To keep the videos in an XSplit Broadcaster playlist repeating, open the Video Playlist source properties and change Play from Once to loop forever. For a finite number of repeats, choose the custom play mode and set its count.
That setting controls playback in the playlist source. It does not start, end, or recover the YouTube broadcast: you manage the live output separately, and looping cannot guarantee that a stream stays uninterrupted.
Add a Video Playlist source
Add the playlist to the scene you intend to send to YouTube. In XSplit Broadcaster, select Add source > Scene Widgets > Video Playlist. XSplit’s Creating a Video Playlist guide documents this path and explains how to add files to the source.
A source is an element in a scene. The playlist can therefore be present in one scene while other scenes contain different layouts or material. Before you build around it, check that the scene you plan to broadcast actually includes the Video Playlist source and that it is visible. Having the source in the project is not the same as showing it in the active scene.
If the menu labels differ in your installed version, look for Video Playlist under Scene Widgets and check XSplit’s current support material. The documented workflow is the useful starting point; there is no need to add capture hardware just to repeat files already on your computer. XSplit describes the playlist as a source for sequential video playback, with ordering and repeat settings in its Scene Widgets documentation.
Keep the first setup simple. Add the source to the scene, verify that it appears in the preview, and then configure its files and behaviour. This makes it easier to tell the difference between a playlist problem and a broadcast problem later.
Add files and arrange playlist order
Open the Video Playlist source properties and use the add control to select the video files you want to play. XSplit’s setup guide describes selecting Add and choosing the desired local files. They are played in sequence, so arrange them in the order you want viewers to see them. A devotional channel might place an opening bhajan before a longer collection; a study channel might put an introduction before its ambience video.
Check the order in the properties window rather than assuming files will play in the order you last opened them. If the source provides ordering controls, use them to move items into the intended sequence. Then review the list from top to bottom. This matters especially when a loop returns to the start: the first item will follow the final item every time the sequence repeats.
Use files you have permission to broadcast and that are suitable for your channel. A playlist control cannot establish that you have rights to the music, images, or footage. Nor does a successful local preview establish that YouTube will approve or monetise the content. For platform requirements, check the current YouTube live streaming help and the terms that apply to your material.
It can help to give files recognisable names before adding them. Names such as opening-prayer, morning-bhajans, or closing-card are easier to check than a list of generic exports. This is an organisational habit, not an XSplit requirement. If you replace or reorder material later, revisit the playlist properties and verify the sequence again.
Open the playlist source properties
In the active scene, locate the Video Playlist source and open its properties. The playlist behaviour belongs to that source, not to the YouTube destination settings. Look for the Play property in the playlist configuration. XSplit’s Scene Widgets guide describes the repeat choices there, including the default Once mode.
If you cannot find the property, first confirm that you selected the Video Playlist source rather than another video or media source. Check the source name in the scene and open its own settings. A playlist’s play mode should not be confused with a scene transition, a broadcast output setting, or a YouTube Studio control.
Before changing a live setup, note what the current setting is and whether the scene is currently on air. Changing source properties while broadcasting can affect what viewers see. For a channel that must avoid unexpected changes, configure the playlist before the next scheduled session, then test it in a private or otherwise appropriate test stream. The separate live-stream checklist is useful for checking the wider setup before going on air.
Change Play from Once to loop forever
The documented default for Play is Once, which means the playlist plays a single pass. Open the property and select loop forever if you want the sequence to repeat continuously. XSplit documents Once, loop forever, and custom as the available behaviours; the Scene Widgets guide is the primary reference if the wording in your version is different.
A loop is a repeat rule for the source. For example, if your playlist contains three local videos and the final video reaches its end, loop mode tells that playlist to return to its beginning and continue the sequence. It does not tell XSplit to start streaming, tell YouTube that a live event has begun, or reconnect an output that has failed. It also does not decide when you should intentionally stop a broadcast.
That distinction is important for an always-on channel. A playlist can be set to loop while the broadcast is not live, and a YouTube broadcast can be live while a source is blank, paused, or otherwise not showing the intended material. Treat source playback and live delivery as two separate checks. If you are planning an OBS-based alternative for a devotional schedule, our guide to a 24/7 Malayalam devotional playlist on YouTube with OBS covers a different software workflow; the XSplit setting described here remains specific to its Video Playlist source.
Do not interpret the word “forever” as an uptime promise. It describes the repeat behaviour while the source and application are operating; it says nothing about power, computer, network, encoder, account, or platform interruptions. If the computer or connection stops, the repeat option alone cannot restore the broadcast. Decide separately how you will notice and respond to an interruption.
Set a custom repeat count if desired
Choose custom instead of loop forever when you want more than one pass but do not want an open-ended loop. Set the count shown by the source properties, then confirm the value before applying the change. XSplit’s documented description is that custom means playing more than once. The exact count field presentation may vary by version, so consult the current source properties rather than relying on a remembered screen layout.
