Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsStart by checking whether the black screen also appears in OBS’s preview. If it does, troubleshoot the scene or video source; if the preview looks right and only YouTube is black, the problem is downstream of what OBS is showing, and the OBS settings below are not a confirmed fix for that case.
First, find where the picture goes black
- Watch OBS’s live preview while the gap occurs.
- If OBS’s preview is black too, follow the checks below for the source type and scene involved.
- If OBS’s preview remains correct while YouTube shows black, do not assume a Media Source setting is responsible. The OBS documentation cited here does not establish a cause for a YouTube-only black interval.
Check Media Source playback at the clip boundary
If the videos are local files added as OBS Media Sources, select the source in the Sources dock and inspect its playback settings. OBS documents these controls in its Media Sources guide (published January 11, 2022). Menu labels can vary by installed OBS version.
Choose the behavior you actually want
- Loop: Controls whether the file repeats after playback completes. Turn it on if that source is meant to repeat continuously.
- Show nothing when playback ends: When enabled, the source can disappear at the end of the file. If you want a holding image or another scene instead, plan that behavior rather than expecting the finished clip to remain visible.
- Close file when inactive: This unloads a hidden or inactive file to free memory. OBS notes that switching back to a scene using that source may leave a short period while it reloads. If the black interval follows a scene switch, test whether this option is involved.
Change one relevant setting at a time, then watch the OBS preview through the same clip boundary or scene switch. The appropriate setting depends on whether the intended result is a repeat, a blank source, a holding visual, or a scene change; these controls are not universal fixes for every black interval.
Verify source visibility and layer order
In OBS’s Sources dock, check that the intended video source has its eye icon enabled. Then inspect the order of the sources: items higher in the list appear above lower items and can cover them. A source that becomes visible over the video between clips may make the output look black or obscured. OBS explains visibility and stacking in its Sources Guide (published January 11, 2022).
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Use the controls for the source type in your scene
OBS has different source types for files, playlists, and captured content. Identify the source in the Sources dock before changing settings; a playlist source does not use precisely the same controls as an individual media file. The OBS Sources Guide describes these source categories.
For a VLC playlist
If the clips play through OBS’s VLC Video source, inspect its playlist options, including Loop Playlist and Visibility Behaviour. This source requires VLC to be installed. OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC; consult the OBS Media Sources guide for its setup details.
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For captured gameplay
Use Game Capture troubleshooting only when the black content is gameplay being captured—not when OBS is playing local video files. OBS recommends checking the source setup, conflicting software, and multi-GPU configuration. If the source is the wrong size or its transform is stuck, try Reset Transform and Fit to Screen. Follow the OBS Game Capture Troubleshooting guide (published January 12, 2022).
Investigate performance only if OBS shows signs of strain
OBS uses GPU resources to render and composite scenes, and complex or resource-heavy sources can contribute to performance problems. Treat this as a secondary check, not the default explanation for a black gap. If the preview is dropping frames or you see other signs of rendering strain, test a simpler scene and reduce expensive sources. OBS’s Encoding Performance Troubleshooting guide (published June 12, 2021) explains performance checks; it does not establish that overload causes this particular symptom.
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Match the symptom to the next check
| What you see | Inspect first | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| OBS preview goes black at the clip boundary | Media Source end-of-playback and reload settings; then source visibility and order | OBS documents these playback and scene behaviors. |
| OBS preview goes black after switching scenes | Source visibility and order; whether Close file when inactive is enabled | A hidden source may need time to reload when its scene becomes active again. |
| OBS preview is black for captured gameplay | Game Capture setup, conflicting software, GPU selection, and transform | These are the checks in OBS’s Game Capture troubleshooting guidance. |
| OBS preview looks correct but YouTube is black | Investigate the stream path beyond the OBS preview | The OBS sources cited here do not identify the platform-specific cause. |
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