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If an OBS playlist plays in a different order after a restart, first check the source type. For an OBS VLC Video Source, turn off Shuffle Playlist, put the files in the desired order, and leave Loop Playlist on if you want the sequence to repeat. Shuffle determines whether OBS follows the listed order; looping determines what happens when the list ends. They are separate controls. OBS documents both settings.
First, identify which playlist is changing
OBS has different controls for a VLC playlist, a single-file media source, and content playing in YouTube. Make sure you are changing the setting for the playback that is actually out of order.
- VLC Video Source: A list of media files played by OBS. Its properties include Shuffle Playlist and Loop Playlist.
- Media Source: An individual media file, with its own loop and restart-when-active options. It does not use the VLC playlist controls.
- YouTube playlist: A playlist being watched in YouTube’s player. YouTube’s Loop control affects playback in that player, not an OBS VLC Video Source.
OBS requires VLC installed for the VLC Video Source to appear. If you use 64-bit OBS, OBS specifies that you need 64-bit VLC.
Keep an OBS VLC playlist in a fixed order
- Open the source properties. In OBS, select the VLC Video Source in the Sources list and open its properties.
- Turn off Shuffle Playlist. With shuffle off, the source follows the file-list order; OBS documents shuffle as off by default.
- Arrange the entries. Put the files in the order you want in the source’s playlist.
- Choose what happens at the end. Keep Loop Playlist enabled to start the sequence again after its final item. Loop is documented as on by default. Turn it off if the sequence should stop instead.
- Save and test a restart. Restart OBS and confirm the source behaves as intended. OBS documents the controls, but does not promise that every externally edited playlist or folder is re-read at restart.
What the settings do—and do not do
| Control | Effect |
|---|---|
| Shuffle Playlist (VLC Video Source) | On randomizes media files; off follows the file-list order. Documented default: off. |
| Loop Playlist (VLC Video Source) | Restarts the source after it reaches the end of the media list. Documented default: on. |
| Visibility Behaviour (VLC Video Source) | Controls playback when the source is not visible: stop and restart, pause and resume, or always play. This is separate from shuffle. |
| Loop (Media Source) | Controls looping for an individual media file, not a VLC file list. |
| Restart playback when source becomes active (Media Source) | Controls whether that single-file source starts over when it becomes active; it is distinct from VLC playlist order. |
If an external playlist edit does not appear
Changing an M3U file or folder outside OBS may not update the source in the way you expect. A GitHub issue filed against OBS 32.1.1 describes a Windows case where an M3U/folder shuffle sequence stayed the same after scene reactivation and external M3U edits were not reflected until the source was deleted and recreated. The issue is closed as not planned. This is one reported case, not proof of a universal cause or a guaranteed fix. See the OBS issue report for its environment and discussion.
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If you are seeing stale entries, first verify the source’s file list and settings. Recreating the source was reported as a workaround in that particular case, but it can require rebuilding the source configuration; treat it as a last resort and preserve the list details before removing anything.
If you need OBS to resume the current file
A fixed playlist order and resuming the item that was playing are different requirements. OBS’s built-in VLC settings describe shuffle and looping, not a documented option to restore the current file after a restart. The third-party OBS Media Playlist Source resource says it can save the currently playing file and offers a choice to restart at the first file or the current file. Check its compatibility notes against your OBS version before installing it.
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If you meant a YouTube playlist loop
To repeat a playlist inside YouTube, open the playlist panel in the player and select its Loop control. To loop one video, right-click the video and select Loop. These are YouTube playback controls; they do not change the file order or loop settings of an OBS VLC Video Source. See YouTube Help on looping videos and playlists.
Common symptoms and fixes
- Files play in a different order: Check that Shuffle Playlist is off and that the VLC source’s list is ordered as intended.
- The sequence stops after the last file: Enable Loop Playlist in the VLC Video Source.
- A source behaves differently when a scene changes: Check Visibility Behaviour. It affects playback when the source is hidden, not the playlist’s shuffle order.
- The VLC Video Source option is missing: Install VLC; match its 64-bit version to 64-bit OBS.
- A YouTube playlist repeats, but the OBS files do not: Set looping in the OBS source. YouTube’s player loop applies only to YouTube playback.
- The source does not reflect an external playlist edit: Verify the source list and test a restart. The reported OBS 32.1.1 issue describes stale external edits in one case; recreating that source was reported there, but behavior may vary.
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