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OBS Studio

How to Stream a Playlist of Videos on YouTube with OBS

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To stream a playlist of local video files on YouTube with OBS, add OBS’s VLC Video source to a scene, load the files into its playlist, configure playback, then connect OBS to YouTube using an encoder stream key. You need VLC installed, with its architecture matching OBS. If your playlist is on YouTube rather than on your computer, use OBS window or display capture to show the browser; the VLC Video source is documented for media files, not YouTube playlist URLs.

Choose the right OBS source for your playlist

Source Use it when Important trade-off
VLC Video You have multiple local video files to play in an OBS scene, in order or shuffled. Requires VLC installed. Playlist, loop, shuffle, and visibility behavior are configurable.
Media Source You need to add one local media file. OBS documents playlist playback under VLC Video, not Media Source.
Window or display capture You need to show a browser or another application playing content, including a YouTube playlist. This captures the application or display; it does not import a YouTube playlist into VLC Video. Audio capture can depend on your operating system and configuration.

For sequence playback from files on your computer, use VLC Video. For a playlist hosted on YouTube, open it in a browser and capture that browser or its display with OBS. These are separate workflows, and the browser-capture setup may need operating-system-specific audio configuration.

Set up a local video playlist in OBS

1. Install OBS and VLC

Install OBS Studio and VLC Media Player. Match VLC’s architecture to OBS: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC for the VLC Video source to work.

2. Add the VLC Video source

  1. Open OBS and select the scene where the playlist should appear, or create a scene.
  2. In the Sources dock, click the plus button and choose VLC Video. If it is missing, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
  3. Give the source a recognizable name, then add your local video files to its playlist.
  4. Position and resize the source in the preview as needed. In the Sources list, a source higher in the list appears above sources beneath it.

3. Set playback order, shuffle, and looping

Leave shuffle off to play files in the listed order, or enable it for random playback. Enable looping if playback should start again after the last file. OBS documents loop on and shuffle off as the VLC Video defaults.

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4. Decide what happens when the source is hidden

VLC Video’s documented default is to stop playback while the source is not visible and restart it when visible again. Check this behavior against your scene setup: switching to another scene can hide the playlist source, so playback may stop and restart rather than continue in the background.

Connect OBS to YouTube and go live

1. Check channel eligibility and create an encoder stream

YouTube’s live-stream guidance says a channel must be verified and must have had no live-stream restrictions in the previous 90 days to stream live. Check your current eligibility in YouTube Studio, since account status and interface details can change. In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or select an encoder stream.

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2. Add the stream key in OBS

Copy the stream key from YouTube’s stream settings into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a stream to your channel. Do not share it publicly.

3. Check privacy, preview, and quality

Choose the intended visibility—public, private, or unlisted—in YouTube’s stream settings before starting. Preview the event in Live Control Room, test the setup before an important broadcast, and monitor audio and video while live. YouTube’s guidance recommends testing and checking the preview rather than assuming the encoder output is correct.

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Before you broadcast: rights and YouTube rules

Confirm that you have the rights to rebroadcast every video and its audio. A video being available online, or appearing in a playlist you can watch, does not establish permission to retransmit it in a live stream. YouTube requires live content to comply with its Community Guidelines and Terms of Service; it may age-restrict or remove a stream, or restrict a creator’s ability to stream. Platform compliance is separate from whether you hold the necessary rights to specific material.

Troubleshooting common playlist problems

  • VLC Video is not available in Sources: Install VLC and ensure its architecture matches OBS. In particular, 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC.
  • The playlist plays files in the wrong order: Turn shuffle off and check the order of the files in the VLC Video playlist.
  • Playback stops or restarts after changing scenes: Check the source’s visibility behavior. The documented default stops playback when the source is not visible and restarts it when visible.
  • The YouTube playlist does not load into VLC Video: Use VLC Video for local media files. To show a YouTube playlist, play it in a browser and use OBS window or display capture instead.
  • The browser picture appears but its sound does not: Confirm that the chosen capture workflow includes browser audio; the required setup varies by operating system and configuration. Check the OBS preview and test the stream before going public.
  • You cannot start a YouTube encoder stream: Check channel verification and current live-stream eligibility in YouTube Studio, then confirm the selected stream and key. YouTube says a channel with live-stream restrictions in the previous 90 days is not eligible under its stated requirements.
  • The stream appears to the wrong audience: Verify the event’s public, private, or unlisted setting in the Live Control Room before starting.
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Or let it run in the cloud

If the goal is to keep a YouTube playlist of uploaded videos streaming without leaving a computer running at home, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It keeps the stream running from the cloud, supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube; it does not stream from a camera. Start your free first day with StreamNeo.

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