If you want to repeat a Gujarati garba playlist made from files on your computer, use OBS Studio’s VLC Video source, add the files in the order you want, and keep Loop Playlist enabled. OBS requires VLC for that source; for a single file, use Media Source and enable Loop instead.
A YouTube page in OBS Browser Source is a separate route, not a documented substitute for OBS’s local playlist controls. YouTube explains how to loop a playlist during ordinary playback on YouTube, but that does not confirm the same control will behave reliably inside OBS.
Choose a playlist or single video
Start by deciding what should repeat. A playlist is useful when your programme contains several permitted local video files—for example, an opening aarti, a sequence of garba performances, and a closing track. A single long video needs only one source and one repeat setting. The right choice depends on how you have organised the material, not on whether the stream is devotional, cultural, or for a community event.
For multiple local files, OBS’s VLC Video source is the documented playlist option. The files are kept on your computer, and the source lets you arrange the items and repeat the list. If you want each item in a planned sequence, this makes the playback order visible in OBS rather than relying on a web page’s controls.
For one local file, OBS Media Source is simpler. Its Loop setting repeats that file when playback ends. OBS lists common supported formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM; check the OBS Media Sources documentation for current details if your file uses another format.
| Approach | Where the video comes from | Repeat control | Main dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLC Video playlist | Local files | OBS Loop Playlist | VLC must be installed and match OBS’s architecture |
| Media Source | One local file | OBS Loop | A supported local media file |
| Browser Source | A web page loaded by URL | The page’s own controls, where available | A working page and its playback behaviour |
This comparison is about source mechanics, not permission to rebroadcast. Being able to play a garba recording in OBS does not establish that you have rights to stream its video or music. Check the status of the specific recording and the intended use before you put it on a public channel; the OBS and YouTube pages linked here describe software controls, not content clearance.
If you are building a longer programme, first make a simple inventory: file name, intended position, and whether it is a full video or an interlude. An M3U-based YouTube channel schedule can help you think through programme order, though the OBS setup described here uses its own VLC playlist rather than depending on an M3U schedule.
Use VLC Video for a local playlist
VLC Video is the relevant source when you want several local videos to play in sequence and repeat as a group. OBS describes it as suitable for playlists of media items. The practical distinction is important: this is not the same as adding a series of Media Sources and hoping that scene transitions happen at the right moment. The playlist and its repeat behaviour belong to the VLC Video source.
In OBS, go to the Sources dock and use its add button. Choose VLC Video from the source list, give it a recognisable name such as “Garba playlist”, then open the source properties. Add the local video files and arrange them in the sequence you intend. If the list is long, use names that help you identify each item; avoid leaving several files with indistinguishable names such as “final” or “new”.
Before you add every item, confirm the files are on a location the computer can access consistently. A playlist that refers to files on a removable drive may stop working if that drive is disconnected or its location changes. Likewise, moving or renaming source files after setup can leave OBS pointing at a path that no longer exists. Keep the source files together where practical, and avoid changing their names once you have built and checked the list.
The files need not all be identical in content, but a sudden change in aspect ratio, audio level, or visual style can make the broadcast feel abrupt. Preview the transitions and decide whether that is acceptable for your channel. A garba stream might deliberately alternate full-stage recordings and close-up performances; if so, sequence those differences rather than letting them appear accidentally.
A local playlist also means your YouTube stream is being fed by OBS playback, not by YouTube’s playlist interface. That helps make the source sequence explicit, but it does not itself solve the work of keeping the overall live broadcast running. If you are planning to leave a computer unattended overnight, read the guide to keeping a YouTube playlist stream running after an OBS crash and decide how you will notice or recover from a failure.
Enable Loop Playlist and check shuffle
In VLC Video’s properties, leave Loop Playlist enabled if the whole list should start again after the last item finishes. This is the playlist-level repeat control: when the list runs out, it returns to its beginning. It is different from the Loop option in Media Source, which repeats an individual file.
The shuffle setting is separate. OBS documents Shuffle Playlist as off by default, so a newly configured list is not randomized unless you change that option. For a planned programme, leave shuffle off and verify the order shown in the source properties. If you turn shuffle on, playback can depart from the intended sequence; do not assume that “loop” and “shuffle” are two names for the same behaviour.
It is worth checking the settings after you have added the final file, not just when you create the source. A misplaced click or a later adjustment can leave the source repeating one item, running in a different order, or ending after one pass. Read the labels in the properties window and confirm the actual playlist order before relying on it for a long broadcast.
OBS also documents what a VLC Video source does when it is not visible. The available behaviour can be to continue, pause, or stop; its listed default is to stop when not visible and restart when visible. This matters if you switch between scenes. A source that is hidden during a scene change may not behave as you expect if you have changed this option, so test the exact scene flow you intend to use.
For a single static scene that always displays the playlist, visibility changes may not arise. For a stream with title cards, announcements, or alternate layouts, decide deliberately whether the playlist should carry on while hidden or stop and restart. There is no universally correct setting: continuing can preserve the programme’s place, while stopping may be appropriate if you want the source to begin afresh when it returns.
Install the matching VLC version
OBS says VLC must be installed for the VLC Video source to be available. Its guidance also notes that a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC. If VLC Video does not appear in the source menu, check this dependency before assuming the playlist feature is missing from OBS.
