OBS’s VLC Video Source can play a playlist of media items available to the computer running OBS and send that scene to YouTube Live. It is not documented as a direct importer for an existing YouTube-hosted playlist URL, so treat those as two different workflows.
For the documented local-file route, install VLC with the same architecture as OBS, add a VLC Video Source to a scene, load and order your media, then set loop and visibility behaviour. Finally, connect OBS using the live details supplied through YouTube Studio and test the scene before you start broadcasting.
Local playlist or YouTube-hosted playlist?
First decide what you mean by “YouTube playlist”. A local playlist in this guide means video or audio files that you have on the computer running OBS and add to the VLC Video Source. OBS plays those files in the scene; OBS then sends the resulting live programme to YouTube.
An existing YouTube-hosted playlist is different: its items are videos already hosted on YouTube, and you may be asking OBS to fetch that playlist by URL. OBS describes VLC Video Source as a source for media items and documents playlist controls, but the reviewed official documentation does not verify direct import of a YouTube playlist URL. Do not assume that pasting a playlist link into a media list will reliably fetch, sequence and play those videos.
| Workflow | What the documented setup supports | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|
| Local files in OBS | VLC Video Source plays multiple media items, with loop, shuffle and visibility settings. | Use this when you have the files and want OBS to assemble them into a live scene. |
| YouTube-hosted playlist URL | The official OBS material reviewed does not confirm that the source can consume a YouTube playlist URL as a playlist. | Do not build a planned broadcast around this assumption. Verify a current, supported workflow before relying on it. |
This distinction also affects rights and channel policy. Having access to a YouTube video does not by itself establish that you can rebroadcast it as a live stream. Check the rights for every file you intend to use, and consult YouTube’s current rules for your channel and content. For a single recording you own, a simpler loop may suit you better; see the guide to looping a video on a YouTube Live stream. If you need background audio for a particular format, the sound bath loop walkthrough covers a narrower case.
Install OBS and matching-architecture VLC
Install OBS Studio and VLC on the computer that will run the broadcast. OBS’s Media Sources documentation says VLC must be installed for VLC Video Source to appear. It also specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you have installed OBS but cannot find the VLC source in the Add Source menu, check that VLC is installed and that both applications have matching architecture before trying less likely fixes.
Architecture is not the same as the application version. On a 64-bit Windows installation, for example, choose the 64-bit VLC installer if OBS is the 64-bit edition. If your operating system or OBS edition differs, use the installers appropriate to your computer and confirm the requirement in the OBS documentation. Restart OBS after installing VLC if the source list was already open.
Keep the media files somewhere predictable, such as a dedicated folder on a drive that remains connected. A playlist pointing to a file that is moved, renamed or stored on a disconnected removable drive may no longer play. Before building a long-running scene, open each file locally and confirm that it plays and has the audio you expect. This is a basic check, not a guarantee that every codec or file will behave identically inside OBS.
Add a VLC Video Source
Open OBS and select the scene that should carry the playlist. In the Sources dock, click the + button and choose VLC Video Source. Give the source a descriptive name, such as “Evening bhajans” or “Shop announcements”, so it is easy to identify later. The OBS Sources Guide explains how to add a source and adjust it in the scene.
Open the source properties. This is where you manage the playlist, playback options and how the source behaves when it is not visible. The VLC source is useful when you want a sequence of media items; for a single item, OBS’s simpler Media Source may be easier to manage. Choose one source type based on the job rather than creating several overlapping sources without a reason.
Once the source is added, make sure its visibility icon is enabled in the Sources dock. The preview should show the media once it starts playing. If you see a black or empty preview, check that the source is visible, that a valid item is in the playlist, and that the file can be opened from its current location. Also check that the source has not been covered by an opaque image or another video source higher in the scene stack.
Position and size the source in the preview by dragging its bounding box. For more exact placement, OBS documents using Edit Transform. A full-screen playlist usually needs to cover the canvas, while a shop notice or news ticker may occupy only part of it. Confirm the composition in the preview at the same canvas dimensions you intend to stream; avoid leaving an unintended strip of empty canvas around the video.
Add and order local media items
In the VLC Video Source properties, use the playlist controls to add the media items you want to play. Select files from their local locations and confirm that they appear in the list. The University of Regina’s 2022 OBS Studio Reference Manual describes adding items and playing them in insertion order; because it is an older manual, labels and exact controls may differ in your installed version.
Think through the running order before you add a large batch. A devotional channel might place an opening slate before the main programme and a closing card after it. A small business could alternate a welcome message, product details and a short demonstration. The order should make sense to someone arriving midway through the live broadcast, not only to the person who assembled the list.
