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How to Add Videos to an OBS Playlist Without Stopping a YouTube Stream

OBS’s built-in VLC source supports playlists, but does not promise uninterrupted in-place edits. See the plugin option, setup steps, and how to test stream continuity.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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You can add videos to an OBS playlist while a YouTube stream is live, but the built-in VLC Video Source documentation does not guarantee that changing its playlist will leave the current video playing uninterrupted. For editing a playlist in place, the OBS Media Playlist Source plugin says it can make changes without restarting the current video. That is the plugin author’s feature claim, not a guarantee that every edit—or the YouTube broadcast itself—will remain uninterrupted.

Choose the right OBS playlist method

Option Playlist playback Editing while a video plays Requirements and checks
Built-in VLC Video Source OBS documentation describes playlist playback. OBS documentation does not promise that edits preserve current playback; user reports describe resets and inconsistent reloads. Install VLC, matching OBS’s bitness. Check loop, shuffle, and visibility behavior.
Media Playlist Source plugin The plugin listing describes playlist playback. The listing says edits, including reordering files, do not restart the video. Treat this as the author’s claim and test your workflow. The listing says version 0.1.0 and later require OBS 31 or later. Check the current listing for compatibility and version details before installing.

OBS distinguishes a Media Source from a VLC Video Source. The OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation explains that the VLC source can hold a playlist and requires VLC to be installed. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. The documentation describes playlist playback but does not specify a reliable way to add or reorder items during playback without affecting the current item.

Set up a built-in VLC playlist

  1. Install VLC. Match its bitness to OBS; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC.
  2. In OBS, select the scene that should show the playlist. In the Sources dock, click + and choose VLC Video Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
  3. In the source properties, add the video files to the playlist and arrange their initial order.
  4. Set loop or shuffle if you need those behaviors. Review what the source does when it is not visible in the scene; source visibility behavior can affect whether playback continues as expected. OBS’s Sources Guide explains source setup and visibility.
  5. Before relying on live edits, test adding, removing, or reordering files while monitoring both the video and the outgoing broadcast. The built-in documentation does not promise that the current item will keep playing after a playlist change.

Edit the playlist during playback with the plugin

The OBS forum resource listing for Media Playlist Source says it allows editing the playlist without restarting the video, including when files are reordered. The listing shows version 0.1.3, last updated 2025-04-13, and says OBS 31 or later is required for versions from 0.1.0 onward. Check the resource page for current compatibility and installation details before using it; versions and requirements can change.

  1. Confirm that your OBS version meets the plugin’s current requirement and that the resource is compatible with your system.
  2. Install the plugin using the instructions on its resource page, then restart OBS if the installation instructions require it.
  3. Add the plugin’s source to the scene and configure its playlist using the available source controls.
  4. While a test broadcast is running, add and reorder a file. Watch whether the current video continues, whether the new item appears in the intended position, and whether the next transition behaves as expected.

The plugin listing’s statement is a feature description, not an independently established guarantee for every OBS build, file type, or playlist edit. Test the exact operation you plan to use before depending on it during a public stream.

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Check playback and YouTube continuity separately

A media source restarting and a YouTube live broadcast ending are different outcomes. OBS community forum posts raise concerns about playback resets and playlist-file reloads, but they are anecdotal; they do not establish that editing a playlist disconnects YouTube. Likewise, a source continuing to play does not by itself prove that the broadcast is still reaching YouTube.

  • Source playback: Is the current video still playing, or did it restart, stop, or move to another item?
  • Playlist update: Did the new file appear, and is the order correct?
  • Broadcast connection: Does OBS still show the stream as connected, and does YouTube Studio still show the live stream receiving video?

Test playlist changes and broadcast connectivity before using them on a public stream. Avoid relying on overwriting a playlist file midstream without testing: one OBS forum user reported that a replacement sometimes appeared live and sometimes required restarting OBS or YouTube. A suggested two-scene workaround was offered with uncertainty, so it should not be treated as a proven fix.

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Troubleshoot common playlist-edit problems

  • VLC Video Source is missing or unavailable: Install VLC and make sure its bitness matches OBS. Reopen OBS and check the source-creation menu again.
  • The current video restarts after an edit: The built-in VLC source documentation does not promise uninterrupted in-place editing. Try the Media Playlist Source plugin after checking its current OBS requirement, or schedule playlist changes for a safer point and test first.
  • A playlist-file replacement does not appear: Do not assume OBS will reload the changed file immediately. Check the source’s current playlist and test reload behavior off-air; reports of midstream replacement are inconsistent.
  • The video continues but YouTube appears offline: Treat this as a broadcast-connection issue, not proof that the playlist edit ended the stream. Check OBS’s connection state and YouTube Studio separately.
  • The plugin does not behave as expected: Verify the installed plugin version and OBS compatibility against the resource listing, then test additions and reordering with the media and workflow you will use.
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