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OBS 31 VLC Playlist Settings for a Continuous YouTube Stream

Configure VLC Video in OBS 31 to loop a multi-file playlist, choose ordered or shuffled playback, and understand what it takes to keep YouTube live.

By VGSources Team 4 min read
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To loop several local videos in OBS 31, add a VLC Video source, load your files into its playlist, leave Loop Playlist on, and turn Shuffle Playlist off if they should play in order. This repeats the playlist, but it does not guarantee an uninterrupted YouTube broadcast: OBS, your computer, your upload connection, and YouTube’s ingest must also remain available.

Before you set up the playlist

  • Install VLC. The VLC Video source depends on it; if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC too.
  • Have the local video or audio files you want to play ready. For several files, VLC Video is the OBS source designed to hold a playlist.
  • Make sure the computer can stay on and OBS can continue running for the intended broadcast. A playlist setting cannot keep the broadcast alive if the computer or OBS stops.

Add and configure a VLC Video playlist

  1. Open OBS 31 and select the scene that will contain the playback.
  2. In the Sources dock, select +, then choose VLC Video. Create the source and open its properties.
  3. Add the local media files to the playlist. Arrange them in the order you want if playback should be predictable.
  4. Set Loop Playlist to On so playback starts again after the list ends.
  5. Set Shuffle Playlist to Off for list order, or On if you want the items randomized. OBS documents loop on and shuffle off as the defaults.
  6. Choose a Visibility Behaviour intentionally. The documented default, Stop when not visible, restart when visible, stops playback when the source is hidden and starts it again when visible. If it must continue while hidden, choose the suitable pause/resume or always-play option and check the result in your scene setup.
  7. Apply the settings and play through the playlist in OBS. Confirm that audio and video work and that the list loops as expected before going live.

Choose VLC Video or Media Source

Use VLC Video when you need multiple local items in a playlist. For one file, OBS’s built-in Media Source is the more direct choice; its Loop option repeats that file. OBS describes VLC Video as supporting a playlist, “similar to an Image Slideshow.”

Need OBS source Relevant setting
Repeat one local file Media Source Enable Loop.
Play multiple local files VLC Video Enable Loop Playlist; set Shuffle Playlist according to the playback order you want.

What playlist looping does—and does not do

Loop Playlist controls what happens when the local list reaches its end. It does not restart OBS, restore a failed internet connection, or guarantee that YouTube continues receiving the stream. A nonstop broadcast also relies on OBS remaining active, the computer staying available, adequate upload bandwidth, and healthy YouTube ingest.

Network caching is another VLC Video property, with a documented default of 400 ms. Treat it as a source setting, not a universal cure for dropped frames or an unstable connection; change it only when troubleshooting points to a caching issue.

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Configure YouTube output and test it

Set OBS’s stream output to match your chosen resolution, frame rate, codec, and the upload bandwidth you can sustain. YouTube recommends RTMPS, CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval (do not exceed 4 seconds), and AAC or MP3 audio. Its bitrate figures below are recommendations, not guaranteed requirements; the appropriate setting depends on codec, resolution, and frame rate.

Output YouTube-recommended bitrate Listed minimum
H.264, 1080p at 60 fps 17 Mbps 6 Mbps
H.264, 1080p at 30 fps 14 Mbps 5 Mbps
H.264, 720p at 60 fps 8 Mbps 3 Mbps
AV1 or H.265, 1080p at 60 fps 12 Mbps 4 Mbps

These are YouTube Help’s published settings, accessed October 3, 2026. Its guidance lists frame rates up to 60 fps. Before the real broadcast, test with representative audio and movement, then monitor stream health while live.

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Troubleshoot common playlist and stream problems

  • VLC Video is missing from the source menu: install VLC and make sure its architecture matches OBS. In particular, 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
  • The playlist stops at the end: open the VLC Video properties and enable Loop Playlist.
  • Files play in an unexpected order: turn Shuffle Playlist off and check the order of items in the list.
  • Playback stops when you switch scenes: review Visibility Behaviour. The default stops the source when hidden and restarts it when visible; select a behavior suited to your scene design.
  • YouTube drops frames or the stream disconnects: check upload stability, output settings, and YouTube stream health. Test with the intended audio and motion; changing the VLC cache alone is not a general fix.
  • The local playlist continues but YouTube is offline: looping only governs local media playback. Check that OBS is active, the computer and connection are available, and YouTube is receiving a healthy stream.

Check rights before looping game footage

Looping a playlist does not grant permission to rebroadcast its contents. Make sure you have the rights needed for the game footage, soundtrack, and any other material in the files, and review YouTube’s applicable rules before streaming. A technical setup can keep media playing locally; it cannot establish that the content is eligible to stay live or be monetized.

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