If you want OBS to reopen the playlist item that was playing before OBS restarted, the third-party Media Playlist Source listing says it can save the current file for playback on restart. It does not say that it restores the timestamp inside that file.
That distinction matters if you are trying to resume the same VOD after a reboot rather than merely return to the same VOD. OBS's built-in VLC Video source has playlist and visibility controls, but its documentation does not promise that a full OBS or PC restart will restore the current item.
First decide what kind of restart you mean
“Resume OBS playlist after restart” can describe several different recovery problems. OBS might be closed and reopened while Windows remains running; Windows might restart for an update; the PC might lose power; or OBS might crash while a game or another application is also running. These are not interchangeable tests, and a feature described for an OBS restart should not be treated as a guarantee for every failure mode.
There is also a second meaning of “resume”. You may want OBS to select the same file again, such as match-03.mp4, or you may want that file to continue at the exact point where playback stopped, such as 47 minutes into a two-hour recording. The Media Playlist Source listing supports the first claim: it says the currently playing file is saved so that it will play when OBS restarts. It does not substantiate the second.
Write down the behaviour you need before changing sources. For a VOD playlist used as a channel loop, returning to the current episode may be enough. For a tournament replay where a particular moment must continue, a restart at the beginning of the same file may still be disruptive. A useful test therefore checks both the selected file and its position, even though only the file-level behaviour is stated in the plugin listing.
A recovery requirement can include more than playback. After a restart you may need the correct scene visible, audio routed correctly, and the live broadcast resumed. Those are separate pieces of state. Do not infer from a playlist source feature that OBS will reopen your broadcast to YouTube, reconnect your channel, or restore all scene and stream conditions after a power cut.
Use Media Playlist Source to remember the current file
For a requirement specifically about returning to the file that was playing before an OBS restart, the Media Playlist Source plugin is the relevant option to investigate. Its OBS resource listing describes it as an alternative to VLC Video that uses Media Source internally and saves the currently playing file for playback when OBS restarts. That is a narrow, useful claim; keep it narrow when deciding whether it meets your needs.
Before installing it, check the current resource page for the latest release, supported OBS versions and operating systems. The listing has changed its minimum OBS requirement across versions: the page shows OBS 30.0.0 as a minimum, while its update history says version 0.1.0 raised the minimum to OBS 31. Do not assume a version number from an old guide applies to the file you are downloading. Check what the listing says for that release and your operating system.
Make a copy of your scene collection before replacing a source or adding a plugin. That gives you a way to return to the original scene setup if the new source behaves differently on your machine. Also keep the original media files and playlist order intact while testing. Changing both the source and the file set at once makes it harder to determine what caused a changed result.
After installing, add or configure the plugin as a source in a test scene and point it at a small, recognisable playlist. Avoid starting with your live gaming VOD loop: first prove that the source works with files you can identify and afford to replay. Once it behaves as intended in a controlled test, you can decide whether to replace the production source.
This approach is useful when the PC itself is dedicated to OBS and you want local control over scenes and gameplay capture. If your wider goal is a continuous prerecorded channel rather than a gaming workstation, the workflow in how to loop prerecorded videos with OBS or FFmpeg may help you assess whether OBS is the right place to manage the loop.
Know what current-file restoration does not restore
The plugin listing's wording is about the current file. It does not establish that playback returns to the same timestamp, nor does it guarantee recovery after a hard power loss, a damaged scene collection, a missing media file, or every kind of crash. Those cases need separate testing. If the difference between restarting a VOD at its beginning and resuming mid-file matters, treat that as an unresolved requirement until you have verified the exact behaviour on your own setup.
For example, suppose OBS was playing finals-game-2.mp4 at 38 minutes when the PC restarted. A current-file restoration feature could mean that the source opens finals-game-2.mp4 again. It does not follow that the source returns to minute 38. If it starts at the beginning, the file-level promise may have worked while your timestamp-level expectation was not met.
The same caution applies to failure timing. A normal exit from OBS gives the application a chance to save state; a sudden loss of power is a different event. Even if a controlled close-and-reopen test succeeds, do not extend that result into a claim that a crash or power cut will behave identically. Test the type of restart that actually threatens your schedule, and keep a manual recovery plan for the rest.
The plugin listing also notes limitations worth checking against your use case: audio-track and subtitle selection are not supported, and folder contents do not refresh automatically. If you add a new VOD to a watched folder, the playlist may need a manual refresh by saving the settings again, according to the listing. A channel that regularly adds episodes should include that refresh step in its publishing routine rather than assuming the source scans for new items continuously.
These points make a difference for gaming VOD libraries, where files may have multiple audio tracks, commentary tracks or subtitles. Confirm the output you need before moving the full playlist. A source that correctly remembers a file but cannot provide the required track selection is not necessarily a suitable production source.
Compare VLC Video with the playlist plugin
OBS's built-in VLC Video source is a playlist-capable source with loop, shuffle and visibility behaviour settings. The official OBS media sources documentation explains that VLC must be installed for VLC Video to appear, and that a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC. If the source is missing from the add-source menu, check that dependency before assuming OBS itself is broken.