Confirm which OBS build you installed, then install the corresponding VLC architecture from VLC’s own official site. Do not choose a version based on a guess about what your computer supports. The OBS Sources Guide explains the source system and the VLC requirement; consult the current OBS and VLC documentation when installing, since software packaging can change over time.
After installation, close and reopen OBS if VLC Video is still absent. Then try adding the source again. If it appears, add a small test playlist before building the full programme. If it does not, check that the application was installed correctly and that the architecture matches; do not work around the problem by switching to an unverified browser playback path if you need dependable playlist repetition.
This setup is a software configuration route; the documented path does not require a particular physical purchase. You may already have the computer and local media you need. If the files are too large or the computer is not suitable for your intended continuous stream, that is a separate operational decision rather than a reason to buy an accessory without a specific need.
Use Media Source Loop for one file
When the programme is one local video, add Media Source instead of VLC Video. In its properties, select the file and enable Loop. OBS documents Media Source for local media playback and supports common formats such as MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM. Use the current Media Sources page to check format guidance if your file is unusual.
OBS lists Restart playback when source becomes active as enabled by default for Media Source. This affects what happens when the source is activated, which is not quite the same as the repeat setting. Loop asks the file to repeat after it finishes; restart-on-activation concerns playback when the source becomes active again. If your scenes hide and show the source, test both options in that context.
Media Source is a good fit for a long recording that already contains the full programme you want to repeat. It is less convenient when you need separate files in a controlled order: you would be managing individual sources rather than one playlist. Keep the distinction clear when diagnosing a stream that stops. If one file ends, check its Loop property; if a group of files finishes, check the VLC playlist’s Loop Playlist property.
Treat Browser Source as a separate option
OBS Browser Source loads a web page from a specified URL into a scene. OBS documents its URL and viewport settings and supports it across Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is useful for displaying web content, but its role is different from loading a sequence of local video files into VLC Video. See the OBS Browser Source documentation for the source’s documented properties.
YouTube’s help instructions describe looping a video or playlist during ordinary YouTube playback: open a video in a playlist, expand the playlist, then use the Loop control in the playlist box. That describes controls on YouTube’s normal playback page. It does not establish that a YouTube playlist embedded in OBS Browser Source will retain those controls, avoid browser restrictions, or repeat reliably during a live broadcast.
Treat those as separate workflows. If you have local files and need a predictable repeat sequence, the VLC Video route has the documented OBS playlist setting. If your plan depends on a YouTube page inside Browser Source, verify the behaviour in your own scene and do not treat normal YouTube instructions as proof that the embedded page will work for an unattended stream. Browser playback can also depend on the page and its state, which makes it a poor place to assume an undocumented loop guarantee.
The choice affects where you troubleshoot. With VLC Video, check installed VLC, file paths, playlist order, loop and shuffle settings, and source visibility. With Browser Source, the underlying page is the playback surface, so a page-level control or restriction may matter. Neither option grants music or video rights; handle that question independently of how the source is displayed.
Preview the sequence and verify playback
Before you send the scene to YouTube, run it in OBS’s preview and watch the playlist from its first item through the transition to the next. Check that the order is right, that each file opens, and that sound is present at a sensible level. Then allow the final item to finish and confirm that the playlist returns to the beginning. This is a practical check of your configuration, not a promise about future uninterrupted operation.
For a sequence that includes different kinds of recordings, look for problems that a file list cannot show: a black frame at the start, silence where audio should be, a change in orientation, or a cut that happens before a performance ends. If you use title cards or another scene, test source visibility changes as well. OBS’s source behaviour setting can determine whether a hidden VLC Video source continues, pauses, or stops.
Keep a short written checklist beside the scene setup. It can note which source is used, where the files are stored, whether shuffle is off, which repeat option is enabled, and what you expect when the source is hidden. This is especially helpful if someone else may start the channel or if you return to the setup after several weeks. It also makes troubleshooting more concrete than trying random settings while a live audience is waiting.
Finally, check the YouTube stream itself after going live: confirm the intended scene is visible and that audio is reaching the broadcast. A successful OBS preview does not prove every part of the YouTube delivery is correct. For broader planning around a prerecorded loop, compare the workflow choices in this OBS versus FFmpeg prerecorded-stream guide; choose based on who will operate it and how you plan to recover, rather than assuming one method suits every channel.
A local playlist keeps the repeat controls close to the files, but a computer-based workflow still leaves you responsible for the machine and the session. If that is the specific pain you are trying to remove for a file-based channel, StreamNeo lets you upload a video, provide the YouTube stream key, and run the broadcast without keeping your own computer switched on; it is for YouTube only.
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 loop several Gujarati garba videos in OBS?
Yes. For local video files, add a VLC Video source, add the files to its playlist, and keep Loop Playlist enabled. OBS requires VLC for this source, and shuffle is a separate setting that is off by default.
Should I use VLC Video or Media Source?
Use VLC Video when you need a playlist of multiple local files. Use Media Source for one local file and enable its Loop setting; that repeats the individual file rather than a playlist.
Will a YouTube playlist loop in OBS Browser Source?
YouTube documents a Loop control for ordinary YouTube playlist playback, and OBS Browser Source loads a web page into a scene. The reviewed documentation does not confirm that the YouTube control will work reliably in Browser Source, so do not depend on it without checking your own setup.
Does looping a garba video mean I can rebroadcast it?
No. A playback setting does not establish rights to a recording, video, or music. Check the rights for the specific content and intended use before broadcasting it.