To switch between pre-recorded videos during a YouTube Live stream in OBS, add each video as a Media Source in its own scene, then switch scenes while you’re live. Use Studio Mode to prepare the next scene before viewers see it. If you want OBS to play a playlist without manually choosing each clip, use the VLC Video source instead.
Choose how OBS will play your videos
One video per scene: Media Source
OBS’s built-in Media Source is the straightforward choice when you want to select clips individually. Add a source for each video, place each source in its own scene, and switch to that scene when you want the clip to play. OBS documents support for video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
Several videos in one source: VLC Video
Choose VLC Video if you want a playlist managed by one source rather than a separate scene for every clip. VLC must be installed for this source to appear in OBS; OBS also notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. The source offers playlist loop and shuffle controls, along with a visibility behavior setting that affects playback when the source is not visible. This approach follows playlist behavior instead of letting you choose each clip by switching to its own scene. Details are in the OBS Media Sources guide.
Add videos as scenes and sources
- Create a scene for each clip. In OBS, use the Scenes panel to create a scene for each video you want to select independently. Name scenes clearly so you can identify the right clip during the broadcast.
- Add a Media Source. Select a scene, add a Media Source in the Sources panel, and choose the local video file. Repeat for each clip in its own scene. OBS explains adding and organizing sources in its Sources Guide.
- Set playback behavior. Open the Media Source properties and check its playback controls. Enable looping if the clip should repeat; enable restarting playback when the source becomes active if it should start from the beginning each time you switch to it. Hardware decoding is available when supported. The source can also be set to hide when playback ends, which matters if you expect the clip to remain visible or want a different end-of-clip behavior.
- Check the scene composition. Confirm the video fits the canvas as intended and that its audio is present at a suitable level. Preview each scene before the broadcast rather than discovering a framing or sound issue live.
Switch clips during the live stream
Switch directly from the Scenes panel
During the broadcast, select the scene for the clip you want. The active scene becomes the live output, so the scene-per-video setup gives you direct operator control over which clip appears next.
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Assign scene hotkeys
OBS supports hotkeys for switching to specific scenes. In OBS settings, open Hotkeys and assign a distinct shortcut to each scene. Test each shortcut before going live, especially if it could conflict with a shortcut in another application. A regular keyboard is enough; a programmable keypad is optional. OBS’s Studio Overview Guide describes scene switching and hotkeys.
Use Studio Mode for a prepared transition
Studio Mode shows the live scene separately from the scene you are preparing. Select the next scene in the preview area, check it, then use Transition to send it to the live output. OBS also offers Quick Transitions, including Fade and Cut, with adjustable durations; select the effect that suits the program. Studio Mode helps avoid exposing a scene while you are still arranging it. See the OBS Studio Overview Guide.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Get the stream URL and key. In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and locate the stream URL and stream key for the stream. YouTube describes how to create an encoder stream in its encoder setup guide.
- Enter them in OBS. Open OBS Settings, choose Stream, select YouTube as the service, and enter the stream details as prompted. YouTube’s live stream settings guide explains stream keys and related settings.
- Protect the key. Treat the stream key like a password: do not show it on screen, include it in a public screenshot, or share it with someone who should not control the stream.
- Test and preview. Send a test stream before the event, check the Live Control Room preview, and verify that both video and audio are arriving correctly. YouTube recommends testing before starting and monitoring stream health and audio/video quality during the broadcast.
Choose output settings and verify stream health
Use YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guidance to choose an output configuration for the resolution you intend to stream. It includes configuration tables; there is no single bitrate or resolution that fits every output. Use RTMPS as recommended in YouTube’s encoder guidance, then test with your available upload connection and check the Live Control Room’s stream health. Do not assume a setting is reliable until the test confirms it.
While live, keep the Live Control Room and OBS audio meters in view when practical. Watch for stream-health warnings and listen for missing, clipped, or unexpectedly doubled audio. YouTube’s live streaming tips recommend monitoring audio and video quality during the broadcast.
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Troubleshoot common switching problems
- The video does not appear as a Media Source option or will not play: confirm the file is in a format OBS documents and that the source points to the correct local file. Reopen its properties and reselect the file if it was moved.
- The next clip starts partway through: inspect the Media Source’s restart playback when source becomes active setting. Enable it if every scene activation should start from the beginning.
- The clip stops at the end: enable looping if it should repeat. If it should stop, check the source’s hide-when-playback-ends behavior and the scene’s other sources so the intended end state is clear.
- The VLC Video source is missing: install VLC, then confirm its architecture matches OBS. OBS specifically notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- A playlist does not repeat or plays in an unexpected order: inspect the VLC source’s loop and shuffle options, as well as its visibility behavior when the source is not visible.
- A hotkey switches to the wrong scene or does nothing: check the scene-to-shortcut assignments in OBS Hotkeys and test the keys before going live. Avoid conflicts with other applications.
- Viewers see the wrong scene while you prepare: use Studio Mode, make changes in the preview, and press Transition only when the prepared scene is ready for the live output.
- YouTube receives no stream or shows poor health: confirm the stream URL and key in OBS, ensure the key has not been exposed or replaced, and check the Live Control Room preview and health indicators. Recheck output settings against YouTube’s encoder guidance and test the connection again.
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