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For an OBS playlist of multiple videos, use VLC Video Source: it supports playlists and loops them by default. For one video file that should repeat, use OBS’s built-in Media Source and enable Loop. Neither setting guarantees a 24/7 broadcast; the source documentation does not establish comparative uptime or recovery after an interruption.
Which OBS source fits your playlist?
| What you want | Use | What it does | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat one local video | Media Source | Its Loop property repeats the file after playback ends; looping is off by default. |
It is a single-file source, not a playlist manager. |
| Play several local videos in sequence or shuffle | VLC Video Source | Supports a playlist. Loop Playlist is on by default and Shuffle Playlist is off by default. |
Requires VLC installed. OBS’s documentation says 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. |
These are playback choices, not reliability levels. A looping source does not prevent OBS, the computer, the network connection or YouTube from interrupting a live stream. OBS documents the source settings but does not establish that either source is more reliable for extended broadcasting. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.
Set up a VLC playlist in OBS
- Check the files first. Open each video locally and confirm that it plays, has the intended audio and uses the right content. This helps distinguish a bad or unsupported file from a streaming problem.
- Install VLC with the matching architecture. If your OBS installation is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC. VLC Video Source depends on VLC being installed.
- Add the source. In OBS, select the scene for the broadcast, use Sources > + > VLC Video Source, and create or select the source.
- Choose the playlist files and order. Add the media files you want to play and verify their order. Leave
Shuffle Playlistoff for a fixed sequence; enable it only if you want randomized playback. - Check looping and playback options. Confirm
Loop Playlistis enabled if the list should repeat. Review the audio track and subtitle options for your files. - Review visibility behavior. The documented default is to stop playback when the source is not visible and restart when visible. Make sure the source stays visible in the active scene, or choose behavior appropriate to your scene setup.
- Review network caching if relevant. The documented default for network caching is 400 ms. Treat it as a playback setting, not a guarantee against dropouts.
- Preview the full scene. Confirm video framing, audio levels, playlist transitions and the scene that will be sent to YouTube before starting the broadcast.
For a single repeating file instead, add Sources > + > Media Source, select the local file, and enable Loop. The Media Source documentation lists looping as off by default.
Prepare YouTube and account for a child-directed audience
YouTube’s live-streaming guidance says the channel must be verified and must have no live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. Encoder software is one supported way to stream. The live video also remains subject to YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. Check YouTube’s live-streaming requirements before scheduling a broadcast.
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If the content and audience mean the stream is made for kids, expect certain features to be unavailable. YouTube says live chat, chat replay and Super Chat are disabled; comments on live archives and upcoming streams and reminder notifications are disabled; personalized ads are disabled, although contextual ads may appear. See YouTube’s guidance on restrictions for live streaming.
Set the audience designation based on the actual content and intended audience; do not assume every family-friendly video is necessarily made for kids. YouTube’s LiveBroadcasts API includes selfDeclaredMadeForKids for the owner’s designation and a read-only madeForKids value indicating that status, but those fields do not decide whether a particular channel legally or factually qualifies. The LiveBroadcasts API reference describes the fields.
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What a 24/7 setup still depends on
- Playback: the selected source must be able to read and play every file in its list.
- Scene state: VLC Video Source’s default visibility behavior stops playback while hidden and restarts it when visible; check the active scene and source visibility.
- OBS and the computer: local playback and an ongoing encoder session depend on the machine and OBS continuing to run.
- Network and YouTube: playlist looping alone does not establish recovery from a lost connection or a dropped stream.
- Content and audience settings: follow YouTube policies and select the made-for-kids designation accurately.
Troubleshooting common playback issues
| Symptom | Check | Action |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video Source is unavailable or does not play | Whether VLC is installed and whether its architecture matches OBS. | Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. Restart OBS and check the source again. |
| The playlist stops after the last file | Loop Playlist. |
Enable it if playback should return to the beginning. |
| The playlist plays in an unexpected order | Shuffle Playlist and the displayed file order. |
Turn shuffle off for a fixed sequence, then arrange the files as intended. |
| The video stops when changing scenes | Whether the VLC source is hidden and its visibility behavior. | Keep it visible in the active scene or adjust the behavior for your scene setup. |
| A single video does not repeat | The Media Source’s Loop property. |
Enable Loop; it is off by default. |
| There is no audio, or subtitles are wrong | The selected audio track and subtitle options, and whether the file plays correctly outside OBS. | Correct the source options or replace/fix the file, then verify in OBS preview. |
| The stream goes offline although the playlist is still looping | OBS’s stream state, computer power, internet connection and YouTube status. | Restore the encoder or connection and restart the broadcast as needed. Looping is not an automatic stream-recovery feature. |
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