To make an OBS video playlist start again after its last file, add a VLC Video Source and leave Loop Playlist enabled in its properties. Turn Shuffle Playlist off if you want the files to play in the order shown.
That setting belongs to the VLC Video Source, not the ordinary Media Source. Media Source can loop one file; it does not provide the playlist loop control. If VLC Video Source is missing from OBS, install VLC with an architecture that matches OBS.
Choose the right OBS source for a playlist
OBS has two similarly named ways to play video, and choosing between them is the first important step. Media Source is for an individual media file. Its Loop option starts that same file again when playback finishes. Use it for a single long ambience video, for example, when you want that one file to repeat.
VLC Video Source can hold multiple files as a playlist. Its Loop Playlist option restarts the source after it has run out of media files, which is the behaviour you need when the final item should lead back to the first. The OBS Media Sources guide documents both source types and their separate controls.
| What you want | OBS source | Relevant setting | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat one video file | Media Source | Loop | The same file plays again |
| Repeat several files in sequence | VLC Video Source | Loop Playlist | The list starts again after its final file |
| Keep the displayed order | VLC Video Source | Shuffle Playlist off | Files play in the order shown |
| Take an action when the whole list ends | VLC Video Source plus automation | Loop Playlist off, with an end action configured | Automation can detect the end and respond |
This distinction matters when you build a scene from several short clips. Selecting Media Source for each file gives you individual sources, not a single playlist that advances through them. You could arrange and control several sources by other means, but that is not the direct playlist workflow described here.
If your aim is to stream a playlist of lessons rather than a local OBS source, the setup is different. Our guide to using a YouTube playlist as the source for a 24/7 lesson stream covers that separate approach. For a local list of files within OBS, continue with VLC Video Source.
Install VLC with the matching OBS architecture
VLC Video Source depends on VLC being installed. OBS says that the source will not appear unless VLC is present, so a missing menu item is not necessarily a scene-setting mistake. Install VLC first, then close and reopen OBS and check the source list again.
Architecture must match. If your OBS installation is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC. A mismatch can leave the source unavailable even when VLC appears to be installed. Check which OBS installer or build you are using and select the corresponding VLC build from VideoLAN’s official VLC download page. Avoid assuming that the newest download is automatically the right one if your OBS setup is older or uses a different architecture.
The OBS documentation lists VLC Video Source for Windows, macOS and Linux. Installation details differ by operating system, but the principle is the same: install VLC, restart OBS, then look for VLC Video Source in the source-add menu. If the source still does not appear, verify the architecture pairing and whether OBS actually restarted after installation.
A practical check is to note the OBS build before downloading anything. On a computer used for an always-on channel, this avoids changing several things at once. Do not remove or reinstall OBS as a first response; first check whether VLC is installed and whether its architecture matches the running OBS build.
Add a VLC Video Source to the scene
Open the scene where the playlist should appear. In the Sources dock, use the add button and choose VLC Video Source. Give the source a useful name, such as “Evening bhajans playlist” or “Study loop”, so it is easy to recognise later if the scene contains text, overlays and other media.
OBS may ask whether to create a new source or add an existing one. Choose a new source for a new playlist. An existing VLC Video Source can be reused in another scene, but remember that it is the same source configuration. If you change its playlist, you may also change what appears in the other scene that uses it.
Once the source is created, its properties window contains the playlist controls and file list. Keep that window open while you add and arrange files. If a preview does not immediately show video, check that the source is enabled in the Sources dock and that it is positioned within the canvas; a valid playlist can be playing but hidden under another source or placed outside the visible area.
For a channel that runs continuously, source visibility is part of playback correctness. A playlist that loops perfectly is not useful if a full-screen logo or browser source sits above it and covers the video. If your scenes also contain a camera or physical set, our beginner’s guide to lighting for live streaming is relevant to that separate production layer; it does not change the playlist controls.
Add files and arrange playlist order
In the VLC Video Source properties, add the media files that belong in the sequence. Use the file picker to select the intended videos and inspect the resulting list before you close the properties. The list order is the order viewers will encounter when shuffle is off, so make the sequence deliberate rather than relying on the order in which files happened to be selected.
For a devotional channel, for instance, you might put an opening chant first, followed by the main bhajans, then a quieter closing piece. For study material, put the introduction before the lesson clips and any recap after them. A clear order helps when the list restarts: the transition from the last item back to the first should feel intentional, not like a file was accidentally misplaced.
Check the filenames and paths as you build the list. If you later move or rename a media file, OBS may no longer find it at the saved location. Keeping playlist files in a stable folder makes the source easier to maintain. If you are transferring a scene collection to another computer, check the media paths there as well; the playlist configuration does not mean the video files themselves have moved with the scene.
Use the source properties to rearrange entries if the sequence is wrong. Then check the top, middle and final entries against your intended order. This is particularly useful for a long rotation: the most important detail is not only what plays first, but what file will immediately precede the restart.
