VirtualDJ

Overview

VirtualDJ is a fully featured DJ application popular with mobile DJs, event entertainers, karaoke hosts, and streaming DJs. It supports an enormous range of controllers and audio interfaces and includes features like video mixing, karaoke management, and stem separation. Now Playing reads VirtualDJ’s play history files, capturing track information as each track plays with minimal setup.

Compatible Versions

• VirtualDJ 2024 and newer

Earlier versions of VirtualDJ are not supported. If you’re running an older version and track data is not being captured, update VirtualDJ to the 2024 release or later.

What Gets Captured

Field	Notes
Track title	From the track’s file metadata
Artist	From the track’s file metadata
Album	From the track’s file metadata
BPM	As analyzed by VirtualDJ

Requirements

• VirtualDJ 2024 or newer must be installed and running on the same computer as the Now Playing desktop app
• The Write History setting must be enabled in VirtualDJ (see Setup below)
• Works with any VirtualDJ-compatible controller or audio interface

Setup

1. Launch VirtualDJ and load your session as you normally would.
2. Open the Now Playing desktop app.
3. Go to Settings, expand Sources, and select VirtualDJ.
4. Choose a Connection Mode:
   • Use playlist (default) — reads VirtualDJ’s M3U history files. Works with both Home and Pro editions. Make sure Write History is enabled in VirtualDJ’s preferences (open Settings → Options and search for writeHistory; set it to Yes).
   • Use VDJ Network Control — polls VirtualDJ’s built-in Network Control Plugin over HTTP. Lower latency and it correctly detects which deck is audible, but requires VirtualDJ 2023 or later with a Pro license and the plugin to be enabled. See the section below before picking this mode.
5. Toggle Enable Monitoring.

Now Playing will begin capturing track changes automatically.

Enabling Network Control (optional)

Only needed if you pick Use VDJ Network Control.

1. In VirtualDJ, go to Config → Extensions → Effects → Other and install the Network Control plugin.
2. Add Network Control to the Master panel’s Auto-Start category so it runs on every VirtualDJ launch.
3. Open the plugin’s cog-wheel settings and choose a port (default 8080). Optionally set a password.
4. Back in Now Playing, fill in Network Control Host, Port, and Password to match.

How It Works

Now Playing monitors VirtualDJ’s M3U history files, which VirtualDJ writes to disk whenever a track plays. The integration is read-only. It does not affect VirtualDJ’s performance, modify any files, or interfere with your session in any way.

Track data updates when VirtualDJ records a new track to its history. If you use VirtualDJ’s automix or karaoke queue features, Now Playing will follow along and update as each new track plays.

Play Detection

VirtualDJ’s history file integration does not include deck numbers. Because of this, the mix processor always uses the BYPASS strategy for this source. The overlay updates immediately when the history file records a new track. There is no mix processor gating for VirtualDJ: connecting a MIDI controller or mixer alongside it has no effect on when the overlay updates.

Note

VirtualDJ must have Write History enabled (see Setup above) for Now Playing to detect track changes. Without it, history files are not written and no updates will appear.

Troubleshooting

Track data is not appearing

• Confirm VirtualDJ is running. Now Playing can only read data while VirtualDJ is actively open.
• Verify that Write History is enabled. Open VirtualDJ, go to Settings → Options, search for writeHistory, and confirm it is set to Yes.
• Check your VirtualDJ version. Go to Help → About in VirtualDJ and confirm you’re on the 2024 release or later. If not, update VirtualDJ first.
• Restart Now Playing while VirtualDJ is already open, then try loading a track in VirtualDJ.

BPM is missing for some tracks

BPM data comes from VirtualDJ’s track analysis. Tracks that have not been analyzed will not have BPM values. In VirtualDJ, right-click unanalyzed tracks in the browser and select Scan or Analyze to populate BPM data.

Track updates stop after a while

If Now Playing stops updating but VirtualDJ is still running, try going to Settings, expand Sources, select VirtualDJ, and toggle Enable Monitoring off then back on to re-establish monitoring without a full restart.

Album information is missing

Album metadata comes from the track file’s ID3 or metadata tags. If the album field is blank in your overlay, the track file likely doesn’t have album data embedded. You can edit track metadata in VirtualDJ by right-clicking a track and selecting Edit infos, or use a dedicated tag editor to batch-update your library.