For a playlist of local videos, use OBS Studio’s built-in VLC Video source, not a separate playlist plugin. Install VLC, add your files to the source, and enable Loop Playlist. If you only need to repeat one video, use OBS’s built-in Media Source and enable Loop instead. These settings repeat media playback; they do not automatically end or otherwise manage the YouTube Live broadcast.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| One video file, repeated | Media Source | Loop |
| Several files in a playlist | VLC Video | Loop Playlist |
| Playlist in its listed order | VLC Video | Shuffle Playlist off |
| Playlist in randomized order | VLC Video | Shuffle Playlist on |
OBS’s Media Source supports common video formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM, as well as audio formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. For multiple items and VLC-backed media support, use VLC Video. See the OBS Media Sources documentation.
Set up a looping playlist in OBS
- Install VLC on the computer running OBS. OBS requires VLC for the VLC Video source to appear. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. OBS lists VLC Video for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Add a VLC Video source. In your OBS scene, add a source and select VLC Video. Add the local media files you want to play to its playlist.
- Enable Loop Playlist. This makes playback start again from the playlist’s beginning after its items have finished. OBS documents this setting as on by default, but check it in the source properties.
- Set the order. Leave Shuffle Playlist off to play items in list order, or turn it on to randomize playback. OBS documents shuffle as off by default.
- Choose what happens when the source is hidden. OBS’s documented default is to stop playback when the source is not visible and restart it when visible. The source also offers pause/resume and always-play behavior. Choose the option that fits your scene changes so that hiding a source does not interrupt playback unexpectedly.
- Check audio, framing, and playback. Confirm the playlist is visible in the scene, the picture is framed correctly, and audio reaches the intended OBS output. Make a private or unlisted test broadcast before relying on the setup.
- Connect OBS to YouTube Live. Follow YouTube’s current encoder workflow in the YouTube Live encoder setup guide. YouTube’s account requirements and interface can change, so use the current instructions in Live Control Room.
Looping media is separate from ending the broadcast
Loop Playlist controls what happens when the VLC playlist runs out of items: it starts the playlist again. It does not establish that YouTube will end the live broadcast when playback finishes. The OBS forum discussion on this question dates to August 2021; its answer is historical community guidance, not confirmation of current behavior. Do not rely on playlist completion to stop a broadcast. See the OBS forum discussion.
If your goal is to stop the live broadcast at a particular time, treat that as a separate broadcast-control task. Check the active YouTube Live and OBS controls rather than assuming a media source will end the stream for you.
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Test before leaving the stream unattended
- Verify that every playlist item starts and plays as expected, including its audio.
- Let the playlist reach its end once and confirm that it starts again from the beginning.
- If you use multiple scenes, test what happens when the VLC Video source becomes hidden and visible again.
- Confirm the YouTube broadcast is receiving the intended OBS output and that the stream remains live after the playlist loops.
Common problems and fixes
VLC Video does not appear in the source list
Install VLC on the computer running OBS and check that its architecture matches. OBS specifically calls for 64-bit VLC when using 64-bit OBS.
The playlist stops after the last item
Open the VLC Video source properties and check Loop Playlist. Also make sure the playlist contains the expected items and that they can play individually.
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Items play in an unexpected order
Check Shuffle Playlist. Turn it off for the listed sequence or on for randomized playback.
Playback stops when changing scenes
The source may be configured to stop when it is not visible. Review its visibility behavior and choose pause/resume or always-play if that better fits your scene setup.
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The playlist ends but YouTube is still live
That is a distinction between media playback and broadcast lifecycle. Looping affects whether the list repeats; it is not a command to end the YouTube Live stream.
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