To rotate artwork in a 24/7 YouTube music radio stream, add an Image Slide Show source to an OBS scene, load your images, and set the source to change them automatically. OBS builds the slideshow; YouTube receives the finished audio and video from your encoder, so test the output in YouTube Live Control Room before leaving the stream running.
This workflow changes what viewers see while your audio continues through the scene. It does not change the audio, and it cannot guarantee that a long-running stream will remain uninterrupted. The steps below cover the artwork controls, the scene layout and a practical check that the completed picture and sound reach YouTube.
Prepare artwork that works on screen
First collect the images you have the right to use and decide what viewers should see as the stream moves from one to the next. A devotional channel might use a small set of images associated with its programme; a lofi station might prefer a sequence of covers or calm illustrations. The slideshow only changes the images you provide. It does not grant rights to use them, so check permissions for both the artwork and the music separately.
OBS documents BMP, TGA, PNG, JPEG, JPG and GIF as supported formats for its Image Slide Show source. Use a format that preserves the visual qualities you need. For instance, PNG can retain transparent areas, while a JPEG is often adequate for a photograph without transparency. Check how each file looks at the size it will occupy in the stream, rather than judging it only in a file browser.
Keep the chosen files together in one folder if you expect to update the collection later. Give the files clear names and put them in the order you want if you plan to use sequential playback. A set named with a consistent sequence, such as 01-opening, 02-evening and 03-closing, is easier to review than names whose order is unclear. OBS follows the source's file list when random playback is off; verify the list rather than assuming that filenames have been interpreted as intended.
Avoid treating a change of image as a change of programme. If the stream is meant to present a track, prayer time or station identity, make sure each image remains appropriate for that content when it appears. A slideshow can make a static audio broadcast feel less static, but frequent changes can also distract from long listening sessions. Choose a visual rhythm that suits the audience rather than rotating images simply because the control allows it.
Add an Image Slide Show source in OBS
Open the OBS scene that contains the audio and video you intend to broadcast. In the Sources dock, select the plus button and choose Image Slide Show. Give the source a recognisable name, such as Artwork rotation, so it is easy to distinguish from other images, text or overlays in the scene. OBS's image sources guide describes the Image Slide Show and the single-image source.
An Image source is enough when one piece of artwork should remain on screen. Choose Image Slide Show when you want several images to rotate automatically. The difference is operational: a fixed image has fewer settings to check, while a slideshow requires a file set, playback order, timing and a transition. Neither changes how OBS handles the audio source in the scene.
After adding the slideshow, check the source's visibility and layer position in the Sources dock. OBS composites visible sources into the scene, and a full-screen image placed above everything else can cover titles, logos or other elements. If you intend the artwork to be the whole visual output, that may be correct. If you use overlays, place and size the slideshow so those overlays remain visible above it.
Do not confuse source visibility with audio routing. The artwork source is visual; your music or other programme audio still comes from the audio sources already configured in OBS. If you are modifying an existing scene, check the audio meters and listen to the preview before changing anything else. That simple separation helps you diagnose whether a problem is in the new image source or in the audio path.
Load files or a directory
Open the Image Slide Show source properties. OBS lets you add individual files or directories. Adding files is useful when the rotation should contain a carefully chosen selection; adding a directory can be simpler when you maintain the collection as a folder. Select the approach that makes the set easiest to audit, not just the one with the fewest clicks.
For individual files, use the add controls in the source properties and select the images you prepared. Review the resulting list and remove anything that should not appear. For a directory, point OBS at the folder containing the intended images. Keep unrelated files out of that folder: a spare logo, test image or old campaign graphic can otherwise become part of a rotation that you expected to be tidy.
If you are updating a running channel between sessions, consider whether replacing files or changing the list might affect the current source. Make changes in a controlled test before relying on them for a long broadcast. For a wider change to the programme itself, such as changing video items rather than still artwork, see the guide to updating a playlist in a running stream. Artwork rotation and video-playlist rotation are different jobs, even if both involve deciding what viewers see next.
