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To stream a folder of videos from Windows to YouTube Live, add the files to OBS’s VLC Video source, set the playlist order and loop behavior, then send OBS’s output to a YouTube encoder stream. VLC must be installed, and its 32-bit or 64-bit architecture must match OBS. Test the actual files, audio, and YouTube preview before making the broadcast public.
Before you start: check YouTube eligibility
Your channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours, so activate it before the day you plan to broadcast. Check YouTube’s current requirements in its live-streaming setup guidance.
Choose the stream’s privacy setting in YouTube Studio: public, unlisted, or private. Only broadcast video and audio you own or are authorized to use. YouTube’s setup guidance warns creators to avoid content that violates platform rules; it does not establish whether a particular file is legally cleared.
Install OBS and VLC on Windows
OBS supports Windows 10 and Windows 11. Meeting its operating-system requirements does not guarantee that a PC can encode every resolution, frame rate, or scene smoothly. Run OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point and test under the conditions you expect to stream. See the OBS system requirements and Quick Start Guide.
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For a playlist, install VLC as well as OBS. The OBS VLC Video source is available only when VLC is installed, and the architectures must match: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you only need to play one file, OBS’s built-in Media Source does not require VLC.
Choose the right OBS source
| Source | Best for | Key behavior | Dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Source | One local video file | Supports per-file playback and looping settings | Built into OBS |
| VLC Video | A playlist of local files | Supports playlist order, shuffle, and playlist looping | VLC installed with matching architecture |
These sources and their playback controls are documented in the OBS Media Sources guide. Container formats listed by OBS include MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, but a familiar file extension alone does not guarantee that every codec combination will decode on your Windows installation. Test your own files.
Build and configure the video playlist
- Create or select a scene. In OBS, select a scene in the Scenes dock, or create one for this broadcast.
- Add the playlist source. In the Sources dock, click + and choose VLC Video. If it is missing, confirm VLC is installed and matches OBS’s 32-bit or 64-bit architecture.
- Add the files. In the VLC Video source properties, add the video files you want to play and arrange them in the desired order. Keep Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence.
- Set looping deliberately. Turn Loop Playlist on if playback should return to the first item after the last; leave it off if the playlist should end. Check Visibility Behaviour too: a source set to stop when hidden will not continue playing in the background.
- Position the source. Make sure the source is visible in the preview and fits the canvas the way you intend. Use OBS’s Sources Guide if you need help with source visibility and scene layout.
For a single video instead, add Media Source from the Sources dock, select the local file, and configure its loop and visibility options. A single Media Source is not a folder playlist; use VLC Video when you need OBS to move through a set of files.
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Check audio, resolution, and connection settings
Play a representative video before connecting to YouTube. Watch the Audio Mixer meters while it plays, and confirm the source’s sound is included in the OBS output. Check the picture in the preview for cropping, black bars, or an unintended scale. OBS recommends testing output settings before a real broadcast in its Quick Start Guide.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Studio. Go to the Live Control Room and create an encoder stream or select a scheduled stream. Follow the current controls shown for that stream, since interface labels can change.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings > Stream. Select YouTube or configure the server and stream key for the selected YouTube stream, then enter the values from YouTube Studio. YouTube explains the encoder setup in Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- Protect the key. Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish or share it. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube’s Live Control Room. See Manage live stream settings.
- Prefer an encrypted connection. YouTube recommends RTMPS when supported by the encoder. Use YouTube’s service option in OBS where available, or the RTMPS server details supplied by YouTube. Its live encoder guidance covers connection and output settings.
- Start the OBS stream and inspect the preview. For a scheduled broadcast, sending video from OBS is not the same as making the event available to viewers. Wait for the incoming preview in YouTube’s Live Control Room, verify it, and click Go live when ready. Follow the current instructions for your selected stream.
Test the complete broadcast before sharing it
When appropriate, run a private or unlisted test stream first. YouTube recommends testing with representative motion and audio and monitoring stream health; OBS likewise recommends testing before your first real broadcast. Verify each part of the playback path:
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- The expected first video plays and the playlist follows the intended order.
- The playlist loops—or ends—according to your setting.
- The audio is audible in the YouTube preview, not just visible on the OBS meters.
- The picture fits the canvas and YouTube reports no stream-health issue.
- The selected privacy setting is correct before you share the stream link.
YouTube’s live-streaming tips explain why a representative test and stream-health check matter. Keep OBS and the media files available for the duration of this DIY broadcast, and monitor playback during the event.
End the stream cleanly
When the broadcast is over, end it in YouTube’s Live Control Room as applicable, then stop streaming in OBS. YouTube says encoder streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; that timing applies to the stream duration described in its encoder-stream guidance.
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Troubleshooting OBS folder streams
VLC Video does not appear in Sources
Install VLC and check that its architecture matches OBS. A 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC. Restart OBS after installing VLC if the source is still unavailable.
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A file is missing, black, or will not decode
Test the file locally on the same PC and try a known-good file. OBS lists supported container formats, but the extension does not establish that every codec inside the file will decode on that Windows setup.
The playlist stops or does not restart
Check Loop Playlist and confirm it is enabled if playback should repeat. Inspect Visibility Behaviour as well; a source configured to stop when hidden may stop when it is not visible in the scene.
YouTube receives no signal
Confirm OBS is sending to the correct YouTube stream and that the stream URL and key match. Check the Live Control Room preview. If someone else may have seen the key, reset it before reconnecting.
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The channel cannot start a live stream
Check channel verification and whether a live-streaming restriction has applied in the previous 90 days. If this is the first time live streaming is being enabled, allow up to 24 hours for activation.
The picture stutters or stream health is poor
Use OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point, test your upload capacity, and compare your output settings with YouTube’s recommendations for your chosen resolution and frame rate. Reduce demands on the PC or adjust the output settings if the actual test is unstable; do not assume a bitrate recommendation will fit every connection.
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