OBS can play an ordered list of event recordings through a VLC Video source, and you can set that list to loop. You can also arrange for your computer and OBS to start again after power returns, but the official documentation does not say that OBS restores the exact playlist item and timestamp that were playing before the outage.
That distinction matters at a live event. A restart may put the channel back on air from the first recording, while a true resume would continue from the point interrupted. The setup below aims for a predictable restart and shows how to test it; it does not promise position recovery.
Restart and resume are different outcomes
A playlist restart means OBS opens and begins playback again according to its source settings. If the VLC Video playlist is set to loop, the list starts again after reaching its end during normal playback. Neither behaviour, by itself, means OBS has remembered where playback was when the computer lost power.
A true resume would require the system to retain both the current playlist entry and its timestamp, then reopen at that position. OBS's Media Sources documentation describes VLC Video playlists and visibility options, but does not document restoration of that item and timestamp after a full power loss. Its launch-parameters documentation describes ways to automate OBS startup, not a way to recover a VLC playlist's former position.
Plan around the behaviour you can rehearse. If an event replay can restart from the beginning without causing trouble, make that your recovery target. If restarting would repeat an announcement, interrupt a programme sequence, or make the channel appear to jump backwards, prepare a manual recovery plan rather than relying on an undocumented resume feature.
A restart also depends on more than OBS: the computer must receive power, start, open OBS, load the intended scene and find the media files. Each is a separate step worth checking. For the wider choice between keeping a computer on and using another operating arrangement, see this comparison of a used laptop and a Raspberry Pi for an always-on YouTube stream.
Install compatible VLC for OBS
The multi-file playlist option discussed here is the VLC Video source. OBS needs VLC installed for that source type to be available. OBS also notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC, so check that the two installations match before building the scene.
Install VLC from its official VideoLAN download page. Then close and reopen OBS if the VLC Video source is not available in the source list. If it still does not appear, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. Do not assume that a regular Media Source is an equivalent substitute: it is intended for a single file, while VLC Video is the source OBS documents for playlists.
Keep the versions and file paths consistent on the computer that will run the event. If you prepare the scene on one machine and move it to another, the second machine also needs compatible VLC, and the playlist files need to be available at the locations OBS expects. A scene that works on your editing PC is not yet a tested recovery setup on the event machine.
For a single replay file, OBS's regular Media Source may be simpler. It has a Loop option and a Restart playback when source becomes active option, on by default according to OBS's media-source documentation. Those controls apply to that source; do not read them as proof that a multi-item VLC playlist will resume after power loss.
Add a VLC Video source and playlist
Open the scene that should show the replay, then add a source and choose VLC Video. Give it a name that identifies its purpose, such as “Event replay playlist”, rather than leaving several sources with indistinguishable names. In the source properties, add the media files you intend to play and arrange them in the required sequence.
Use files stored locally on the machine where OBS will run. A path that points to a removable drive, a network share, or a folder that is not mounted when the computer starts can leave OBS with a missing item. Keep the files together in a known folder where practical, and avoid moving or renaming them after you have tested the scene.
Check the list entry by entry. Confirm that the order matches the programme, that each file opens, and that the picture and audio are present. File names can be deceptively similar; include a sequence label in the name if it helps you distinguish an opening, a main programme, and a closing segment. If the playlist is intended to run continuously, also consider whether the last item transitions sensibly back to the first.
OBS describes VLC Video as allowing a playlist of items, unlike Media Source. That makes it useful when an event has separate recordings, but it does not remove the need to verify each one. If you are assembling longer recordings for a continuous broadcast, the guidance on preparing lecture recordings for a continuous YouTube Live playlist in India can help you think through file order and programme continuity.
Set playlist order and loop behaviour
The playlist order determines what OBS plays next. Put the items in the sequence the audience should see them, then test the transition from one file to the next. If the list represents a single event, that might mean an opening, several sessions, and a closing. If it represents a station rotation, you may want a repeatable sequence that works at every return to the first item.
Use Loop Playlist when you want the whole list to start again after its final entry. Looping is about what happens at the end of a completed list, not what happens after a sudden loss of power. If the computer shuts down halfway through the second file, the loop setting does not establish that OBS will return to that file or timestamp when it opens again.
Shuffle is a separate choice. OBS's VLC source documentation identifies shuffle as optional and off by default. Leave it off when order matters, such as for a scheduled event replay or a devotional sequence. Random order may suit a collection intended to vary, but it can make the next item after a restart less predictable if you are trying to manage a programme manually.
| Requirement | Relevant setting or choice | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Play multiple recordings | VLC Video source with playlist entries | Recovery of the prior item and timestamp after power loss |
| Start the list again after its final item | Loop Playlist | Restarting at the interrupted point |
| Keep a fixed programme sequence | Ordered entries; leave shuffle off | That every file path will be available on startup |
| Play one recording repeatedly | Media Source with Loop enabled | Multi-item playlist behaviour |
A fixed order is usually easier to recover from than a shuffled one: after a restart from the beginning, you know what the audience is seeing. If you need to resume from a later session, keep a note of the intended file and approximate point so an operator can make a deliberate choice. That is a human recovery step, not automatic timestamp restoration.
