To stream videos from a folder on a Windows PC, install OBS Studio and VLC, then add the files you want to play to an OBS VLC Video source in the order you choose. A folder is not itself a stream: OBS does not automatically scan it, and the playlist only contains the files you add.
You will also need a YouTube Live stream and its stream URL and key. Connect those in OBS, test with the actual video and audio, and check YouTube’s preview and stream health before you start the public broadcast. This setup can work for a scheduled programme or a loop, but it does not guarantee an uninterrupted stream.
Prepare the folder and choose playback order
First decide what the viewer should see and hear. Put the intended clips in a clearly named folder, then write down the order you want them to play. The names in Windows Explorer are useful for finding files, but the playback order is set in the OBS source playlist, not inferred from the folder’s name or layout.
The VLC Video source is suited to multiple files. You add media files to its playlist and can arrange their order, choose shuffle, and enable playlist looping. If you add five clips and leave shuffle off, the source follows the playlist order. If you need a new clip later, you must add it yourself and confirm where it sits in the list; OBS does not watch the folder for additions.
Check that each file opens and plays on the same PC you will use for the broadcast. Look for an image, audible sound where expected, and a duration that makes sense. If a file is unusually long or behaves poorly, see this guide to preparing long MP4 files for reliable playback in OBS. That is useful before building a playlist, because a source that cannot decode one item properly can interrupt the programme even when the connection to YouTube is fine.
Keep the source files in a stable location. Moving, renaming, or deleting a file after adding it can leave OBS unable to find it. For a one-off test, a folder on the desktop may be convenient; for a recurring broadcast, use a location you will not reorganise casually. Make a separate copy of anything you edit rather than changing the only source file while it is in use.
Also consider the audience-facing sequence. A short opening slate, a transition between topics, or a quiet end clip can make a playlist feel deliberate. Do not assume VLC Video will create transitions or blend the end of one clip into the next; test the change between items in the OBS preview and decide whether the cut is acceptable.
Install OBS Studio and VLC
Download OBS Studio from the OBS Project website and VLC from VideoLAN’s official download page. Install both applications on the Windows PC that will run the stream. OBS handles the scene, encoding and connection to YouTube; VLC is a dependency for OBS’s playlist-capable VLC Video source.
The VLC dependency matters. Installing OBS alone does not make that source work. OBS’s documentation explains its media sources and VLC Video source requirements. In particular, the VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed. The OBS article notes that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC, so match the VLC installation to OBS rather than relying on a mismatched copy.
Once both applications are installed, open OBS and let it create its initial scene collection if prompted. You can keep the default scene for a first test. Give the scene a descriptive name such as “Playlist broadcast” if you expect to use several scenes later; a clear label makes it easier to select the right output when you are tired or troubleshooting.
Do not install extra plugins just to play a folder. The route in this guide uses OBS’s own VLC Video source, with VLC installed as required. If the source is missing or fails to load, check that VLC is installed in the matching architecture, then restart OBS. Avoid diagnosing a black preview by changing many settings at once; first establish that one local clip plays correctly in the source.
For a single clip rather than a playlist, OBS’s built-in Media Source is usually simpler. It handles one local file and includes a per-file loop option. The VLC Video source is the relevant choice when you want several files in an ordered playlist. The OBS media sources guide describes supported source types and their controls; check it if your installed version presents a different interface.
Create the YouTube Live stream
In YouTube Studio, open the live-streaming workflow and create an encoder stream, or select the scheduled stream you intend to use. Enter the title and description, choose privacy, and schedule it if that suits the programme. YouTube supports public, private, and unlisted streams, so choose deliberately: unlisted is not the same as private, and public makes the broadcast discoverable according to YouTube’s settings.
YouTube states that a channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. Its getting-started guidance also specifies a minimum age of 16. Check the current YouTube live-streaming eligibility requirements and the channel’s Live Control Room before building a plan around a broadcast date. Account status and interface details can change, and a successful OBS setup does not override channel eligibility.
