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To play a sequence of prerecorded videos as a YouTube live stream, add OBS’s built-in VLC Video source to a scene, add your local files in order, and choose whether to loop or shuffle them. VLC must be installed on the computer running OBS, and its architecture must match OBS—for example, 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. YouTube Live Control Room setup is separate: create or schedule the broadcast, connect OBS with YouTube’s server URL and stream key, then preview and start the stream.
This guide covers a local playlist of video files—not a playlist webpage on YouTube. The playlist automates playback in OBS; it does not create the YouTube broadcast or keep your computer and internet connection running unattended.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Relevant behavior |
|---|---|---|
| One local video | Media Source | Plays an individual media file; its Loop property repeats that file. |
| Several local videos in sequence | VLC Video | Creates a playlist with controls for loop, shuffle, and behavior when the source is not visible. VLC must be installed for this source to appear. |
OBS describes VLC Video as the playlist option, “Unlike Media Source, you can create a playlist of items, similar to an Image Slideshow.” See the OBS Media Sources guide for supported formats and source settings.
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Prepare your files and software
- Put the video files somewhere accessible to the computer running OBS, and decide the exact order you want them to play.
- Check each file locally for picture and audio before adding it. OBS lists common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM.
- Install VLC. If OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC; otherwise VLC Video may not appear in the source list.
- Keep the files available for the entire broadcast. A playlist that points to local files cannot play files that have been moved or are inaccessible.
Build and configure the OBS playlist
- Add the source. In the OBS scene you intend to broadcast, go to the Sources dock, click the + button, and choose VLC Video. If it is missing, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- Add files in playback order. In the VLC Video source properties, add the local media items and arrange them in the order you want. Use files on the OBS computer, not links to a YouTube website playlist.
- Set loop and shuffle. Leave shuffle off for the listed sequence to play predictably; enable it only if you want a randomized order. Select Loop Playlist if playback should return to the beginning after the last item. OBS documents loop on and shuffle off as VLC Video defaults, so verify both rather than assuming.
- Set visibility behavior. OBS documents the default as stopping playback when the source is not visible and restarting it when visible. Check this setting against your scene-switching plan: hiding the source can affect whether playback continues or restarts.
- Fit and layer the video. Select the source in the preview and resize or position it to fit your canvas. In the Sources list, items higher in the stack appear above items beneath them and may cover the video. Use the OBS Sources Guide for adding, layering, positioning, and sizing sources.
Create the YouTube broadcast and connect OBS
- Open Live Control Room. In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live, then create a stream or schedule one in the Live Control Room. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- Confirm channel eligibility and activation. YouTube’s live-stream guidance says channels need verification and no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days; it also states a minimum age of 16 to live stream. First-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours. Check your channel’s current state in Studio and the YouTube eligibility guidance.
- Copy the ingest details into OBS. In OBS stream settings, select YouTube if available. Otherwise, copy the server or stream URL shown by YouTube into the encoder’s server field. Copy the stream key into OBS’s key field. YouTube describes the key as the stream’s password and address: keep it private, and use YouTube’s reset flow if you think it has been exposed. See Manage live stream settings.
- Start the encoder and check the preview. Start streaming from OBS and wait for the feed to appear in Live Control Room. For a scheduled event, YouTube instructs you to select Go live after the preview appears. Do not assume that starting OBS alone has made a scheduled event public.
- Monitor and end the event. Check audio and video quality while live. When the broadcast is finished, click End Stream in Live Control Room and stop sending content from OBS. YouTube’s streaming tips recommend preparing and testing the encoder before an event.
Test before relying on a long broadcast
Run a private or unlisted test, where appropriate, before an important or extended stream. Watch the Live Control Room preview and verify that the first video starts correctly, audio is present, transitions between files work, and the playlist either loops or ends as intended. If you switch scenes, check that the source’s visibility behavior matches what you expect. Keep monitoring the broadcast; OBS playback automation does not establish that a particular computer can decode every file while encoding a live output.
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Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video is not available in the Sources menu | VLC is not installed, or VLC and OBS use different architectures. | Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. |
| A file is missing, silent, or does not play as expected | The file may be inaccessible, unsupported in the current setup, or have an issue that was not caught before building the playlist. | Confirm the file remains available at its listed location and play it locally to check picture and audio. OBS lists formats such as MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. |
| The playlist order is unexpected | Shuffle may be enabled, or the playlist items may not be arranged in the intended order. | Turn shuffle off for a fixed sequence and review the item order in the VLC Video properties. |
| Playback stops or restarts after changing scenes | The source’s behavior while not visible can stop playback and restart it when shown again. | Review the VLC Video visibility setting and test the scene changes you plan to use. |
| YouTube does not show the OBS feed | The encoder may not be connected with the correct server URL and stream key, or the event may not be ready. | Compare OBS’s server and key with the Live Control Room, check the preview, and for a scheduled stream select Go live after preview appears. |
| The stream cannot be enabled immediately | First-time live-stream activation can take up to 24 hours, or the channel may not meet YouTube’s current eligibility requirements. | Check Live Control Room and YouTube’s eligibility guidance rather than repeatedly rebuilding the OBS playlist. |
Optional playlist plugin
The OBS forums list a separate Media Playlist Source plugin with features such as editing a playlist during playback and preserving the current file across an OBS restart. Its listing states a minimum OBS version of 30.0.0 and Windows, macOS, and Linux support. The listing and repository differ in version-era details, and the repository notes limitations including manual folder refresh and missing audio-track or subtitle selection. Check current compatibility and release details before relying on it; VLC Video is the built-in documented playlist route. See the Media Playlist Source listing.
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