When playback order matters, keep randomisation off and arrange the file list deliberately. When a less predictable sequence suits the station, enable Randomize Playback and preview the result. The OBS documentation lists randomisation as off by default. Remember that a shuffled sequence may repeat an image sooner than expected or place a closing graphic in the middle; use it only when those outcomes are acceptable.
Set automatic mode and interval
In the source properties, set Slide Mode to automatic. This is the setting that lets OBS change artwork without you manually advancing each image. Then choose Time Between Slides, which controls how long an image is shown before the transition to the next image begins. The value is a design decision: a slow rotation may suit album art, while a station that labels short programme segments may want a more frequent change.
OBS's documented default interval is 8,000 milliseconds. Treat that as a starting value in the interface, not as a platform recommendation or a requirement for music radio. Preview the timing with the actual artwork and consider how it feels over a representative part of the programme. A timer that looks pleasant during a quick setup can become distracting when it repeats throughout a long listening session.
There is a separate Transition Speed setting. OBS documents a default of 700 milliseconds, but the transition speed is not extra time added on top of the interval. The transition begins before the next image is fully visible, so do not calculate total screen time by simply adding the two controls. If you want to understand the rhythm, watch the preview through several changes instead of relying only on the numbers shown in properties.
The interval applies to the slideshow's visual timing. It does not schedule tracks, pause the music or tell YouTube to switch images. If you are building a broader station workflow, a playlist of stills and a playlist of video files have different behaviours. The guide to looping a nature playlist in VLC for YouTube Live concerns a video-player route, while this method uses OBS's dedicated image slideshow source.
Choose a transition and enable looping
Choose a transition that fits the tone of the stream. OBS's documented default is Fade. A fade makes the change less abrupt than an immediate replacement, while a cut can be clearer if each artwork needs to appear distinctly. Preview both if you are unsure. A transition is a visual effect between images, not an audio crossfade; the music continues according to its own audio sources and controls.
Keep Loop enabled when you want the source to return to the beginning after the final image. Looping is on by default in OBS. If it is off, the slideshow may stop changing after it reaches the end of its list, leaving the final image in place. That might suit a finite presentation, but it is usually not the desired behaviour for a 24/7 station.
Randomisation is a separate choice from looping. With random playback off, the images follow the list order; with it on, OBS shuffles playback. Decide whether you want a predictable sequence or variety, then test what happens when the list reaches its end. A short collection can make repetition noticeable, while a longer list can still put images in an order that is awkward for a programme. Curation matters more than the setting alone.
A useful comparison is whether you actually need rotation at all:
| Choice | Works well when | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single Image source | The channel has one stable station image or cover | No automatic visual change |
| Image Slide Show, ordered | You want several images in a deliberate sequence | The file list needs review and maintenance |
| Image Slide Show, randomised | A shuffled order is acceptable for the channel | Sequence and repetition are less predictable |
If your channel is built from changing video rather than a static image plus audio, this slideshow is not a substitute for managing the video programme. The article on continuous YouTube live streams from space footage is a more relevant starting point when the source material itself is moving footage. Choose the source type that matches what is meant to change.
Fit the slideshow into the scene
Once the files and timing are set, return to the OBS preview and check the artwork's size and position. Select the slideshow source and use the preview to resize or reposition it. OBS's Sources Guide documents a fit-to-screen command, which is useful when an image should fill the canvas. A fitted image may still have a different aspect ratio from your scene, so check for cropping, empty margins or distortion before you go live.
Use a representative image from the set when checking the layout. One landscape image may fill the scene while a portrait image leaves empty space or crops an important detail. If images have mixed shapes, decide whether to accept the difference, prepare consistent crops, or use a background layer behind them. Do not stretch an image merely to fill the screen if that visibly distorts a logo, face or piece of artwork.
