To play local videos continuously on YouTube Live with OBS, use Media Source for one repeating clip or VLC Video for a playlist of clips. For a playlist, add each file, keep Shuffle Playlist off to preserve the listed order, and enable Loop Playlist; VLC must be installed for VLC Video to work.
Despite the common phrase “add a folder”, OBS’s documented VLC Video workflow is to add media files as playlist items. Do not assume selecting a folder imports every file or watches it for later additions. Here is a setup you can test before sending it to YouTube.
Choose between one repeating clip and a playlist
Start by deciding what should happen when the current video ends. If the channel consists of one long ambience scene, bhajan performance or information loop, a Media Source with Loop enabled is the simpler arrangement. If you have several segments that should play in sequence, use VLC Video and configure its playlist controls.
| What you want | OBS source | Settings to check | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat one local video | Media Source | Loop | The source plays one selected file repeatedly. |
| Play several videos in a set order, then start again | VLC Video | Add playlist items, leave Shuffle Playlist off, enable Loop Playlist | VLC needs to be installed, and you should confirm its architecture matches OBS. |
| Advance videos while changing scenes | VLC Video | Choose an appropriate visibility behaviour and test it | The default behaviour stops when hidden and restarts when visible. |
The controls are separate because they solve different problems. Media Source’s Loop repeats the file loaded in that source. VLC Video’s Loop Playlist starts the playlist again after it reaches the end. Turning on the wrong control, or expecting one source’s control to act like the other’s, can leave the final clip stopped instead of starting the sequence over.
OBS itself does not keep your broadcast running if the computer, application or internet connection fails. Looping controls what the media source does when playback reaches its end; it is not a continuity guarantee. If you are weighing local operation against hosted playback, consider what you can monitor and maintain overnight, not just how quickly the source can be added. Our guide to running recorded lessons from the cloud discusses a different operating arrangement.
Prepare supported local video files
Put the files in a stable location on the computer that runs OBS. A dedicated folder is useful for your own organisation, but the folder itself is not the playlist: you will add the files you want as playlist entries. Before configuring the source, check that the clips open and play on that computer, and note their intended sequence.
For Media Source, OBS’s official Media Sources documentation lists supported formats, including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM. Keep to documented formats rather than assuming any file with a video extension will work. If OBS reports an unsupported format, use the troubleshooting guide for unsupported video formats to investigate the file before building the playlist around it.
A playlist is a list of chosen media items. OBS’s documentation does not describe automatic folder scanning, monitoring for new files or refreshing a playlist when the directory changes. Add the intended files explicitly and inspect the resulting list. If you later move or rename a source file, check that OBS can still find and play it; the playlist should not be treated as a self-updating folder link.
Keep a simple written record of the intended order if the sequence matters, for example: opening prayer, devotional songs, announcements, closing instrumental. That makes it easier to notice a missing clip or an unexpected order before a live test. It also helps when someone else has to check the channel after you have arranged the sources.
Loop one clip with Media Source
For a single video, open the scene where it should appear. In the Sources dock, click the plus button and add Media Source. Give the source a recognisable name, such as “Main devotional video”, then select the local file in its properties. Use the built-in source rather than VLC Video if all you need is one file repeating.
In the Media Source properties, enable Loop. The OBS Project describes this setting as repeating the file once playback has completed. Confirm that the preview starts and that the image fits the canvas. You can resize or position the source using OBS’s transform controls; the official Sources Guide covers Fit to Screen as well as manual sizing and cropping.
Watch the end of the clip during a test recording. The source should return to the start rather than remain on its last frame. A recording is a convenient way to check the transition and audio without first making the content public. A short test only checks the configuration you exercised; it does not show that the computer and connection will run unattended for an extended period.
If the source does not show a picture, check that the correct file is selected, the source is visible in the Sources dock, and another source is not covering it. If the picture appears but the audio does not, check the Audio Mixer meters and the selected devices under Settings → Audio. Do not infer from a visible preview alone that YouTube is receiving the same result.
Add multiple files with VLC Video
For multiple clips, add VLC Video to the active scene from the Sources dock’s plus menu. If VLC Video is not available or cannot load media, check whether VLC is installed before assuming the playlist is damaged. This source depends on VLC being present; it is not a way to play a playlist without that application.
Open the VLC Video source properties and add the files you want as playlist items. Depending on the OBS version, the control is presented as a playlist list with buttons for adding or removing entries. Select the files deliberately and inspect the finished list. Do not rely on a one-time folder selection to populate the list: OBS’s documented method is to add media items, and it does not promise folder import or watching.
A playlist source is useful when you need several videos to run as one sequence, such as a set of local news segments followed by a community notice. It also introduces more points to check than a single Media Source: every item must be reachable, the order must be right, and the VLC dependency must be satisfied. The guide to why VLC may stop at the end of a playlist is useful if the final item does not lead back to the beginning.
