If you want one Hindi video to start again when it ends, add it to OBS as a Media Source and enable Loop. If you want several videos to play in order and begin again after the last one, use VLC Video Source and enable Loop Playlist.
Those controls apply to different source types. Media Source’s Loop setting repeats its selected file; it does not turn a list of files into a playlist. VLC Video Source depends on VLC being installed, so the source will not appear in OBS until that prerequisite is met.
Choose between one video and a playlist
Start by deciding what you mean by “playlist”. If you have one long devotional recording, bhajan set, or visual loop saved as a single video file, use Media Source. If you have separate tracks or videos that should play one after another, use VLC Video Source and add each file to that source’s playlist.
The difference matters at the end of playback. Media Source’s Loop setting starts the same file again after it finishes. VLC Video Source’s Loop Playlist setting restarts the source after it runs out of media files. For an ordered set, leave Shuffle Playlist off so the files play in the order you added them.
| Your material | OBS source | Control to check | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| One video file | Media Source | Loop | The video file |
| Several video files to play in sequence | VLC Video Source | Loop Playlist | VLC installed with a compatible architecture |
These are the built-in approaches described in the OBS media sources guide. If you are preparing a Hindi music loop with a single audio track, it may also help to review this guide to setting OBS audio bitrate for a Hindi music loop. The source choice and audio settings solve separate problems: looping determines what plays next, while audio settings affect the stream’s encoded sound.
Add a Media Source for one video
Open the OBS scene where you want the video to appear. In the Sources dock, click + and choose Media Source. The OBS Sources Guide describes adding sources from that plus button; OBS may show a prompt to create a new source or select an existing one.
Give the source a useful name, such as “Bhajan video”, so it is easy to identify later. In its properties, select the local video file you want OBS to play. Confirm the path and check the preview: a blank preview at this stage usually means the file was not selected, cannot be read, or has not yet produced a visible frame. This is a playback check, not a guarantee that every file format or later live broadcast will behave correctly.
Keep the one-file workflow simple. Do not add multiple files to separate Media Sources and expect one source’s Loop setting to advance between them. That setting repeats the file assigned to that Media Source. For a sequence of independent files, use the playlist source described below instead.
If the Hindi recording includes spoken introductions, devotional pauses, or a long quiet ending, watch or listen through those parts in the preview too. A file can technically loop while still making an awkward transition at its end. If you need to adjust the recording, edit and export a version with the transition you want before using it as the source.
Enable Loop for the single file
In the Media Source properties, turn on Loop. OBS documents this option as replaying the media after playback completes; its documented default is Off. Apply the change and check that the Loop box remains selected when you reopen the source properties.
There is another setting with a similar name that does a different job: Restart playback when source becomes active. OBS documents it as controlling whether playback starts from the beginning when the source becomes active. It is not the end-of-file repeat control. For one video that must begin again at the end, Loop is the setting to check.
That distinction is useful when you switch scenes or hide and show a source. A source becoming visible can affect where playback starts, but it does not replace the Loop setting for repeating at the end. If the video stops after one pass, return to the Media Source properties and check Loop rather than changing unrelated scene or activation settings.
A practical check is to seek near the end in the preview, then observe whether playback returns to the opening. Seeking can help you test sooner, but it does not replace watching a full pass if the file has unusual timing, a damaged ending, or a transition you need to assess. For longer streams, also review the audio issue checklist for ambience streams that lose sound after looping; it addresses a different symptom, but reinforces why audio should be checked across the transition, not just at the start.
Add VLC Video Source for multiple files
For a multi-file sequence, open the target scene, click + in the Sources dock, and choose VLC Video Source. If you do not see that entry, do not try to make a Media Source behave like a playlist. VLC Video Source is available only when VLC is installed in a form OBS can use; the troubleshooting section below covers the installation and bitness check.
Create or name the source so its purpose is clear, for example “Hindi evening playlist”. Its properties include a playlist area where you can add media files. Add the files in the order you want them to play, then verify that the list contains every intended item. Names and order matter when several files have similar titles; a quick review avoids an unexpected track between devotional sets.
Check Shuffle Playlist before relying on the order. OBS documents Shuffle Playlist as randomising playback, with the documented default Off. If you want a fixed sequence, keep it off. If you deliberately want a changing order, understand that the next item may no longer be the next item in the list.
There are additional playlist behaviours, including what happens when the source is not visible. OBS documents a Visibility Behaviour option whose default is to stop playback while not visible and restart when visible. That behaviour is separate from Loop Playlist. If the source is hidden by a scene change, the outcome can therefore differ from what you expect if you have only checked the playlist-end setting.
For a radio-style Hindi channel, decide whether the source should continue while another scene is shown, pause, or stop and restart. Test that scene behaviour with your intended layout. If you are also investigating how to keep a broadcast going after a connection or power interruption, see the separate guide on keeping an OBS YouTube stream running after a power outage. A playlist looping correctly inside OBS is not the same as the live broadcast recovering after an outage.
