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OBS does not document a setting that guarantees gapless playback or crossfades between playlist items. For separate clips, use a VLC Video source with a playlist; if the boundaries still show black gaps, try joining the clips into one continuous file and playing it through a Media Source. That workaround is reasonable to test, but it is not an OBS-certified or tested fix.
Why gaps can appear between playlist videos
A playlist of separate files has boundaries where playback moves from one item to the next. OBS documents playlist controls for VLC Video, but its cited documentation does not promise gapless transitions or provide a specific gap-removal or crossfade toggle. The available sources also do not establish that YouTube causes or fixes gaps.
First determine where the black interval appears: if it is visible in the OBS preview, investigate source playback and visibility settings. If the preview looks correct but the stream is black, treat that as a separate output or streaming issue rather than assuming the playlist transition is responsible.
Set up an OBS playlist with VLC Video
- Install VLC, matching its architecture to OBS. For example, 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes VLC Video as requiring VLC.
- In OBS, go to the Sources dock, select +, and add VLC Video. Add the video files to its playlist in the order you want them to play. OBS’s Sources Guide describes adding sources and playlist availability with VLC.
- Open the source properties and check Loop Playlist if the list should restart after its final item. Check Shuffle Playlist only if you want the order to change.
- Review Visibility Behaviour to see how playback responds when the source is hidden. A source becoming inactive or visible again can affect playback independently of what happens at a playlist boundary.
- Test the playlist in the scene and in a recording or stream before relying on it. Confirm that the files play in the intended order and observe whether the black interval occurs in the local preview, the output, or both.
What the VLC Video settings do—and do not do
- Loop Playlist: restarts the list when it runs out; it does not promise a seamless transition between items.
- Shuffle Playlist: changes the ordering; it is not a gap-removal setting.
- Visibility Behaviour: controls playback response when the source is not visible. It is relevant if hiding and showing the source interrupts or restarts playback.
- Network caching (ms): OBS documents a default of 400 ms. The documentation does not say that increasing this value removes gaps between local files, so do not treat it as a proven fix for local playlist boundaries.
The OBS Media Sources page also describes Show nothing when playback ends and Close file when inactive. These concern file playback and visibility, not a documented way to eliminate inter-item gaps. Closing an inactive file can also mean a short delay when it reloads after the source becomes visible again.
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Try a single continuous file if gaps remain
If uninterrupted presentation matters more than keeping the clips separate inside OBS, join or render them as one continuous file in a video editor, then add that file as an OBS Media Source. OBS documents Media Source for individual media files and VLC Video for playlists. Using one prepared file is an inference from those source types, not a verified OBS fix; test the result in the scene and in a recording or stream before using it live.
The OBS documentation lists Media Source formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. Choose a format your workflow supports, then check the entire rendered file for black frames or unintended pauses at the joins.
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| Approach | Useful when | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video playlist | You need to manage several separate files in one OBS source. | Requires VLC; provides loop, shuffle, visibility behaviour and network caching controls. OBS does not document a gapless-playback guarantee. |
| Media Source with one prepared file | You can join the sequence into one file before streaming. | Designed for an individual media file. Joining clips may avoid playlist boundaries, but that is a practical workaround to test, not a certified remedy. |
Troubleshoot the symptom you actually see
- Black interval between separate playlist items: OBS does not document a setting that guarantees gapless playback. Test a single prepared file as a Media Source.
- Playback restarts or pauses after hiding and showing the source: review VLC Video’s Visibility Behaviour and, for Media Source, the inactive-source settings. Test the source after changing its visibility.
- The playlist stops after its final file: enable Loop Playlist if you want the list to restart when it runs out.
- The playlist order changes unexpectedly: check whether Shuffle Playlist is enabled.
- VLC Video is unavailable or does not play as expected: confirm VLC is installed and its architecture matches OBS.
- OBS preview looks fine but the YouTube stream is black: investigate that as a separate output or streaming problem. The OBS source documentation does not identify a YouTube playlist setting that controls local clip transitions.
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