For an ordered sequence of local video files, use OBS’s VLC Video source, keep Shuffle Playlist off and enable Loop Playlist. Media Source handles a different job: it repeats one supported media file, not a multi-file playlist.
If by “YouTube playlist” you mean a playlist webpage on YouTube, do not paste its URL into Media Source as though it were a video file. OBS documents local-media workflows for these sources; displaying a webpage is a separate route, and the official guidance does not promise that a YouTube playlist will autoplay continuously there.
Choose the right OBS source for your media
Start by identifying what you want OBS to play. A folder or ordered set of video files on your computer calls for VLC Video. One file that should repeat calls for Media Source. A webpage is a different kind of input, for which OBS provides Browser Source; that does not make a YouTube page equivalent to a local media file.
The distinction matters because the controls have different scope. Media Source has a Loop option for repeating its selected file. VLC Video has a playlist, so its Loop Playlist option repeats the sequence and Shuffle Playlist determines whether the order is varied. A loop on a single item is not a substitute for list management.
| OBS source | Suited to | Repeat and order | Dependency or caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Source | One supported local media file | Loop repeats that file | Built into OBS; not its multi-file playlist workflow |
| VLC Video | A sequence of local media files | Loop Playlist repeats the list; Shuffle Playlist affects order | VLC must be installed and compatible with OBS’s architecture |
| Browser Source | Displaying a webpage | The researched official guidance does not establish reliable YouTube playlist autoplay | Treat webpage playback as something to test, not a guaranteed continuous playlist |
The OBS Media Sources documentation and Sources Guide describe these source types and their controls. For a long-running channel, make the choice based on the source material and the playback behaviour you can test, rather than the word “playlist” alone.
If your actual goal is to repeat a single long lofi video, the OBS media-source looping walkthrough is the closer fit. If you are assembling several items, the local playlist steps below are the relevant path.
Install VLC with the matching architecture
VLC Video depends on VLC being installed. OBS’s documentation calls out a specific architecture requirement: when OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC. A mismatched installation can mean the source is unavailable or does not work as expected, so check the version and architecture before troubleshooting your playlist.
Install VLC from its official distribution and use the installer appropriate to your system. Then close and reopen OBS if it was already running during installation. Add a source and check whether VLC Video appears in the source list. If it does not, verify both applications’ architecture and the installation before changing media settings.
Do not install a third-party playlist plugin just because it sounds like a shortcut. The OBS forum resource for Media Playlist Source describes a separate plugin, not the built-in VLC Video source, and plugin requirements can change. If you choose to investigate it, read the author’s current version and compatibility notes first; this guide sticks to the documented built-in workflow.
Add local files to a VLC Video playlist
In the scene where the playlist should play, use the Sources panel to add a VLC Video source. Give it a recognisable name, particularly if the scene contains other media sources. In its properties, add the local video files you want in the playlist, in the order you intend them to play. Check that each file is present and can be opened on that computer.
The files should be available to OBS for the whole time you expect the scene to run. Moving, renaming or disconnecting a file after setup can break playback. Keep a stable folder structure and avoid relying on a removable drive unless it will remain connected and accessible. The playlist is a list of file references, not a copy of the media itself.
If the files have different dimensions, frame rates or audio levels, do a test run in the actual scene. The source may play each item, but the change from one clip to the next can be visually or audibly noticeable. For example, a news loop made from studio clips and still-image segments may vary in loudness; check the transition and OBS audio meter rather than assuming that a playlist setting will balance them.
A local playlist also differs from a playlist hosted on YouTube. OBS reads files available to the computer in this workflow; it does not turn a YouTube playlist page into a collection of local media items. If you are planning a large local library for a continuous channel, consider the storage budget for a large 24/7 playlist, since keeping source files accessible is part of keeping playback dependable.
Keep playback ordered and enable playlist looping
In the VLC Video properties, leave Shuffle Playlist off if the sequence matters. Enable Loop Playlist if you want playback to return to the first item after the last one finishes. OBS’s documented defaults are Loop Playlist on and Shuffle Playlist off, but verify what you see in your own source properties rather than relying on defaults to persist across a new source or configuration.
Test the beginning, a middle transition and the end of the list. Confirm that the intended next file plays and that the sequence returns to the start. A correct order in a dialog is useful, but only observing playback verifies that the actual files open and transitions behave acceptably.
Pay attention to visibility behaviour too. OBS documents a default of stopping when a source is not visible and restarting it when visible again. This concerns whether the source is visible in the active scene, not whether the OBS application window is minimised or covered. If the same source must keep progressing while hidden in another scene, choose the continue behaviour in its source properties and test a scene switch.
That decision has a trade-off. Stopping when hidden may save work or suit a source used only in one scene; continuing may avoid restarting a sequence when you switch scenes. Neither choice is universally right. If your channel alternates between a playlist scene and a holding graphic, switch between them during testing and check whether the playlist resumes, restarts or continues at the position you expect.