A playlist and a YouTube playlist are not the same thing. This OBS source reads local media files in OBS; it does not take a YouTube playlist URL and turn it into the source. If your material is part of a broader 24/7 setup, the guide to scheduling a YouTube live playlist for Indian exam preparation music discusses a distinct workflow and use case.
Enable Loop Playlist and set shuffle behaviour
In the VLC Video Source properties, leave Loop Playlist enabled for continuous repetition. OBS describes this control as specifying whether the source should restart when it has run out of media files. That is what makes the playlist begin again after the final file rather than stop at the end.
Treat Shuffle Playlist as a separate choice. Keep shuffle off when you want the order displayed in the source properties to be followed. If shuffle is on, do not expect a predictable first-to-last sequence on each pass. That may suit a station where variety matters more than a fixed programme order, but it is a poor choice for a sequence that has been arranged to tell a story or follow a lesson plan.
After setting both controls, close the properties and allow the source to play through enough of the sequence to confirm the behaviour. If the requirement is only that the playlist repeat, you do not need a scene-switching rule: Loop Playlist handles the repeat. If the requirement is to switch scenes or run an action precisely when the complete playlist ends, that is a different problem.
Continuous looping prevents an end state from being exposed in the same way as a playlist that stops. The Advanced Scene Switcher author’s discussion of end detection with VLC looping describes a workaround: disable Loop Playlist and configure automation to detect the end, then restart playback through that automation. This is not needed for ordinary repetition, and it adds another component that you must configure and test.
There is also a third-party alternative called Media Playlist Source. Its OBS resource page describes plugin-specific playlist editing features and states a minimum OBS version. Treat those details as belonging to the plugin, not as controls built into the standard VLC source. For the basic job of repeating a list, try the VLC Video Source first, provided its VLC dependency is installed.
Test playback and source visibility
Do not treat a settings check as a playback test. Start the source and observe that the first file appears, then that playback advances to the next entry. Confirm that the visible order matches the properties list when shuffle is off. Finally, watch the transition at the end of the last file: with Loop Playlist enabled, the source should return to the start of its list.
Check the scene while the source is playing. In the Sources dock, verify that the VLC Video Source is not hidden, and inspect the canvas for cropping, black borders or an unintended layer above it. If you use multiple scenes, make sure you are testing the scene that will actually be live rather than a similar-looking draft.
For a 24/7 channel, test the exact files you plan to use, not just a short sample. A file that is missing, damaged or encoded in a way your setup cannot play can interrupt the intended sequence. If you need to resolve that kind of issue, isolate the file in a temporary test scene before changing the production scene. That helps distinguish a bad media file from a loop-setting mistake.
Then consider how playback behaves after you close and reopen OBS. This is a useful handover check if the machine is operated by someone else or the scene collection will be loaded later. Confirm that the playlist remains attached and that files are still accessible from their saved locations. A successful test before a restart is not proof that paths will remain valid after you move the files or switch computers.
OBS looping only addresses how this local source behaves. It does not by itself establish that a YouTube broadcast is live, that the stream has reconnected after a network interruption, or that the channel is showing the correct scene. Those are separate parts of operating a live channel. If your concern is reconnecting after an interruption, see how to reconnect a 24/7 YouTube livestream automatically on a VPS in India.
Make the workflow fit an always-on channel
For a channel that must keep showing a prepared sequence while your own computer is switched off, the operational question goes beyond the OBS source setting: the files and broadcast need to keep running somewhere. StreamNeo addresses the specific burden of leaving a personal computer on by taking an uploaded video into a 24/7 YouTube live stream after you provide the stream key. That is separate from configuring a VLC playlist inside OBS, and it is YouTube-only.
If you are using OBS locally, keep the configuration easy to recover. Name the source clearly, keep the original media together in a stable folder and document which file order is intended. A short note can spare you from reconstructing the sequence after someone changes a scene or updates a file. Before changing the production playlist, make a copy of the scene collection or test the edit in a duplicate scene.
A local OBS playlist is most useful when you want hands-on control of sources, overlays and scene composition on the computer running OBS. A playlist service or automation arrangement may suit a different operating model, but it brings its own setup and testing requirements. The right answer depends on whether you need a repeated file sequence, an action at playlist end, or a broadcast that continues without your local machine.
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
How do I make an OBS playlist start over after the last video?
Use a VLC Video Source, add the files to its playlist and leave Loop Playlist enabled. When the source runs out of media files, that setting restarts it. Keep Shuffle Playlist off if the next pass should follow the displayed order.
Why can’t I see VLC Video Source in OBS?
OBS requires VLC to be installed for this source to appear. If you have 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC, then restart OBS and check the source menu again. Confirm the architecture pairing before trying more disruptive changes.
Can Media Source repeat several videos as a playlist?
Media Source is for an individual media file, and its Loop option repeats that file. For a sequence of files, use VLC Video Source and its Loop Playlist setting; Loop Playlist depends on the VLC installation.
Can I trigger a scene change when the playlist ends?
That is different from simply repeating the list. Continuous Loop Playlist behaviour makes the end harder for an automation to detect, so an end-trigger workflow may require turning looping off and configuring an automation tool to restart or switch scenes after it detects the end.