For a repeating playlist of local video files in OBS, use VLC Video Source: it supports multiple playlist items and has a Loop Playlist control. For one file, use Media Source and enable its separate Loop option. Neither source guarantees an uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast; they control media playback, not the reliability of OBS, your computer, your internet connection, or YouTube ingest.
Which OBS source should you choose?
| Need | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Play several local files in sequence and repeat them | VLC Video Source | It supports a playlist and a Loop Playlist setting. |
| Repeat one local file | Media Source | It adds an individual media file and has a Loop option. |
| Edit a playlist while a video is playing or select items directly | Consider a third-party playlist plugin | The OBS forum lists a community plugin with those workflow features; it is not built into OBS and compatibility may change. |
OBS describes the key difference plainly: “Unlike Media Source, you can create a playlist of items, similar to an Image Slideshow.” See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.
Set up a looping local-file playlist with VLC Video Source
- Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS. The VLC Video Source will not appear unless VLC is installed. OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Reopen OBS after installation, then check the Add Source list.
- Add the source and make the playlist. In your scene’s Sources panel, choose + → VLC Video Source. Open its properties and add the local video files in the order you want them to play.
- Set repeat and order behavior. Keep Loop Playlist on to start again after the last item. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence; enable it only if a changing order is intended. OBS documents Loop Playlist as on by default and Shuffle Playlist as off by default.
- Check visibility behavior. The documented default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” If the source might be hidden or its scene replaced while you need playback to continue, select a visibility behavior that continues playback. This setting affects the media source, not whether the outgoing livestream ends.
- Run a full-cycle check. Confirm the files play in the intended order and that the first item starts again after the last. Also check what happens when the source becomes hidden or active again if your scene layout uses visibility changes.
VLC Video Source also documents network caching (400 ms by default), audio-track selection, and subtitle controls. The caching setting is not a documented recommendation for YouTube playlist URLs.
Use Media Source for one repeating file
- In the scene’s Sources panel, choose + → Media Source and select the local file.
- Turn on Loop if the file should repeat. OBS documents this option as off by default.
- Review Restart playback when source becomes active separately. It is on by default; it controls what happens when the source becomes active, not whether playback loops.
OBS lists local-media formats for Media Source including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM for video, and MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV for audio. Its other documented controls include optional hardware decoding, hiding the source at the end of playback, unloading it while inactive, playback speed, and color-range settings. See OBS Media Sources for the controls and supported formats.
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Playlist URLs are a separate question
The OBS documentation describes local-file controls for Media Source and extended media support for VLC Video Source, but it does not establish that YouTube playlist pages or video URLs can be used as a durable, nonstop program in either source. Nor does it recommend a VLC network-caching value for YouTube URLs or establish that VLC is more reliable than Media Source for them. Treat URL playback as dependent on the OBS, VLC, and service versions in use, and verify it in your actual setup rather than assuming that the cache control means YouTube playlist support.
A third-party playlist option
The OBS forum’s Media Playlist Source resource describes a third-party alternative that uses Media Source internally. Its listing says it can edit a playlist without restarting the video, remember the current file across OBS restarts, and select an item directly. The listing says current versions require OBS 31 or later and do not support audio-track or subtitle selection. Check the current release and compatibility before installing; this is not an official built-in OBS source.
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A looping source is not a 24/7 reliability plan
Looping configures what the source plays after its final item. It does not keep the computer powered, prevent OBS or the encoder from failing, maintain your internet connection, or ensure YouTube continues receiving the stream. OBS’s source documentation describes playback controls, not a guarantee of uninterrupted broadcasting. Plan separately for power, network stability, monitoring, and recovery if you choose to run OBS locally.
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