Look at the scene at its intended output size. Text that is readable in the OBS preview on a large monitor may be difficult to read on a phone. Keep key details away from the edges and leave room for overlays or captions that are part of your scene. If the visual is deliberately minimal, a clean, correctly framed image is often better than adding decorative elements that compete with the music identity.
Check the source order as well as its dimensions. If an image is above a text or branding source, it may cover that element; if it is below an opaque background, it may not appear at all. Toggle visibility only as a diagnostic, then restore the intended scene. Before saving, view at least a few changes in sequence so you catch an image that has the wrong crop or a transparent area that reveals an unexpected background.
Verify the audio and video reaching YouTube
A correct-looking OBS preview is not the same as a verified YouTube output. OBS sends the composed scene and audio through the encoder; YouTube receives that outgoing stream. The slideshow is built in OBS, not in YouTube Studio. YouTube's role is to receive and report on the live feed, so check both the local scene and the stream as seen in YouTube's Live Control Room.
YouTube Help recommends testing before a live stream and monitoring stream health during it. Its encoder settings guidance advises testing with audio and video movement similar to the planned broadcast. For this channel, that means letting the slideshow run through changes while your intended music source is active, then checking the YouTube preview or control-room output for both picture and sound. Confirm that the images change there, not only in the OBS preview.
Before starting the long run, check that the live feed shows the intended scene, the audio can be heard, and the change between images is visible. Watch the Live Control Room's stream-health readout and any messages it presents. If YouTube reports missing audio or video, or insufficient video delivery, investigate the overall output and encoder configuration rather than assuming the slideshow timer is responsible. Google's Live Streams API documentation describes stream health and configuration issues; use YouTube's current interface and guidance when diagnosing an actual broadcast.
YouTube's encoder recommendations concern delivery settings, not artwork controls, and can change. Check the current official guidance if you need to review resolution, bitrate, protocol or audio settings. Do not change those settings just to make an image slideshow rotate: the artwork source controls the scene's visual content, while the encoder settings govern how the completed audio/video output is sent.
For a 24/7 channel, the test should be realistic enough to reveal problems that a static setup screen will miss. Leave the source running long enough to observe multiple transitions and, if practical, the point where the list loops. Listen for the intended audio and make sure the scene does not unexpectedly switch to another source. A successful test shows that the assembled feed arrived at YouTube at that moment; it does not promise that the stream will never drop later.
If leaving a personal computer on is the part of the workflow that makes an unattended channel difficult, StreamNeo can remove that specific burden by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that runs with your computer switched off. Artwork rotation in this article is an OBS workflow, however; do not assume that the slideshow settings described here transfer to another broadcast method. For other ways of thinking about where a long-running encoder operates, see alternatives for running a 24/7 YouTube stream, then choose a workflow whose visual controls meet your needs.
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FAQ
Does YouTube rotate the artwork for my music stream?
No. You create the automatic image slideshow in OBS or another encoder workflow, then YouTube receives the completed live audio and video output. YouTube's live controls help you monitor delivery; they do not build this OBS slideshow.
Will changing artwork interrupt or alter the music?
The Image Slide Show source controls the visual image, while the audio comes from separate audio sources in the OBS scene. A correctly configured visual transition does not itself change the music, but the slideshow also does not guarantee uninterrupted streaming. Test the complete output rather than assuming that a local preview proves the YouTube feed is healthy.
What if I only want one image on screen?
Use OBS's single Image source when you want a fixed picture. Choose Image Slide Show when you want multiple files to change automatically. The fixed source has fewer playback settings to maintain; the slideshow gives you control over order, interval, transition and looping.
How can I tell whether the rotation is reaching viewers?
Run a test broadcast and watch the YouTube Live Control Room output while the OBS slideshow changes. Check that the expected image appears, the audio is present and YouTube's stream-health information does not show a relevant delivery problem. A successful check is evidence for that test, not a guarantee about future uptime.