Add files and enable Loop Playlist
With VLC Video Source open, add each video file to the playlist. Review the list from top to bottom and remove accidental duplicates or files that should not be part of the sequence. If the order is important—for example, an opening chant, a set of bhajans, and a closing prayer—arrange it deliberately before testing.
Turn on Loop Playlist. OBS describes this control as restarting the source after it has run out of media files; its documented default is On. Even so, inspect the checkbox rather than relying on a default, because someone may have changed the source previously or you may be using an existing scene collection.
Keep Shuffle Playlist off if the sequence must remain ordered. Loop Playlist answers what happens after the list is exhausted; Shuffle Playlist answers whether the items play in their listed order. They are separate controls. A playlist can repeat successfully while playing in an order you did not intend if shuffle is enabled.
The VLC source offers more than just a list and a repeat control, so avoid changing settings without a reason. For instance, visibility behaviour concerns hidden sources, not what happens after the final item. Change one setting at a time and note the effect in the preview. That makes it easier to identify whether a problem is about file order, end-of-list behaviour, or a source being hidden.
If you routinely change the playlist, keep a simple record of the intended file order outside OBS. A source can retain an old item when you replace only part of the list. Before a long session, check the actual playlist shown in properties rather than assuming that the files on disk and the source list match.
Install the VLC version OBS can use
If VLC Video Source is missing from the source menu, first check whether VLC is installed. Install VLC, close and reopen OBS, then look in the Sources dock again. The OBS documentation states that VLC must be installed for the VLC source to be available.
Next check architecture, often called bitness. OBS specifically notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you have 64-bit OBS and only 32-bit VLC, the source may not appear as expected; install the matching 64-bit VLC version and restart OBS. If you are unsure which OBS version you have, check the application’s About information or the installer you used rather than guessing based on the age of the computer.
After installation, verify the source menu before rebuilding the scene. If it still is not present, confirm that the application you reopened is the same OBS installation you intend to use and that VLC’s installation completed. Avoid downloading unofficial repackaged installers in an attempt to solve a bitness mismatch; use the vendor’s official download page and check its current installer details.
A third-party plugin called Media Playlist Source is another possible approach, but it is not needed for this basic setup: OBS’s VLC Video Source already has a Loop Playlist control. Plugin compatibility can change, so check the OBS resource listing and its current requirements before considering it. A plugin should not be the first troubleshooting step when VLC itself is absent or mismatched.
Test playback through the end of the list
Before depending on the scene during a live session, test it in OBS. For one file, confirm the Media Source preview plays and that Loop is selected. For a playlist, confirm VLC Video Source is present, the intended files appear in the right order, Shuffle Playlist is off if sequence matters, and Loop Playlist is selected.
A meaningful test must reach the end. Starting the source and seeing the first video is not evidence that the final item will be followed by the first one again. If you have a long playlist, you can make a temporary short test list using copies or shorter sample clips, check the transition at the list boundary, and then restore the intended files. Do not accidentally leave the test clips in the real source.
Watch for a black frame, unexpected pause, or abrupt audio change between files. Some differences may come from the files themselves: one video may have a long fade to black while the next begins with a title card, or the audio levels may not match. OBS looping controls advance playback; they do not edit transitions, standardise loudness, or repair a source file.
Check the source while it is visible in the scene you will use. If you have more than one scene, test the visibility behaviour that matters for your layout. Then check the stream output separately if you are going live: a correctly repeating source in the preview does not guarantee an uninterrupted YouTube broadcast. OBS settings, the computer, network connection, and YouTube’s current requirements all play a part. Review YouTube’s current guidance rather than treating a local preview as a promise of uninterrupted streaming.
If managing a local computer overnight is itself the part you want to remove, StreamNeo can take an uploaded video and run it as a YouTube live stream without keeping your computer on; that addresses the always-on computer burden, not whether a particular OBS playlist has been configured correctly. Choose the workflow based on whether you need OBS for scenes and live controls or simply need a prepared file to keep playing.
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FAQ
Does Media Source loop a playlist?
No. Media Source’s Loop control repeats the single media file assigned to that source. For several files, add them to VLC Video Source and use Loop Playlist.
Why can’t I see VLC Video Source in OBS?
VLC must be installed for the source to appear. Also match the application architecture: OBS states that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Reopen OBS after installing VLC and check the source menu again.
What is the difference between Loop and Restart playback when source becomes active?
Loop repeats a Media Source file after playback completes. Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether that file starts from the beginning when the source becomes active; it is not the setting for repeating at the end.
Does a successful preview mean my YouTube stream cannot stop?
No. The preview lets you check local playback and the loop transition, but it does not guarantee that a live broadcast will stay uninterrupted. Test the broadcast separately and check current official YouTube guidance for live streaming.