apple ID password
5. Wait for the download to complete
6. Click Open or find it in your Applications folder

Direct Link: Song Overlays Pro on Mac App Store

Step 2: Grant Audio Permissions

Song Overlays Pro needs permission to listen to your Mac's audio.

1. When you first launch the app, macOS will ask for Screen Recording permission
2. This permission allows the app to capture system audio (it doesn't actually record your screen)
3. Click Open System Settings when prompted
4. Find Song Overlays Pro in the list
5. Toggle the switch to on
6. You may need to restart the app for changes to take effect

Why Screen Recording Permission?

macOS groups audio capture under Screen Recording permissions for security. Song Overlays Pro only uses this to listen for music — it never records or stores your screen content.

Step 3: Start the Detection Server

Launch the song detection engine.

1. In Song Overlays Pro, click the Server tab in the sidebar
2. Click the Start Server button
3. The status indicator will turn green when ready
4. You'll see "Server running on port 8080" (or similar)

The server is now listening for songs and ready to serve overlays.

Step 4: Play Some Music

Time to detect your first song.

1. Play any song on your Mac:

   • Spotify
   • Apple Music
   • YouTube in browser
   • SoundCloud
   • DJ software (Serato, rekordbox, Traktor)
   • Any audio source

2. Wait 5-10 seconds for detection

3. The current song appears in Song Overlays Pro with:

   • Song title
   • Artist name
   • Album name
   • Album artwork

Tip: Detection works best with commercial releases. Live recordings, bootlegs, or very obscure tracks may not be recognized.

Step 5: View Your Overlay

See the overlay that you can add to OBS or other software.

1. In the Server tab, find the Overlay URL
2. Click Copy URL to copy it
3. Open the URL in any web browser
4. You'll see your styled "now playing" overlay
5. Play different songs and watch it update in real-time

This is the same URL you'll use in OBS, streaming software, or display systems.

Step 6: Choose Your Theme

Customize how the overlay looks.

1. Click Customize Theme in the Server tab
2. Browse through 10 built-in themes
3. Click any theme to preview it
4. The browser overlay updates instantly
5. Pick one that matches your style

Themes range from minimal and professional to vibrant and eye-catching.

You're Ready!

That's it — Song Overlays Pro is now detecting songs and serving overlays. Here's what you can do next:

Add to OBS Studio

Display the overlay on your stream.

Complete OBS setup guide

Post to Discord

Share what's playing with your community.

Discord integration guide

Accept Song Requests

Let your audience request songs via QR code.

Song Requests setup

Send to VJ Software

Control Resolume or other visual software via OSC.

Resolume OSC guide

Customize Your Look

Make the overlay match your brand.

Theme customization guide

Quick Troubleshooting

Song Not Detecting

1. Check permissions — Ensure Screen Recording is enabled in System Settings
2. Restart the app — Close and reopen Song Overlays Pro
3. Check audio source — Make sure music is actually playing through your Mac
4. Wait longer — Some songs take 10-15 seconds to identify
5. Try a popular song — Obscure tracks may not be in the database

Server Won't Start

1. Check the port — Another app might be using port 8080
2. Change the port — Go to Settings → Server → Port
3. Restart your Mac — Clears any stuck processes
4. Check firewall — Ensure Song Overlays Pro isn't blocked

Overlay Not Loading

1. Verify the URL — Copy it fresh from the app
2. Check server status — Ensure the green "running" indicator is on
3. Try a different browser — Rule out browser-specific issues
4. Disable ad blockers — Some may interfere with localhost connections

Permission Issues

1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording
2. Find Song Overlays Pro and toggle it off, then on again
3. Quit and restart Song Overlays Pro
4. If still not working, try removing and re-adding the permission

Understanding the Interface

Sidebar Tabs

Status Indicators

• Green — Server running, detection active
• Yellow — Starting up or processing
• Red — Error or server stopped
• Pulsing — Currently detecting a song

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow:

System Requirements

Minimum:

• macOS 13.0 Ventura
• Apple Silicon or Intel Mac
• 100MB storage
• Internet connection

Recommended:

• macOS 14.0 Sonoma or later
• Apple Silicon Mac
• Stable internet for song detection

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore the full potential of Song Overlays Pro:

1. Add overlay to OBS — Most popular integration
2. Customize themes — Match your brand
3. Enable Song Requests — Audience interaction
4. Join Discord — Get help and share setups

You're all set! Song Overlays Pro is now running and ready to display what's playing. Whether you're streaming, DJing, or running events, you have a powerful tool for showing your music to the world.