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To rotate videos in OBS, set playback behavior separately from scene transitions: use a looping Media Source for one repeating file, or a VLC Video source for a playlist. Then choose a transition and duration in OBS’s Scene Transitions panel if you are changing scenes. A transition does not make a video repeat or advance through a playlist.
Choose how the videos should rotate
| Setup | Best fit | Default behavior and checks |
|---|---|---|
| Media Source with Loop | Repeating one video file | Loop is off by default. Restart playback when source becomes active is on by default and is a separate setting. |
| VLC Video playlist | Rotating through multiple video files | Loop Playlist is on and Shuffle Playlist is off by default, so files repeat in order. VLC must be installed. |
| Scene transition | Changing the visual presentation between OBS scenes | Choose a transition and duration; preview it with your actual content. |
Repeat one video with a Media Source
- In OBS, select the scene that should show the video.
- In the Sources panel, click + and choose Media Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
- In the source properties, select the video file.
- Enable Loop. OBS leaves this off by default; enabling it makes the file replay when playback completes.
- Review Restart playback when source becomes active. This is on by default and restarts playback when the source becomes active and visible in the current scene. It is not the same as a scene-transition duration.
- Apply the settings and test the end of the file and its restart, including the audio boundary.
Rotate several videos with a VLC playlist
- Install VLC. OBS requires 64-bit VLC when using 64-bit OBS; without VLC, VLC Video will not appear as an available source.
- In the scene, click + in Sources and add VLC Video.
- In its properties, create or select a playlist and add the video files in the intended order.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled to restart the playlist after its final file. It is on by default.
- Leave Shuffle Playlist off for repeat-in-order playback, or enable it for randomized rotation. Shuffle is off by default.
- Check the source’s visibility behavior. OBS documents the default as “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” If you hide the source or switch away from its scene, verify what happens when it becomes visible again.
- Preview the playlist through its end and restart in the actual scene configuration. Check both picture and audio at each file boundary.
Set the scene transition and duration
Scene transitions control how OBS moves between scenes; they do not control which video plays next. OBS’s overview guide says that Fade and Cut are available from first launch. It also lists Swipe, Slide, Fade to color, and Luma Wipe among additional choices.
- In Scene Transitions, open the transition dropdown and select the effect you want.
- Set its duration in the same panel. Choose a duration that suits the footage and test it in preview; OBS does not prescribe one universally correct value.
- Watch the transition with the scenes and motion that will actually be on air. A duration that works for one visual may feel too slow or abrupt with another.
Use Studio Mode when you want to prepare the next scene
With Studio Mode, prepare or edit the next scene in preview, then click Transition when ready to send it live. This is an operator-controlled scene change, not automatic playlist rotation. You can also add a transition to Quick Transitions and configure its duration separately. OBS’s 500 ms and 1000 ms examples are examples, not required or universal recommendations.
Use a Stinger for an animated scene change
A Stinger is a video overlay designed to cover the cut between scenes. Its cut point can be specified in milliseconds or frames. For a Track Matte Stinger, an animated mask determines the reveal: black corresponds to the current scene, white to the next scene, and intermediate gray values allow blends.
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OBS describes combined-file layouts with the video and matte side by side or vertically stacked. For Track Matte, separate files are disabled because the videos cannot be guaranteed to decode in perfect sync; the guide recommends one combined file. See the official Stinger Transition guide for the format and configuration details.
Test the complete broadcast sequence before going live
- Confirm the intended scene is active and the video source is visible.
- For a single file, confirm Loop is enabled and observe playback through the restart.
- For a playlist, confirm file order, loop restart, and whether shuffle is on or off.
- Listen at the end/start boundary of each video for an unwanted gap, overlap, or abrupt audio change.
- Preview each scene transition at its configured duration; if using Studio Mode, rehearse the operator’s transition action.
- Run an extended test to check that playback, scenes, and the stream behave as intended.
OBS recommends testing settings, stream behavior, and scene configuration before the first live stream. Its documentation does not establish YouTube-specific requirements for nonstop stream duration, continuity, or eligibility. Check current YouTube Live guidance for platform policies and requirements; OBS transition settings alone do not establish that a broadcast complies.
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Troubleshoot common rotation problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A single video stops instead of replaying | Media Source Loop is off | Open Media Source properties and enable Loop. |
| Only one playlist item plays, or VLC Video is unavailable | VLC is missing, or its architecture does not match OBS | Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. Confirm the playlist is populated in the VLC Video source. |
| The playlist repeats in a different order than expected | Shuffle is enabled | Disable Shuffle Playlist for ordered rotation. |
| A source restarts or stops after switching scenes | Source visibility behavior or Media Source activation behavior | Check whether the source is visible, review Restart playback when source becomes active, and verify VLC’s stop/restart-when-not-visible behavior. |
| The video repeats, but there is no visual scene change | Playback repetition and scene transitions are separate controls | Set a scene transition in Scene Transitions; the transition will run when scenes change, not at each file boundary within the same source. |
| A Stinger matte reveal looks mistimed | Separate matte and video files may not decode in sync | Use the combined-file Track Matte workflow described by OBS and recheck the cut point. |
Or let it run in the cloud
For a YouTube channel that needs uploaded videos to play continuously, StreamNeo is an alternative to keeping OBS and a computer running at home. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud; it does not broadcast a camera feed.
- Nothing has to stay on at home; the stream runs from the cloud.
- Any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps streams as made at one flat price per slot, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card, one free day per account.
- Monthly billing is $9.99 per month.
Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, looping and playlists, and StreamNeo team support. See StreamNeo for details and plan lengths and pricing. Start the free day on StreamNeo.
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