First identify what OBS is reporting: a missing local file and a stopped YouTube playlist are different problems. For a missing file, open the named source’s properties and restore the file to its saved location or select its new location. For a playlist or network input, check the playlist and playback settings instead; changing a local file path will not repair a stopped network source.
Identify which kind of source failed
OBS uses different source types for local media and playlists. Its Media Sources documentation describes Media Source for media files and VLC Video Source for playlists. A YouTube playlist may be part of a VLC Video Source or another network-input setup, so inspect the actual source type and its properties before changing anything.
| What you see | Likely input | First check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS names a missing media file after reboot | Media Source, or a local-file entry in a playlist | Confirm the file exists and compare its current location with the path in the source properties. |
| The source is still listed, but a YouTube playlist stops or freezes | VLC Video Source or another network input, depending on setup | Check the playlist entries, VLC availability, loop and visibility settings, and whether playback appears in OBS. |
A reboot may be when you noticed the problem, but it does not by itself establish that the reboot caused a path change. The operating system, drive mapping, source settings, and exact warning all matter.
Fix a missing local media file
- Select the affected source. In the relevant OBS scene, select the source named in the warning. If it is nested in a group or scene, locate the actual media source entry.
- Open its properties and inspect the file path. Check whether the file still exists at that location. A moved file, unavailable drive, or changed folder can leave OBS unable to resolve the saved reference.
- Restore the file or update the source. Either put the file back where OBS expects it or browse to its current location in the source properties. OBS forum advice for a missing-file case likewise suggests correcting the location or removing an obsolete source; it is community guidance, not a formal support procedure (OBS forum thread).
- Remove the source only if it is no longer needed. Removing an obsolete source avoids a stale reference, but also removes that source from the scene.
- Check playback in the preview. If the file now plays in OBS, the source reference is resolving. If it still does not, verify that the selected file is accessible and is the intended media.
Repair a playlist or network input
Check the playlist entries
Open the playlist source’s properties and confirm that the expected entries remain present. Local entries must point to accessible files; network entries must still be valid and reachable. If the source is VLC Video Source, OBS requires VLC to be installed. OBS also specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
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Review loop and visibility behavior
For VLC Video Source, check whether playlist looping is enabled if you expect playback to repeat. Also inspect visibility-related playback behavior: OBS documents that playback can stop or restart depending on whether the source is visible. These are separate settings, so a playlist that ends or restarts unexpectedly may not have a missing-file problem.
Use the preview to separate input from broadcast problems
Check whether the source plays in the OBS preview. If it does not, focus first on the source, its entries, VLC availability, or local paths. If it does play in OBS but viewers cannot see it, investigate the outgoing stream separately. This sequence helps isolate where to look; it is not a guaranteed diagnosis.
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One OBS forum user reported a VLC source ingesting a YouTube playlist freezing after about an hour. That individual report does not establish a common cause or a universal fix (OBS forum thread).
If the source plays but viewers still cannot see it
OBS scenes combine sources, and source ordering affects how they appear. If the item is visible in the preview, check that the intended scene is being broadcast and that the source is visible and not covered by another source. OBS explains scene and source ordering in its Sources Guide. If the preview is correct but the broadcast is not, treat that as an output or scene-selection issue rather than continuing to change the media path.
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