In the Live Control Room, locate the stream URL and stream key for the encoder stream. You will use both in OBS. Treat the key as a password: anyone with access to it may be able to send a feed to your stream. Do not show it in a screen recording, paste it into a public chat, or leave it visible while sharing your desktop. If you think it has been exposed, use YouTube’s controls to reset or replace it.
Choose whether you want a deliberate preview gate. For a scheduled encoder stream, the cautious path is to connect OBS, wait for YouTube to receive the feed and show a preview, then click Go live in Live Control Room when you have checked it. YouTube also provides stream options such as auto-start and auto-stop; the YouTube live stream settings guide explains the controls. For a first run, keep the manual check rather than removing a useful pause before broadcast.
Add a VLC Video source to an OBS scene
In OBS, select the scene that should contain your programme. In the Sources panel, use the add control and choose VLC Video. Give the source a name that identifies the playlist, such as “Main video playlist”, then confirm. The exact wording or layout can vary with OBS versions, but the source type is VLC Video, not a folder source.
The source’s properties include a playlist area. Add the individual video files you intend to use, then arrange them in the chosen order. You can select multiple files from the folder when adding them, but verify the resulting list rather than assuming Windows selection order will match the programme order you had in mind. Move items until the first clip is at the top and each later clip follows as intended.
The VLC source exposes controls for shuffle and looping. Leave shuffle off for a planned sequence. Turn playlist looping on only if you want the sequence to start again after its final item. A loop is not a substitute for checking the end-to-start transition: the last clip may have a different aspect ratio, sound level, or ending from the first. Run through that hand-off in the preview before relying on it for a longer broadcast.
The playlist describes files you have added, not everything in a directory. If your folder contains a new recording tomorrow, it will not automatically appear in the existing source. Add it deliberately, check its position, and test it. If you need to alternate a particular set of recordings, this guide to alternating sermons and worship recordings covers the planning side of a playlist; the Windows source still needs the files added explicitly in OBS.
Use the OBS canvas to check how the video fits. If the source is smaller than the canvas or cropped, right-click it and use the available transform or fit options, then inspect the edges. Do not stretch a video merely to fill the frame if doing so distorts people, text, or artwork. A black border can be a better choice than a visibly distorted picture, particularly for devotional recordings or slides with writing.
Add the files and test the playlist
Before connecting to YouTube, test the playlist locally. Select the source and start playback. Confirm the first item, listen for sound, and let it advance to the next item. If looping is part of the plan, test the final-to-first transition too. For a short setup check, you do not need to watch every minute of every long file, but you should test representative files and the points where the source changes clips.
Check audio through the same path you intend to use on air. Make sure the OBS audio mixer shows activity when a clip should have sound. If the preview moves but the meter does not, inspect the VLC source’s audio settings and OBS mixer before starting the event. If you are building a music or radio-style programme, this guide to fixing no sound on a YouTube radio livestream can help you narrow down whether the issue is at the source, mixer, or receiving end.
A video can be silent by design, but a silent clip should not be mistaken for a broken source. Check the file in a local player and then compare it with OBS. You may also need to consider different loudness between clips. Listen to transitions at a sensible monitoring level; a large jump can be unpleasant even when every file technically plays.
Keep the scene simple while testing. Extra browser, image, or capture sources can cover the video or complicate the audio mix. If you add a logo or title, confirm the source order in the Sources panel: sources higher in the list can appear over those underneath. When the local preview is right, save the scene collection and avoid moving source files while the stream is running.
Connect OBS with the stream URL and key
Open OBS Settings and choose the Stream section. If YouTube is offered as a service, select it and follow the available connection method. Otherwise, use the custom server option and enter the stream URL and key provided by YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain where those values come from and how they are used.
