If you want OBS to move from one recorded video to the next, use a VLC Video Source and arrange the files as a playlist. This keeps the sequence inside one scene and is the simpler choice for a continuous YouTube Live channel.
If each file needs to trigger a different layout or scene, use Advanced Scene Switcher instead. It can watch a media source for its playback completion and then switch to a chosen scene, but it needs more setup and testing than a playlist.
Choose between a playlist and scene switching
Start by deciding what should change when a file ends. There are two different jobs that are often described as “switching video files automatically”. They need different OBS arrangements.
With a playlist, the next file replaces the previous file inside the same source and scene. Your logo, text, background and other scene elements remain in place. This suits a bhajan channel with one fixed layout, an ambience station that moves through long recordings, or a replay channel where every clip follows the same presentation.
With scene switching, the end of one file causes OBS to move to another scene. The next scene might have a different title, camera layout, background, lower-third or audio arrangement. This is useful when a worship recording should be followed by a prayer screen, or when a local news package should lead to a different holding scene.
| Requirement | Better starting point | What changes at the file boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Several files in a fixed order | VLC Video Source | The playlist advances within one scene |
| Repeat the same sequence | VLC Video Source with playlist loop | The playlist starts again after the last file |
| Randomise the order | VLC Video Source with shuffle | The next item is selected from the playlist |
| Give each file a different layout | Advanced Scene Switcher | A macro changes to another OBS scene |
| Restart a clip when its scene becomes active | Media Source | The source can restart when activated |
The important distinction is that the built-in Media Source does not contain per-file scene switching. It plays an individual file. Its Loop setting repeats that file; it does not advance through a folder or playlist. Likewise, a Media Source does not acquire scene-changing behaviour simply because it reaches the end.
For a straightforward sequence, avoid creating a scene for every file. A 24/7 ocean sounds channel setup will usually be easier to maintain with one scene and a playlist, provided all recordings use the same visual treatment.
Use Media Source for a single file
Use Media Source when one scene needs to play one local video file. In OBS, add or select the scene that should be on air, then add a Media Source and choose the file from your computer. The source documentation covers common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. Check the OBS media source documentation if the file does not appear or behaves differently from another recording.
This is the right building block for a single clip, a holding video or a scene that will later be controlled by Advanced Scene Switcher. Give the source a clear name such as Morning_Bhajan_01 rather than leaving several sources with identical labels. Clear names matter when you build a macro, because the condition must refer to the intended source.
The Loop option repeats the individual file. It does not move to another file. If you enable it for a ten-minute devotional video, that same video will start again when it ends. That may be exactly what you want for a simple holding scene, but it is not a playlist.
The “Restart playback when source becomes active” behaviour also needs attention. If the source is visible in a scene, then you move away and later return to that scene, the file may start again rather than resume from its previous position. This can be useful for an opening sting or a fixed announcement. It can be inconvenient if you expect a long recording to continue from where it stopped.
Before adding automation, play the file in OBS and check the things that can make an apparently finished clip look unfinished:
- The video reaches its real final frame rather than stopping on a black frame that is part of the file.
- The audio track is audible and remains in sync.
- The source fits the canvas without unexpected cropping or empty space.
- The file path remains available after a restart.
- The scene does not contain another source covering the video.
If you later decide that the source should be part of a separate scene, build and test that scene first. Automation is easier to diagnose when the underlying source works on its own.
Set up a VLC playlist for multiple files
For several files in one continuous layout, VLC Video Source is the natural OBS route. It uses a playlist rather than asking you to create a separate Media Source for every clip.
VLC must be installed for the source to be available. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well. The OBS sources guide is useful when checking how sources are added and managed in a scene.
Prepare the files first
Put the files in a folder that will remain in place. Renaming them with a deliberate order makes the playlist easier to audit, for example:
01-opening.mp4
02-morning-bhajan.mp4
03-reading.mp4
04-closing.mp4
Do not rely on the order in which files happen to appear in a file picker. Add them in the order you want viewers to hear and see them, then review the playlist before going live. If the sequence is for an overnight channel, include enough variation to match the purpose of the channel rather than adding unrelated files merely to make the list longer.