Choose source visibility behaviour
VLC Video includes visibility behaviour for what happens when its source is hidden or shown. OBS documents the default as Stop when not visible, restart when visible. It also offers pausing while hidden and resuming when visible, or always playing even while hidden. Choose according to the way your scenes work.
If the replay source is only present in the live scene, the default may be suitable: playback stops when the source is hidden and starts again when it becomes visible. If you switch away from the replay scene and later return, expect the selected visibility behaviour to affect playback. Test that scene change deliberately before the event.
The pause/resume option concerns a source being hidden within a running OBS session. It is not the same as surviving a computer shutdown. Likewise, always playing while hidden can make the video advance while another scene is on screen, but it does not create power-loss recovery. An outage removes power; it is not simply an OBS visibility change.
Choose the setting that matches the production. For an uninterrupted replay that should keep progressing while you show a holding scene, always playing while hidden may be appropriate. For a programme where returning to the replay should start it afresh, the documented stop-and-restart behaviour may fit better. Record the choice so another operator knows what to expect when switching scenes.
Test an OBS restart before the event
A controlled restart is the practical way to learn what your particular setup does when OBS closes and opens again. Save the scene collection, note which item is playing, close OBS normally, and reopen it. Check which scene appears, whether VLC Video loads its items, whether playback and audio begin, and where playback starts. Treat the result as an observed restart behaviour for that setup, not as a promise of recovery after a power cut.
Then test a scene change separately. Hide the source or switch to another scene, wait, and return. Confirm that the selected visibility setting behaves as you intended. Restarting OBS and hiding a source test different conditions, so passing one does not answer the other.
OBS advises testing settings before streaming or recording in its sources guide. Extend that test to the whole event path: start the computer, sign in if required, open OBS, load the intended scene, and confirm the replay output. Check the audio level and listen on the programme output, not only through desktop speakers. A source can look correct in the preview while its sound routing is wrong for the live stream.
You can also verify the stream itself with a private or otherwise appropriate test broadcast before relying on the setup. Check picture, sound, scene transitions, and the point at which the list begins. If your stream contains music, a stable local replay does not settle questions about the outgoing live signal; use a separate bitrate guide for a static background with music to review that part of the setup.
Plan for power loss and local recovery
For recovery after an outage, plan for a restart from a known point. Configure the computer's operating-system startup behaviour so it can start when power returns, where that option is available and appropriate for the machine. Arrange for OBS to launch afterwards using the relevant operating-system mechanism. The exact steps differ by system, so consult its current documentation and test them on the machine used for the event.
OBS supports launch parameters for automation, including actions such as starting streaming, recording, the virtual camera, or Replay Buffer. Its documentation also gives working-directory advice for scheduled or automated launches on Windows: set the working directory to the folder containing obs64.exe. These options can help bring OBS up, but the documented launch parameters do not list a command to restore a VLC playlist's former item and timestamp.
Decide who will intervene if the expected restart does not happen. Keep a short recovery note beside the event machine: which scene to open, which playlist should be loaded, whether it should start from the beginning, and how to check that the stream is active. If an operator must choose a later point manually, tell them how to identify the right file and make that change without guessing in front of the audience.
A small business, local news loop, or study channel may have different tolerance for a repeated segment. For some, a known restart is acceptable; for others, a person should check the stream after a power interruption and select the appropriate recording. If you are considering a cloud-based route to avoid depending on a particular computer being available at the venue, StreamNeo removes the need to keep your own computer running for the broadcast, but it remains a YouTube-only service and does not turn OBS's playlist into a position-resume system.
A UPS can reduce the chance that a brief interruption immediately cuts power to the computer, but that is prevention rather than playlist-position recovery. Do not treat backup power as evidence that OBS will recover a timestamp if the computer does shut down. Similarly, a successful test with one file path or one restart is not a guarantee for a different scene, software version, or machine.
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FAQ
Will my OBS VLC playlist start again after a power outage?
You can configure the computer to start and OBS to launch after power returns, and the VLC Video source can play a playlist. Test the full startup path on the event machine. The OBS documentation does not specify restoration of the exact playlist item and timestamp after a full power loss.
Can OBS continue a VLC playlist from where it stopped?
OBS documents options for pausing or stopping a source when it becomes hidden, then resuming or restarting it when visible. Those are visibility behaviours during an OBS session, not documented recovery of a playlist position after power loss. Do not rely on them as exact resume controls.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video?
Use VLC Video when you need multiple playlist entries. Media Source is for a single file and has its own loop and restart-on-activation controls. Test the source type you actually plan to use rather than assuming the settings are interchangeable.
How do I make OBS open my replay playlist when my PC starts?
Set up the computer's startup behaviour and an operating-system method to launch OBS, then test the sequence from a cold start. Make sure the scene and local media paths load and check where playback begins. Automated startup can restore operation, but it does not establish exact position recovery.