After adding items, inspect the order in the properties window. If your OBS version allows reordering with controls or drag-and-drop, use the method shown in its interface and verify the result from top to bottom. Do not infer that a folder’s alphabetical order matches the programme order you want. A practical convention is to name files with a short sequence prefix, such as “01-opening” and “02-main”, while still checking the list OBS actually displays.
A playlist only references media; it does not make missing files available. Keep source files in place for the duration of the broadcast and avoid reorganising the folder once the scene is in use. If you are building a playlist for a long-running channel, retain a separate copy of the original files and a simple note of their intended sequence. That makes it easier to restore the scene if you need to rebuild it on another computer.
For a continuous show made from several local recordings, the guide on fixing OBS when it stops after one playlist video is relevant if the sequence advances once but does not behave as expected. For an alternative technical approach, the FFmpeg resolution guide for a nonstop playlist stream covers a different workflow and is not a substitute for checking this OBS source’s playlist settings.
Configure loop, shuffle, and visibility
For a fixed sequence that should start again at the end, leave Loop Playlist enabled. OBS documents this as the default. With looping off, the source reaches the end of the list and does not begin the sequence again, which is rarely what you want for a continuous playlist. Test the transition at the end of a short list before treating the scene as ready for an overnight broadcast.
Shuffle Playlist is off by default. Leave it off when order matters: for example, when a welcome card should precede a programme or when a news loop must follow an editorial sequence. Turn it on only when a randomised order is acceptable. Shuffle changes predictability, so it may be unsuitable where repeated items close together would be confusing or where the programme needs a deliberate beginning and end.
Visibility behaviour controls what happens when the source is hidden, for example when you switch to another scene. OBS’s documented default is to stop playback while the source is not visible and restart when it becomes visible. The available behaviours also include pausing and resuming, or always playing. Choose based on the programme: if you want a scene to resume from where it left off, pause/resume may be more suitable; if it should continue advancing behind another scene, always play may fit. Confirm the available labels in your own version.
This setting matters when you use multiple scenes. If the playlist should keep moving while a holding slide or another scene is on air, a stop-and-restart behaviour can make it begin again when you return. Conversely, if you want a video to start from the beginning each time a scene appears, restarting may be intentional. Make a short scene-switch test and watch both the preview and audio so you know what the chosen behaviour does.
OBS also lists a network caching default for this source, but a local-file playlist does not normally need a custom caching value. Do not copy a value from another setup as universal advice. Change source properties only to address an observed problem, and test again after each change so you can tell which adjustment mattered.
Connect OBS to YouTube Studio
Once the scene plays correctly in OBS, create or select a live broadcast in YouTube Studio. YouTube provides the connection details for the broadcast; configure OBS to send its output using the server and stream key details shown for your live setup. The exact screens and labels can change, so follow YouTube’s current official Live streaming help rather than relying on a guide that may show an older interface.
Treat the stream key as a secret. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send a broadcast to your channel, so do not show it in a screen recording, paste it into a public chat or include it in a screenshot. If you think it has been exposed, use YouTube Studio’s current controls to replace or reset it, then update OBS. Keep the key out of documents that will be shared with collaborators who do not need it.
Before going live, look at the OBS preview and confirm the playlist is moving through its items, the image fits the canvas and the audio is present at a sensible level. Then use YouTube Studio’s preview or test controls if available for your setup, and confirm that the live input is reaching the intended broadcast before making it public. These checks help catch a missing file, muted source or wrong scene; they cannot guarantee uninterrupted operation or approval by YouTube.
A computer running OBS must remain powered, connected and able to keep the broadcast going. Sleep settings, a software update, a network interruption or a crash can stop a local setup. If you keep the stream on your own machine, review your power and restart plan; the guide to restarting an OBS YouTube loop after a crash discusses one part of that problem. If your main difficulty is leaving a computer running, StreamNeo can remove that particular burden by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that continues with your computer switched off; it is YouTube-only, and it does not resolve rights or channel-policy questions.
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FAQ
Can I paste a YouTube playlist link into VLC Video Source?
The reviewed official OBS documentation does not confirm that a YouTube-hosted playlist URL works as a VLC Video Source playlist. Do not plan a broadcast on that assumption; use local media items for the documented workflow or verify a current, supported method for your specific setup.
Why is VLC Video Source missing from OBS?
OBS requires VLC to be installed, and its documentation says a 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC. Install the matching architecture, then reopen OBS and check the Add Source list again.
Will the playlist restart when it reaches the end?
Loop Playlist is enabled by default in the documented VLC source settings, so the sequence should return to its beginning after the final item. Confirm the setting in your version and test the end of the list before broadcasting.
What happens when I switch away from the playlist scene?
With the documented default visibility behaviour, playback stops while hidden and restarts when the source becomes visible. You can choose another behaviour, such as pause/resume or always play, if it better matches how you use scenes; test the result before going live.