Keep the files available at the same paths after you have added them. Moving a folder, changing a drive letter or replacing a file with a differently named version can leave OBS with a missing item. A playlist is only as reliable as the files it can still reach.
Add and configure the source
In the scene that will be on air, add a VLC Video Source. Add the video files to its playlist in the desired order. Then choose the playlist behaviour that matches the channel:
- Leave shuffle off when the order is part of the programme.
- Enable playlist loop when the whole sequence should start again after the final item.
- Enable shuffle only when a varied order is acceptable and viewers do not need a predictable programme.
The documented VLC source defaults are loop on and shuffle off. Do not assume those defaults match your plan. Open the source properties and confirm them yourself, especially after recreating a scene or moving the setup to another computer.
The playlist advances within the VLC source. It does not switch to a new OBS scene for each file. This is its main advantage and its main boundary. You get a compact arrangement for a continuous channel, but you do not get a different overlay or layout automatically at every item.
For example, suppose you have twelve recorded satsang sessions with the same branding. A single scene containing the VLC playlist can play them in order and repeat the programme. If the third session needs a special “live prayer” layout, that is no longer just a playlist requirement. Either edit the recordings into one consistent presentation or use scene automation for that part of the programme.
A nonstop recorded gospel choir stream may use the same principle: keep the visible scene stable when the files are interchangeable, and reserve scene changes for moments that genuinely need a different presentation.
Configure Advanced Scene Switcher for per-file actions
Use Advanced Scene Switcher when the end of a particular file should cause an OBS scene change. Think of the setup as a macro with two parts: a condition that watches a media source, and an action that changes the scene.
Create the scenes and sources before configuring the macro. For example, you might create:
Segment 01, containing the first Media Source and its layout.Segment 02, containing the second Media Source and its layout.Holding Screen, containing a still image or short announcement.
Give each Media Source a distinct name. This prevents a condition for one clip being attached accidentally to a similarly named source in another scene.
Install a compatible release from the plugin’s current official resource page, then check the release notes against your installed OBS version. The OBS Project forum listing reports Advanced Scene Switcher 1.36.1, last updated 7 August 2026, and lists OBS Studio 31.1.1 as its minimum supported version. Treat that as a dated listing, not a permanent requirement: confirm the current compatibility information before installing.
In Advanced Scene Switcher’s Macro area, create a macro for the first transition. Select a Media condition for the relevant source and configure it to respond to the source’s playback completion or end state. Add a Switch scene action and choose the scene that should follow it. The exact labels and controls can vary by installed release, so read the current Advanced Scene Switcher resource and check what your version actually exposes.
Then repeat the pattern for the next transition. If Segment 02 should lead to Segment 03, its macro must watch the Media Source in Segment 02, not the source from the first scene. Use names that make this relationship obvious, such as When Segment 02 ends, go to Segment 03.
A scene switch may reactivate the next scene’s Media Source. If “Restart playback when source becomes active” is enabled, the new clip can begin from the start when the scene appears. That is normally desirable for a sequence of distinct clips. It is not desirable if you intended to return to a scene and continue an unfinished recording.
Do not describe this arrangement as perfectly gapless without testing it on your own setup. There can be a visible or audible boundary while OBS detects the media state and performs the action. A short transition, a holding scene or a deliberately edited lead-in may make that boundary less distracting.
Advanced Scene Switcher is also more work to maintain. Adding one file may mean creating a source, a scene, a condition and an action. Changing a filename or scene name can break the relationship. The extra control is worthwhile when layouts really differ, but it is unnecessary complexity for a fixed playlist.
Test what happens at the end of a file
Test privately before sending the result to viewers. A file-end macro can appear correct when you click through it manually and still fail when the source reaches its natural end.
Start with a short test file rather than waiting for a long recording. Keep the final seconds visible and listen for the transition. Check whether the next file starts, whether the intended scene becomes active, and whether the audio mixer shows the expected sources.
For a VLC playlist, test three cases:
- The first file reaches its end and the next item begins.
- The final file reaches its end and the playlist either stops or loops as intended.
- Shuffle is off or on according to the programme plan.
