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If your OBS playlist video appears on YouTube Live but viewers hear nothing, trace the audio signal in order: confirm the video source is playing and sending audio to OBS, check the OBS mixer and stream track, then inspect the encoded output and YouTube’s stream health. A meter moving in OBS narrows the problem; it does not by itself prove that audio is reaching the stream.
1. Confirm the playlist source is playing audio
First identify how the playlist was added. OBS’s Media Sources documentation distinguishes the individual-file Media Source from the playlist-capable VLC Video source. Media Source supports formats including MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM for video, and MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV for audio; its properties include loop and restart behavior.
If you use VLC Video
VLC Video uses VLC libraries and supports playlists. VLC must be installed, and its architecture should match OBS—for example, 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS. In the source properties, confirm the intended playlist item is active, playback has started, and the Audio Track selection is appropriate. The source also has settings for Loop Playlist, Shuffle Playlist, Visibility Behaviour and Network caching.
If you use Media Source or another arrangement
Confirm the correct file is loaded and playing, and that the file actually contains an audible track. A video picture alone does not establish that its audio is present or selected. The exact controls differ by source type, so check that source’s properties rather than assuming it has VLC Video’s playlist and audio-track controls.
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2. Check whether OBS receives the source audio
Play the video and watch the audio meter associated with the playlist in the OBS mixer. OBS’s audio mixer guide explains that a missing input indicator means audio may not be reaching OBS; a media file may not have started, or an audio device in the path may be disconnected.
- No meter movement: verify playback, the file’s audio track, and—if using VLC Video—the selected Audio Track. Check any audio device required by the playback path.
- Meter movement: OBS is receiving some audio from that source. Continue to the mute, track-routing and output checks; meter movement alone does not establish that the audio is included in the stream.
3. Check mute, track assignment and monitoring
If the source meter moves, make sure the source is not muted and its fader is not turned down. Open Advanced Audio Properties and check which audio track includes the playlist source. Confirm that the track selected for streaming is the one receiving that source. OBS documents mixer mute controls and track and monitoring settings in its audio mixer guide.
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Use monitoring as a local listening check
Configure an OBS monitoring device and listen to the playlist source through it. If it is silent there, check the monitoring device selection and OBS Audio Monitoring settings. If you hear it, that confirms a signal is reaching the configured monitor path, not that YouTube receives the same signal. Verify the stream-track assignment and encoded output separately.
4. Inspect the encoder output and YouTube Live health
Check the YouTube Live Control Room’s stream health for an audio error. YouTube’s live-stream troubleshooting guidance includes the message “Your encoder is sending no audio.” It also warns that multiple audio streams can cause ingestion problems. If YouTube reports no audio, confirm OBS has audio enabled and is sending the intended stream rather than accidentally sending multiple audio streams.
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YouTube’s encoder settings guidance lists AAC or MP3 as audio codecs. For stereo audio, it recommends 128 Kbps and lists 44.1 kHz. Treat these as encoder checks when YouTube reports an audio-format issue; they are not the first explanation to pursue when the source meter is empty.
Listen to the stream directly in the encoder, as YouTube advises. If the encoder output is already silent or sounds wrong, return to OBS sources, mute state and track routing. If it sounds healthy but delivery is still silent or YouTube reports a problem, investigate YouTube’s stream health and the outbound connection. YouTube notes that poor sound may come from the quality of the audio and video sources routed to the encoder.
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5. Use the symptom to choose the next check
| What you observe | Inspect next | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Video plays, but the playlist source meter is empty | Playback, file audio or source audio-track selection | Confirm the file has audio and playback began; check the VLC Video Audio Track selection and any required audio device. |
| Playlist meter moves, but the monitor device is silent | OBS monitoring configuration | Check the selected monitoring device and Audio Monitoring settings. |
| Playlist meter moves and monitoring works, but the stream is silent | Mute, stream-track assignment or encoded output | Check mute and Advanced Audio Properties, then listen to the encoder output and inspect YouTube Live health. |
| YouTube reports no audio or multiple streams | Audio configuration sent by the encoder | Enable the intended audio stream, avoid sending multiple streams, and check the codec if YouTube reports a format issue. |
| Encoder output sounds healthy, but delivery is not | YouTube stream health or outbound connection | Follow YouTube’s stream-health and connection troubleshooting. |
6. Test before an important broadcast
Run a private or otherwise appropriate test with representative video movement and audio before an important broadcast. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the planned event and monitoring stream health. Check the sound in the encoder as well as at YouTube: the point where it disappears tells you whether to return to source playback, OBS capture and routing, encoded output, or platform delivery.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps uploaded videos playing 24/7, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos, not a live camera feed, and it does not fix a misrouted OBS signal path.
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