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To make OBS start the block that should be airing now—not simply the file that was playing before a reboot—have your computer reopen OBS, start Advanced Scene Switcher with OBS, and use date/time conditions to select the scene or media source assigned to the current schedule window. This is a configurable approach built from the plugin’s documented features, not a ready-made, tested macro for every schedule. If you only need the same playlist item restored, a separate plugin can save the current file, but that does not account for time spent offline.
What “resume” means after a reboot
There are two different recovery goals, and OBS handles them differently:
- Continue the same playlist item: restore the file that was playing when OBS stopped. The Media Playlist Source plugin documents this behavior.
- Start the block scheduled for now: compare the current date and time with your schedule, then select the scene or media source for the active block. Advanced Scene Switcher provides date/time conditions and scene, media, and macro actions that can be assembled for this purpose.
Restoring a file is not the same as calculating which scheduled block should be active after an outage. For schedule-aware recovery, use time conditions and define what should happen at schedule boundaries, during gaps, and when windows overlap.
Choose how each scheduled block is represented
Separate scenes or media sources for each block
This is the clearest layout for a schedule with distinct blocks. Create a scene or media source for each block, then map each time window to the scene or source it should activate. Keep the mapping explicit so that a condition for one window cannot accidentally select the wrong block.
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A playlist for continuous file rotation
OBS’s built-in VLC Video source can play a list in order or shuffle it, loop the playlist, and control playback behavior when visibility changes. It requires VLC to be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Those are playlist playback settings, not a documented method for determining which scheduled block is current after a reboot.
A single media file
OBS Media Source plays one file and has a “Restart playback when source becomes active” property, enabled by default. That setting controls what happens when the source becomes active; it does not choose among schedule blocks.
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OBS documents the distinction between a Media Source and a playlist source in its Media Sources guide, published January 11, 2022. The guide lists built-in Media and VLC sources for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
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Configure schedule-aware recovery
- Write down the schedule before building conditions. Record each block’s start and end time, the timezone the schedule uses, and the scene or media source that represents it. Decide which block should run in a gap and how to handle overlapping windows. There is no universal set of condition values for an unspecified schedule.
- Make the OBS layout match the schedule. Create a distinct scene or media source for each block that needs independent selection. Confirm each one plays correctly when selected manually before adding recovery logic.
- Install and open Advanced Scene Switcher. Use its date/time conditions to identify a schedule window, then add an action that selects the corresponding scene or media source. The plugin also documents macro actions; its Macro Schedule feature is intended to schedule macro actions for a date and time. See the Advanced Scene Switcher listing and its update history for current details.
- Set the plugin to start with OBS. In Advanced Scene Switcher’s startup behavior, choose to always start it with OBS or start it if it was running previously. The exact labels and options can vary with the plugin version; consult the plugin’s current interface and documentation. This setting starts the plugin inside OBS—it does not start OBS when the computer boots.
- Configure the operating system to reopen OBS after boot. Add OBS to the operating system’s startup process or use an appropriate OS-level scheduled task. This is separate from the plugin’s startup choice. Confirm OBS opens under the account and permissions that can access the media files and any required devices.
- Check schedule evaluation and playback. When OBS and the plugin open, verify that the condition for the current time selects the intended block and that video and audio actually begin. A scene selection alone does not confirm that its media is available or playing.
Advanced Scene Switcher documents the relevant condition and action types, but a particular macro design depends on the schedule and is not established as a universal tested recipe. Plugin versions change; the OBS Forums listing showed version 1.36.1, updated August 7, 2026, with OBS 31.1.1 as its minimum supported version. Check the listing for current release compatibility before installing.
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Restore the same playlist item instead
If your goal is continuity from the last file rather than skipping downtime and selecting the block due now, consider Media Playlist Source. Its resource description says it saves the currently playing file so it can play when OBS restarts, and the source can be configured to start with the first file or the current file. That documented behavior restores the item, not the schedule position that would have applied while OBS was offline.
The resource page showed version 0.1.3, last updated April 13, 2025. Check the downloaded release’s supported OBS versions rather than assuming compatibility from older README text.
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Test a reboot without assuming the schedule logic is correct
Before relying on the rotation, test how your conditions behave at different points in the schedule. Include at least one test within a block and tests at any boundary or gap that matters. After each restart, verify the selected scene or source and confirm both audio and video playback. Pay particular attention to the timezone, whether the end time is inclusive or exclusive in your design, and what should win if two conditions match.
Troubleshoot common recovery failures
- OBS opens, but the expected block does not appear: Check that Advanced Scene Switcher started, the current time falls within the intended condition, and the computer clock and schedule use the intended timezone.
- The plugin works when started manually but not after a reboot: Confirm its startup behavior is enabled inside OBS. Separately confirm the operating system is launching OBS at boot.
- The correct scene appears, but playback is blank or silent: Check that the media path is still valid for the account running OBS and that the selected source’s playback settings are appropriate. A scene switch does not guarantee media playback.
- A VLC Video source is missing: Install VLC. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well.
- The same file resumes, but the current schedule block is wrong: That is expected when using current-file persistence alone. Add time-based selection for schedule recovery, or use the saved file behavior only when same-item continuity is the actual goal.
- A boundary or gap selects an unexpected block: Make the schedule windows unambiguous and define the intended fallback for uncovered times. Test the boundary after editing the conditions.
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