The choice is practical: use Once for a one-off item, loop forever for continuous source playback, or custom when a planned number of passes is appropriate. For instance, a local event replay may need several runs before an operator takes over, while an ambience station intended to continue through the night would usually need the forever setting. Those are examples of programming choices, not guarantees about how long a live broadcast will remain available.
| Play mode | Source behaviour | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
| Once | Plays the playlist a single time | A one-off segment or test |
| loop forever | Repeats the sequence continuously | A repeating station playlist |
| custom | Plays more than once, using a chosen count | A finite number of passes |
Select the mode based on what you want the source to do, not on how long you expect YouTube to stay live. If you need a broadcast to end at a particular time, manage the YouTube event and XSplit output deliberately. If you need source material to keep cycling, set the playlist mode accordingly. Neither control substitutes for the other.
Start and manage the YouTube broadcast separately
After configuring the playlist, start the live output through XSplit’s YouTube workflow. XSplit’s Streaming to YouTube Live guide describes output setup and the Manual Transition option. When that option is enabled, XSplit says you must also click Go Live in YouTube Studio after starting the output. When it is disabled, XSplit says Start Broadcast starts the stream automatically. Check the current settings in your own account; do not infer the live state from the playlist preview.
There are two separate actions to confirm: the output must be running from XSplit, and the YouTube event must be live as required by the transition setting. If the YouTube Studio event is still waiting for you to go live, the playlist may be playing locally without viewers receiving a live broadcast. Conversely, a live event does not prove that the playlist is advancing as intended.
Stopping the XSplit output is also distinct from a file reaching its end. XSplit’s scheduled-stream guide says that confirming the prompt to end the live event also ends the associated YouTube stream. That is an operator action concerning the event, not an effect of the playlist reaching its final item. Avoid pressing an end or stop control when you only mean to let the playlist continue; equally, do not assume a looping source will prevent an intentional broadcast stop from ending the event.
For a channel that runs unattended, plan how the live output will be checked and what someone should do if it stops. A playlist repeat setting does not monitor the network or computer and does not promise an automatic restart. Keep account access, scheduled event details, and the intended response available to the person responsible for the channel. If the stream is a daily or overnight programme, use a handover or checklist so the operator can distinguish a normal content change from a dropped output.
Some creators decide that maintaining an always-on broadcast from a personal computer is not the right fit, particularly when they cannot leave that computer running or attend to it after an interruption. StreamNeo can remove the need to keep your own computer on for a file-based YouTube stream, but you still need to prepare the file and manage the channel and its content responsibly. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a replacement for a workflow that needs other destinations or live scene production.
Check playlist playback during a test
Before relying on the setup, test the source and the broadcast as separate things. In XSplit, confirm that the intended scene is active, the playlist source is visible, the files appear in the right order, and Play is set to the chosen mode. Observe enough playback to verify that the source is playing the expected material. A preview confirms local behaviour; it does not by itself verify that viewers can see the live event.
For a loop test, use a short playlist or a suitable test arrangement so you can observe what happens at the end of the sequence without waiting through a full overnight programme. Confirm that playback returns to the first item when the last one finishes. If you chose custom, verify that the source repeats as intended and does not continue beyond the finite run. Then confirm the broadcast state separately in XSplit and, when the workflow requires it, in YouTube Studio.
If the source appears to stop, check the simplest causes first: the selected scene, source visibility, file availability, and the Play mode. If the local preview continues but the YouTube event is not live, inspect the broadcast transition and event state rather than changing the playlist repeat rule. If both source playback and output have stopped, a repeat setting cannot diagnose whether the cause is the application, computer, connection, or platform.
Keep notes about the version and labels you see if they differ from XSplit’s current documentation. Avoid making a live change merely because an older screenshot uses a different layout. The live checklist can help structure a preflight, while our guide on lowering video quality when the internet is slow addresses a separate delivery problem. Neither replaces checking that your playlist is configured to repeat.
When your test is complete, document the final scene, playlist order, play mode, and the steps required to take the YouTube event live. This gives another operator a reproducible setup instead of a vague instruction to “leave the playlist running”. Revisit the test after replacing files or updating software, because a correct setting is only useful if the current source still contains the intended material.
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FAQ
Does a playlist ending stop my YouTube live stream?
XSplit’s documentation describes the Video Playlist repeat setting separately from controls for starting and ending a YouTube broadcast. It does not say that reaching the last playlist item ends the live event. Check the event and output controls directly when managing the broadcast.
How do I loop a video playlist in XSplit Broadcaster?
Add a Video Playlist source from Add source > Scene Widgets > Video Playlist, add the files, then open that source’s properties. Change Play from the default Once to loop forever. Use custom play mode instead if you want a finite repeat count.
Will loop forever reconnect my stream if the internet drops?
No. The setting controls repetition of the playlist source, not network recovery or YouTube broadcast reconnection. Check the output and event state separately, and plan how you will respond if the computer, connection, or stream stops.
Do I have to click Go Live in YouTube Studio?
That depends on XSplit’s Manual Transition setting for the YouTube output. XSplit documents that when it is enabled, you also go live in YouTube Studio; when disabled, Start Broadcast starts the stream automatically. Verify the current setting in your setup before a real broadcast.