The important distinction is what the visibility control means. OBS describes it as controlling playback when a source is not visible, for example when its scene is hidden. The default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible”. This concerns the source's relationship to scene visibility. It is not documented as a way to save the current playlist file through a full OBS restart or Windows reboot.
| Behaviour or requirement | VLC Video in OBS | Media Playlist Source |
|---|---|---|
| Playlist, loop and shuffle controls | Documented by OBS | Check the current plugin listing and release details |
| Scene visibility behaviour | Documented controls for playback while hidden or visible | Do not assume VLC's visibility controls apply; check plugin behaviour |
| Current file after an OBS restart | OBS documentation does not promise restoration | Listing says it saves the currently playing file for playback on OBS restart |
| Exact timestamp within the file | Not promised by the cited documentation | Not established by the listing |
| VLC installation | Required; 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC | Listing describes an alternative using Media Source internally |
| Audio tracks, subtitles and folder updates | Check OBS and source behaviour for your setup | Listing notes no track or subtitle selection and no automatic folder refresh |
Loop and shuffle solve different problems from restart persistence. Loop tells VLC Video what to do when the playlist reaches its end; shuffle changes playback order. Neither setting, by itself, is documentation that the source will reopen at the last item after a complete restart.
Choose VLC Video if its playlist and visibility behaviour suit your workflow and you do not need a documented current-file restoration claim. Consider Media Playlist Source if returning to the current file after an OBS restart is important, and its compatibility and limitations fit your machine. If neither meets the timestamp requirement, do not treat a visibility setting or an unverified plugin behaviour as a fix.
Test recovery before relying on it
A controlled test is more useful than finding out during an overnight broadcast. First save the scene collection, then create a test scene or duplicate the production scene. Use a short playlist with clearly named files, such as test-01.mp4, test-02.mp4 and test-03.mp4. Let one item play long enough to identify it, then note the file and approximate point before closing OBS.
Close OBS normally, reopen it, and inspect the source before changing anything. Record whether it selected the expected file, whether playback began, and whether it started at the beginning or at a later timestamp. Repeat separately for the source and restart types you need to assess. Do not combine a Windows reboot, a source replacement and a playlist edit in one test; changing one variable at a time makes the result interpretable.
If you need to test a PC restart, do so with the test scene and test files, not with an active production broadcast. Save settings and close applications normally before rebooting. A deliberate controlled reboot cannot prove what a power failure would do, but it can establish what your normal restart process does on your own OBS version and PC.
Check the rest of the scene too. Confirm the intended scene is selected, the source is visible, the audio is audible through the route you use, and the media file is still available at the same path. A playlist can appear not to resume simply because its file moved, a drive is not mounted yet, or the source is hidden behind another scene item. OBS's media source guidance is useful for checking built-in source properties, but it does not replace a test of your particular collection.
Keep a short written record: OBS version, source type, plugin release if applicable, restart method, current file, and observed starting point. This is especially helpful after updates. If a plugin update or an OBS change alters the outcome, you can compare against the last known working setup rather than relying on memory.
If your test shows the same file but not the same timestamp, decide whether replaying that file from its start is acceptable. If it is not, use a production design that tolerates interruption or an operator procedure that selects the right point manually. Do not label it “resume” in your runbook unless the behaviour you need has been demonstrated.
Plan for full PC restarts
A PC restart introduces dependencies beyond the playlist source. OBS must launch, the correct profile and scene collection must load, media paths must be available, and the source must be in the intended scene. If you also expect the YouTube broadcast to continue, verify that startup and reconnection behaviour separately. Playlist recovery and broadcast recovery are not the same problem.
For a small channel that is comfortable supervising a PC, a practical plan is to keep the playlist local, back up the scene collection, and write down the recovery sequence: start OBS, check the scene, confirm the file and audio, then confirm the YouTube broadcast. If the stream is part of a 24/7 schedule, arrange a person to check after planned maintenance rather than assuming a single source setting covers every failure.
Also consider whether OBS is carrying live gameplay capture or merely replaying prerecorded VODs. For a gaming stream with capture cards, overlays and live commentary, the PC may be central to the production and an operator-led restart plan may be appropriate. For a channel that only needs prerecorded video to continue while the computer is off, a separate operating model may be simpler. The guide to transferring playlist videos to a VPS for an FFmpeg YouTube stream covers a different arrangement; it is not a fix for restoring OBS state, but it can help clarify whether a local OBS PC belongs in the long-running workflow.
If a failed PC restart is the particular pain point, avoiding dependence on that computer can remove one part of the recovery burden. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream, so a VOD playlist can run without keeping your own computer on; that addresses the always-on playback requirement rather than promising OBS timestamp recovery. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a substitute when you need OBS scenes, live gameplay capture or another destination.
For a playlist that includes long recordings, also plan around transitions and audio. A saved current file is only one element of a reliable viewing experience; gaps between items or an incorrect audio route can be just as noticeable. The practical checks in fixing audio gaps between songs in a 24/7 Hindi stream are relevant when your gaming VOD loop has similar hand-offs between files.
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FAQ
Does Media Playlist Source resume the exact point in a gaming VOD?
The resource listing says it saves the currently playing file so it can play when OBS restarts. It does not establish restoration of the playback timestamp. Test your own setup if the in-file position matters.
Will VLC Video restart the playlist where it left off?
OBS documents VLC Video playlist and visibility controls, but the visibility behaviour concerns what happens while a source is hidden. The documentation does not promise restoration of the current playlist item after a full OBS or PC restart.
Do I need VLC installed to use the built-in VLC Video source?
Yes. OBS says VLC must be installed for the source to be available, and 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you are considering the plugin instead, check its current listing for compatibility and limitations.
What should I test before using a playlist overnight?
Test a normal OBS close and reopen, then separately test the restart method you expect to use. Check which file returns, where it starts, whether the scene is visible, whether audio works, and whether the broadcast itself is active.