For the server protocol, YouTube recommends RTMPS. In OBS, choose the available YouTube or RTMPS configuration that corresponds to the URL supplied for the stream. Do not substitute a guessed URL: use the current value shown by YouTube. Keep the key private even after the connection works, and do not include it in notes you plan to share.
For output, start with YouTube’s current encoder recommendations rather than treating a single bitrate as right for every PC and connection. The YouTube encoder settings and bitrate table varies recommendations by codec, resolution, and frame rate. For H.264, YouTube lists 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended for 1080p at 30 fps, and 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended for 720p at 30 fps. These are YouTube’s published operating recommendations, not a guarantee of picture quality or network performance; the retrieved page did not show a publication date.
YouTube’s guidance also recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe interval of two seconds (not exceeding four seconds), frame rates up to 60 fps, and AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS. For a straightforward first test, choose a modest resolution and frame rate that your source files and connection can sustain, and let YouTube detect resolution and frame rate where that is the available default. A high resolution is not automatically better if the upload connection cannot hold the required bitrate steadily.
Check the preview, health and operating limits
Start streaming from OBS when the local playlist is ready, but do not assume that clicking Start Streaming means viewers can already see a correct picture. Return to Live Control Room and wait for the incoming feed and preview. Inspect the image, confirm the expected clip is playing, and check that audio is present. If you scheduled the event with a manual start, click Go live only after those checks.
YouTube recommends testing with representative content and monitoring stream health and audio/video quality. Its streaming tips include guidance on network headroom and monitoring. The outbound connection needs to carry the selected stream bitrate consistently, with room beyond the total streaming bitrate rather than being pushed to its limit by other traffic. Pause large uploads or downloads on the same connection during a test, especially if you are using a home connection shared by other people.
If the health indicator reports a problem, reduce the load methodically. Check that OBS is using the intended output settings, that the connection is stable, and that no other process is consuming the upload capacity. If necessary, lower resolution or bitrate and test again. Avoid increasing several values at once; a repeatable test makes it clearer whether a change improved the feed.
A preview that works for a few minutes does not prove that a Windows PC will run unattended all night. The PC can sleep, restart for updates, lose network access, or encounter a playback fault. Disable sleep for the planned operating period, keep the computer powered, and check the Windows update and restart settings. If the stream matters overnight, arrange for someone to check it rather than treating a successful preview as a continuity guarantee.
When the programme is finished, end it using the OBS and Live Control Room workflow you selected. YouTube says encoder streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; check the current encoder setup guidance for the details and do not assume a longer broadcast will be archived in the same way. Decide whether viewers should be able to replay the recording and set privacy accordingly.
If keeping a Windows PC awake and watching for drops is the specific burden you want to remove, StreamNeo can take an uploaded video and run it as a YouTube live stream while your own computer is off. You still need to prepare the file and channel, and this is a YouTube-only service; it does not change YouTube’s eligibility, content, or stream requirements.
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
Can OBS stream an entire folder automatically?
No. The VLC Video source plays the media files that you add to its playlist; it is not an automatic folder watcher. Add new files yourself, confirm their order, and test the playlist again.
Do I need VLC if I already installed OBS?
Yes, for OBS’s VLC Video source. Install VLC as well as OBS, and match the VLC architecture to OBS; OBS documents that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. For one local file, OBS Media Source is a simpler alternative.
Why does YouTube show a black preview or no sound?
First check that the source plays in OBS, is visible in the selected scene, and has audio activity in the mixer where expected. Then confirm OBS is sending to the URL and key for the correct YouTube stream, and wait for Live Control Room to receive the feed. A black-screen troubleshooting guide can help distinguish a source problem from a receiving-side issue.
Will this setup keep streaming if I leave the PC overnight?
Not necessarily. Windows sleep, updates, power loss, network interruptions, or a problem with a file can stop or disrupt playback. Test the complete route, set the PC not to sleep, and arrange monitoring if continuity matters; no local setup guarantees an uninterrupted broadcast.