Playback continuity is not the same as a promise of gapless transitions. OBS documents the loop and shuffle controls, but does not promise that all combinations of files will transition without a pause or that a live broadcast cannot be interrupted. If pauses between items would be a problem, read the guide to avoiding silence between playlist files and test with the exact media you plan to use.
Use Media Source when repeating one file
For one supported local video, add Media Source and select the file. Turn on its Loop option if it should begin again when it reaches the end. This is a simple and appropriate setup for one long ambience video, a single devotional recording or a visual that should repeat. It is not a way to load several files and make OBS manage them as an ordered playlist.
Check the other source options against the intended behaviour. If the source should resume from its start when made visible again, the restart behaviour may be appropriate; if it should continue through a scene change, configure visibility handling accordingly. Then watch the file reach its end and confirm it starts again. A short test of the first minute will not reveal whether the loop works at the end.
If the material is one video with a separate audio requirement, verify the source’s audio routing and the OBS mixer. Do not assume that a file looping visually means its audio is being sent where you intend. For a multi-track setup, the guide to continuous streams with multiple audio tracks may help you think through track selection separately from the source choice.
Use VLC Video instead when the job is genuinely a list of local items. Trying to make Media Source serve both purposes creates confusion: one source repeats its selected file, while the other exposes playlist controls for multiple entries.
Why a YouTube playlist URL is not a media file
A YouTube playlist URL points to a YouTube webpage and player, rather than directly identifying a media file in the form Media Source is documented to open. Do not paste that page URL into Media Source and expect it to behave like a local MP4 or another supported media format.
The distinction between documented and community-level guidance is important. OBS’s official documentation describes Media Source formats and Browser Source as a way to display webpages. An OBS forum discussion about remote media is community troubleshooting that explains why a YouTube URL can lead to a webpage/player rather than a direct media file. That discussion is useful context, but it is not an official compatibility guarantee.
Browser Source may display a webpage, but the researched official OBS material does not establish that a YouTube playlist will autoplay continuously and reliably inside it. Test any webpage approach with your channel, and do not base an overnight broadcast on an assumption that it will keep advancing through videos. Browser display, playlist autoplay, and uninterrupted live output are separate behaviours.
If you need an ordered continuous sequence and can use local files, VLC Video is the documented route covered here. If the content must remain a YouTube webpage playlist, treat that as a different setup problem and verify the current behaviour independently. Do not describe a URL as a supported Media Source input simply because it contains several videos.
Test playback and audio in OBS
Before relying on the scene, test the complete playlist rather than only its first clip. Watch a transition, confirm the order, observe the final item returning to the start, and switch away from and back to the scene. These checks expose missing files, unexpected restarts, silence at a boundary and visibility settings that do not match your plan.
Watch the OBS audio mixer while each item plays. Check that the expected source is active, that levels are sensible and that audio does not disappear between files. Listen through the transition using the same output path you will use for monitoring. A mixer meter can show activity, but listening is what tells you whether a clip is muted, too quiet or noticeably different from the previous one.
Then leave the scene running for a longer test, ideally through the full sequence and a repeat, before scheduling a live broadcast. This is a practical check, not a guarantee of uninterrupted operation. OBS’s controls specify how a source loops or responds to visibility; they do not promise that a computer, media file or live connection will never fail. For the broadcast itself, use the steps for checking whether a 24/7 stream is still live rather than assuming a playing preview means YouTube is receiving a healthy stream.
If your computer must be off while a file-based channel continues, that changes the operating arrangement rather than the OBS playlist controls. StreamNeo removes the need to leave your own computer running for that particular continuous-file playback task: you upload a video, provide the YouTube stream key, and the broadcast runs with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It is YouTube-only; confirm that this workflow suits your content before relying on it.
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
Does Media Source play several files in sequence?
No. Media Source plays one supported media file, and its Loop option repeats that file. For an ordered set of local files, use VLC Video and its playlist controls.
Why is VLC Video missing from OBS?
VLC Video requires VLC to be installed. Check that OBS and VLC have compatible architectures; OBS specifically calls for 64-bit VLC when OBS is 64-bit, then restart OBS and check the source list again.
Can I paste a YouTube playlist link into Media Source?
Do not treat a YouTube playlist URL as a supported media file input. The URL identifies a webpage/player, and the forum explanation of that limitation is community guidance rather than an official compatibility guarantee. Browser Source displays webpages, but the official material cited here does not guarantee continuous playlist autoplay.
Will Loop Playlist prevent every pause or interruption?
No. Loop Playlist tells VLC Video to repeat the list after its final item; it does not promise gapless transitions or uninterrupted streaming. Test the exact files, audio and scene behaviour before going live, and check the stream separately once it is broadcasting.