For Advanced Scene Switcher, test each macro separately. Confirm that the condition identifies the correct Media Source and that the action selects the intended scene. Then test the complete chain from the first scene through the last one. A chain can fail in the middle even when the first transition works.
Watch the scene and source indicators while testing. If the scene changes but the video does not play, inspect the next source’s file path and activation settings. If the video plays but the scene does not change, inspect the condition state, the macro’s enabled status and the selected target scene.
Test what happens if OBS is restarted before the sequence begins. Also test what happens if you switch away from the active scene and return. These actions can reactivate a Media Source and restart its file, which may be correct or may create an unintended repeat.
Keep a manual fallback scene ready. A still image, a short announcement or a known working video can cover a failed file while you correct the setup. This is especially useful for a church worship stream built with OBS, where a silent or empty output is more noticeable than a deliberate holding screen.
Send the finished scene to YouTube Live
OBS produces the composed output; YouTube receives that output as an encoder-based live stream. Set up and test the OBS scene collection before configuring the broadcast, so you are not diagnosing playlist behaviour and YouTube settings at the same time.
YouTube requires live streaming to be enabled on the channel. YouTube Help says first-time enablement may take up to 24 hours, so do not leave that step until the intended broadcast start. Check the current requirements and workflow on YouTube’s encoder streaming guidance.
In YouTube Studio, create or prepare the live stream and copy the stream key into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the key as private. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send a broadcast through that encoder connection, so do not paste it into screenshots, public documents or troubleshooting posts.
Before going live, confirm the selected scene in OBS, the correct playlist or macro collection, the audio meters and the output preview. A YouTube preview can help you check the received picture and sound, but it does not replace a local test of the file-end behaviour.
OBS automation controls scenes and sources. It does not, by itself, mean that the YouTube broadcast will be scheduled, started or ended at the same moment as a file. Configure those YouTube actions separately if your workflow needs them, and check the current official instructions because account features and interfaces can change.
For a channel that must continue while your computer is off, an alternative workflow is to upload the file and let a cloud service carry the YouTube broadcast. StreamNeo removes the need to keep the OBS computer running for this particular uploaded-video workflow, while OBS remains the better fit when you need local scene composition, plugins or interactive production.
Make the setup easier to operate overnight
A reliable overnight setup is usually the one with fewer moving parts. If every file has the same layout, use a VLC playlist rather than building a macro chain. Keep the playlist folder organised, avoid changing filenames after testing, and write down the intended order.
If different files need different scenes, document the chain in a small table or plain text file. Record the source name, scene name, expected next scene and whether the source should restart when activated. This gives you something to check when a transition fails at an inconvenient time.
Keep a copy of the working OBS scene collection and the media folder structure. Do not update OBS or the scene-switching plugin immediately before an important broadcast without testing again. Compatibility information and controls can change, especially when a plugin depends on a particular OBS release.
Use short test clips to validate edits, then test the complete programme with the real files. Check audio levels between recordings, as a scene transition can expose a sudden change in loudness even when the video switch itself works. If the programme contains spoken announcements, leave enough time for the viewer to understand the change rather than cutting directly from one loud ending to another.
If the channel’s purpose is a predictable sequence, do not enable shuffle as a quick way to create variety. Make a deliberate playlist instead. For a study or ambience channel, this can also make it easier to explain what viewers will hear next and to identify the file if a problem is reported.
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FAQ
Can Media Source play several files in order?
Not by itself. Media Source is designed to play an individual local audio or video file, and its Loop option repeats that file. Use VLC Video Source for a playlist, or use separate scenes and Advanced Scene Switcher when each file needs its own scene action.
Does a VLC playlist switch OBS scenes between videos?
No. It advances through the files inside the VLC source and keeps the same OBS scene active. Choose Advanced Scene Switcher when the end of one file must activate a different scene or layout.
Why does a video start again when I return to a scene?
The Media Source can be configured to restart playback when the source becomes active. If you revisit its scene, it may therefore start from the beginning rather than resume; check that setting against the behaviour you want.
Do I need Advanced Scene Switcher for a repeating playlist?
No. A repeating sequence with one consistent layout can normally use VLC Video Source with playlist loop enabled. Add Advanced Scene Switcher only when a media event needs to cause a scene-level action.