To loop a local music playlist into a YouTube live stream with OBS, install VLC, add an OBS VLC Video Source, load your audio files, and enable Loop Playlist. Then connect OBS to YouTube with an encoder stream and check that the audio and stream are working. “24/7” is your intended schedule, not a guarantee: the computer, power, internet connection, files, and stream must all keep working.
Before you start: check music rights and YouTube eligibility
Confirm permission to broadcast the music
Only use recordings you have the rights to broadcast on YouTube Live. Buying a track, finding it online, or being able to play it through a personal account does not by itself grant public retransmission rights. Confirm that your permission covers live streaming and, if you plan to keep the broadcast archive, the archived video too. YouTube for Artists advises music channels to coordinate with the label or distributor when using copyright-protected music: Going live for music channels.
YouTube says it scans live streams for third-party content and may replace the image, interrupt, or terminate a broadcast after a match. Even if you have a license, the rights owner may need to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist for the stream not to be interrupted. Check the details in YouTube Help: Copyright issues with live streams and arrange any required confirmation before going live.
Check that your channel can stream
YouTube Help lists channel verification and no live-stream restriction in the past 90 days as requirements for live streaming. Eligibility and setup can change, so check Get started with live streaming and YouTube Studio before preparing a long broadcast. This workflow uses OBS as an encoder.
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Have the software and files ready
- Install OBS Studio and VLC media player. OBS’s VLC Video Source is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, but it will not appear unless VLC is installed. For 64-bit OBS, OBS specifies installing 64-bit VLC.
- Put the local audio files you intend to play somewhere stable on the computer. OBS documents common audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV.
- Use files you are authorized to broadcast. Keep them available for the entire stream; moving or deleting a file can break playlist playback.
OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes supported media and playlist controls.
Set up the playlist in OBS
- Open the scene for the broadcast. In OBS, select an existing scene or create one for the music stream.
- Add the playlist source. In the Sources dock, click + and choose VLC Video Source. If that option is missing, install VLC and restart OBS.
- Add your tracks. In the source properties, add the local media files to the playlist. Arrange them in the order you want if you are not using shuffle.
- Enable repeat for the whole list. Turn on Loop Playlist. This restarts playback after the final playlist item. Do not confuse this with the single-file Loop setting on OBS’s Media Source, which repeats one file rather than a playlist.
- Choose whether to shuffle. Enable Shuffle Playlist only if you want randomized playback; leave it off for the listed order.
- Set visibility behavior. Choose whether playback should continue, pause, or stop when the source is not visible. For a source intended to provide ongoing music, confirm that the selected behavior matches how you will use scenes and visibility. OBS documents these options in its Media Sources guide.
Add a visual and verify the scene
A YouTube live broadcast needs a video picture as well as audio. Add a suitable visual layer, such as a static image you have permission to use or a visualizer, and check the scene preview. In OBS, sources are layered: a source higher in the Sources list can cover one below it. Use the OBS Sources Guide if you need to adjust source order.
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- Start playback in the VLC Video Source and confirm that the preview shows the intended visual.
- Speak or play a test track and watch the OBS audio meter to confirm the audio is reaching the mixer. Listen to the output if available.
- Check the beginning and end of the playlist so you know the files load and the list returns to the start with looping enabled.
Connect OBS to YouTube and start the broadcast
- Open YouTube Studio’s live setup. Use the current encoder workflow in YouTube Studio and follow the prompts to create or prepare the live stream. YouTube’s interface may change; its live-streaming help page is the current reference for eligibility and methods.
- Connect OBS using the stream details YouTube provides. Enter the server and stream key in OBS’s streaming settings as directed by YouTube. Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it or show it on screen, and reset it in YouTube Studio if it is exposed.
- Start a test before promoting an all-day stream. Start streaming from OBS and verify that YouTube receives the picture and sound in Live Control Room. A private or otherwise limited test can help catch setup errors before a planned public broadcast; choose the privacy and audience settings appropriate to your channel.
- Check both ends. Confirm OBS reports that it is streaming and that YouTube’s Live Control Room shows a healthy incoming stream. Keep an eye on the playlist position and audio meter during the test.
- Go public when ready. If your YouTube setup requires a separate go-live action in Studio, complete it there after confirming the incoming stream.
What 24/7 operation depends on
OBS can loop the playlist, but its documentation does not promise uninterrupted operation. With this local-computer method, continuity depends on the computer staying on, power and network remaining available, media files continuing to work, OBS staying healthy, and YouTube continuing to accept the stream. Test the exact setup and monitor OBS and YouTube during operation; a successful test does not guarantee a future stream will stay online.
YouTube’s HLS documentation explains how media segments are ordered and assembled into a continuous decodable stream, but it is protocol documentation rather than a recipe for setting up OBS. Its “Media Playlist” is not the local playlist in OBS’s VLC Video Source: Delivering Live YouTube Content via HLS.
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Troubleshooting playlist and stream problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video Source is missing from the Sources menu | VLC is not installed or its installation does not match the OBS architecture. | Install VLC, matching 64-bit VLC to 64-bit OBS, then restart OBS. |
| Only one track plays, or the list does not restart | A single-file Media Source was used, or playlist looping is disabled. | Use VLC Video Source for multiple files and enable Loop Playlist. |
| A track is skipped or will not load | The file may have moved, been removed, or be unreadable. | Check that the playlist points to existing local files and test each item in OBS before the broadcast. |
| The music stops after switching scenes or hiding the source | The source’s Visibility Behaviour is set to pause or stop. | Review that setting and choose the behavior appropriate to your scene workflow. |
| The preview has no picture or the image covers the intended visual | A visual source is missing or source order is obscuring it. | Add the intended visual and reorder the Sources list so the visible layer is on top. |
| OBS streams but YouTube does not show a usable live feed | The YouTube setup, stream key, incoming connection, or account eligibility may need attention. | Check the current YouTube Studio setup, confirm the key and stream status, and review channel eligibility in YouTube Help. |
| The broadcast is interrupted after music starts | YouTube may have detected third-party content, or the rights owner may not have allowlisted the channel despite a license. | Review YouTube’s copyright guidance and resolve rights or Content ID allowlisting with the rights owner before trying again. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a computer or home internet connection to remain on for the broadcast, StreamNeo is a YouTube-only cloud service for looping uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; each slot handles uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, and the Monthly price is $9.99 per month. Start your free StreamNeo day.
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