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To rotate multiple prerecorded videos in an OBS-powered YouTube live stream, add them to OBS’s VLC Video Source, choose their order, and enable Loop Playlist if you want the sequence to repeat. VLC must be installed for that source to appear. For one repeating file, use Media Source and enable Loop instead.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Settings | Dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| One file, repeated | Media Source | Loop on | No VLC dependency is listed for this source |
| Several files, fixed order | VLC Video Source | Loop Playlist on; Shuffle Playlist off | VLC installed |
| Several files, changing order | VLC Video Source | Shuffle Playlist on; enable Loop Playlist if desired | VLC installed |
A local OBS playlist is not a playlist hosted on YouTube’s watch page. OBS plays the files and sends its composed scene to YouTube. Playlist playback does not promise seamless transitions or crossfades.
Prepare your files and install VLC
- Put the video or audio files you intend to play in a local folder that will remain accessible while streaming.
- Confirm that you have the rights to broadcast each file. A playlist setting does not grant permission to rebroadcast music, video, or other material.
- Install VLC if it is not already installed. OBS’s VLC Video Source depends on VLC; if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. If the source is missing from the Sources add menu, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
Add and configure a playlist in OBS
- Open the OBS scene that you want to send to YouTube. OBS organizes the output using scenes and sources, so add the media source to the scene that should show it.
- In the Sources dock, select the add control and choose VLC Video Source. Create the source, then add your local media files to its playlist.
- Arrange the files in the order you want. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for that order, or turn it on to randomize playback.
- Turn on Loop Playlist to start the playlist again after its last item. OBS documents this setting as on by default and shuffle as off by default, but inspect your own source settings rather than relying on defaults.
- Choose the source’s visibility behavior to suit your scene changes: stop and restart, pause and resume, or keep playing while hidden. With stop/restart, returning to the scene can restart the list instead of resuming at its previous position.
OBS interface placement can change between versions. Look for the source and properties by their labels if the controls are arranged differently.
Loop one file instead
For a single repeating recording, add a Media Source to the scene and enable its Loop option in the source properties. This is separate from the VLC playlist controls. Media Source also has a restart-on-activation setting and controls for what happens when playback ends.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or schedule a stream.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room into OBS’s stream settings.
- Start sending the stream from OBS, then check the Live Control Room preview to confirm that the right scene is reaching YouTube.
- For a scheduled broadcast, click Go live in Live Control Room when you are ready to begin.
YouTube describes a stream key as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” Keep it private. If you think someone else has it, reset the key in Live Control Room and update OBS with the new one.
Test playback before inviting viewers
- Set up in advance and inspect the Live Control Room preview before the broadcast.
- Confirm that the playlist advances to the next file and repeats if looping is enabled.
- Check both picture and sound in the preview, then monitor audio and video during the stream.
- Verify the intended scene is active and that its media source is visible. If you change scenes, check that the source’s hidden behavior matches whether you want playback to stop, pause, or continue.
Troubleshoot common playlist problems
VLC Video Source is missing
OBS may not detect VLC, or its architecture may not match OBS. Install VLC and, for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC; then check the Sources add menu again.
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The list stops after the last file
Open the VLC Video Source properties and enable Loop Playlist. The playlist loop is distinct from the single-file Loop option in Media Source.
The playlist order changes unexpectedly
Turn off Shuffle Playlist if you want the files to play in their listed order.
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Playback starts over after changing scenes
Check the VLC source’s visibility behavior. If it is set to stop and restart while hidden, returning to the scene can restart the playlist. Choose pause/resume or continue-while-hidden behavior if that better suits your scene workflow.
The YouTube preview is wrong or blank
Confirm that OBS is sending the scene containing the media source, that the source is visible, and that the files remain accessible. Check the preview in Live Control Room before going live.
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YouTube is not receiving the stream
Check that OBS has the stream URL and key copied from the correct Live Control Room stream. If the key may have been exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace it in OBS.
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