Use local files stored somewhere that remains available during the broadcast. Avoid arranging the playlist from a removable drive that may be disconnected or a temporary download location that could be cleaned up. Once the list is set, test it by watching the preview as the source moves from one file to the next. That helps catch missing files and transitions that a still preview cannot reveal.
Keep playlist order by disabling Shuffle
If clips need to play in a particular sequence, leave Shuffle Playlist off. With shuffle disabled, playback follows the order shown in the source’s list. Check that list from top to bottom before the test: the first item is what viewers will see when the source begins, and a misplaced announcement or closing clip can be disruptive even when every file plays correctly.
Shuffle is not the same as Loop Playlist. Shuffle changes selection order; Loop Playlist controls what happens after the list runs out. You can have looping without shuffling, which is generally the setting to use for a fixed programme. If you actually want the order to vary, enable shuffle intentionally and test what happens at the end of the list rather than assuming it will behave like a fixed sequence.
There is another order to consider in OBS: source stacking within the scene. A source can be playing but obscured by another source above it. Select the VLC Video source and check the preview; use OBS’s transform controls if it is too large, too small or cropped. The Sources Guide explains fitting and positioning a source on the canvas.
Enable Loop Playlist and verify playback
In the VLC Video properties, enable Loop Playlist. OBS defines the control as determining whether the source restarts when it has run out of media files. This applies to the whole list, unlike Media Source’s Loop setting for a single file. Keep Shuffle Playlist off if the order displayed in the list is the order you want viewers to receive.
Then test the start, a change between two clips, and the end of the playlist. If the playlist is short enough, observe it reach the end and return to the first item. If it is long, you can still verify the controls and item order, but do not claim that a brief test demonstrates days of uninterrupted operation. You are confirming settings and expected transitions, not proving future reliability.
Pay attention to VLC Video’s visibility behaviour as well. OBS documents a default that stops playback when the source is not visible and restarts it when it becomes visible. That setting affects media playback, not whether the YouTube broadcast itself stops. If you switch scenes and expect the playlist to keep advancing in the background, choose the appropriate continue behaviour and test the scene change. If you are troubleshooting a stream that halts after a clip change, this playlist transition guide may help distinguish source playback from the broadcast.
Before going live, use Start Recording or a private/unlisted test appropriate to your channel workflow. Check the image, clip order, repeat behaviour, audio and scene visibility. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends testing before a first stream and checking audio. YouTube’s encoder setup help explains how to stream using encoder software such as OBS; first-time live streaming may require enablement time, so do not leave channel setup until the moment you intend to broadcast.
Check VLC installation matches OBS architecture
VLC Video requires VLC to be installed. A common setup snag is architecture mismatch: OBS’s Media Sources guidance says that when OBS is 64-bit, VLC should also be 64-bit. Installing VLC alone is not enough if the installed build does not match the OBS build that is running.
Check the architecture of your OBS installation, then install the corresponding VLC build from the vendor’s own VLC download page. For a 64-bit OBS installation, use 64-bit VLC. If the source remains unavailable or cannot load items, close and reopen OBS after installing VLC, confirm the matching build, and try adding the source again. Use the official OBS documentation for the current source requirements rather than assuming a particular installer option applies to every computer.
Media Source does not depend on VLC for its documented built-in formats, so it can be the simpler route for one supported clip. VLC Video is appropriate when you need the playlist controls. Neither method removes the need to keep OBS running on the local computer, with access to its media files and a functioning network connection, for the broadcast to continue.
For a local setup, arrange the scene and playlist, then monitor a test before you rely on it. If you would rather not keep your own computer operating for continuous prerecorded playback, a hosted workflow is a separate trade-off: it can remove the local machine from the task, but you still need to prepare the file and channel correctly. StreamNeo removes the need to leave your computer running by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube broadcast, which is useful when overnight playback is the specific local-OBS burden you want to avoid.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can I add a whole folder of videos to OBS at once?
The documented VLC Video workflow is to add media files as playlist items, not to select a folder and have OBS automatically import or monitor it. Add the files you want, then check the order in the playlist. If you add, move or rename files later, verify the list again.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video?
Use Media Source for one local clip and enable Loop to repeat it. Use VLC Video for multiple playlist items, with Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed order and Loop Playlist on to repeat the sequence. VLC must be installed for VLC Video to work.
Why does the playlist stop when I change scenes?
VLC Video’s visibility setting can stop playback when the source is hidden and restart it when visible. That is a media-source behaviour, not the same as stopping the YouTube broadcast. Choose the visibility behaviour that suits your scene changes and test it before streaming.
Does looping guarantee a 24/7 broadcast?
No. Loop and Loop Playlist control what the media source does when a file or list ends; they do not keep the computer, OBS or internet connection running. Test the setup and plan how it will be monitored, particularly if it is expected to run while you are away.