For a repeating list of videos in one scene, add an OBS VLC Video source, load the files in order and enable Loop Playlist. If each clip needs a different scene or an action when playback ends, use separate media sources with Advanced Scene Switcher instead.
The simpler method has fewer moving parts, but it depends on VLC being installed in an architecture that matches OBS. The plugin route gives you more control and needs more compatibility checks and testing. In either case, OBS switches what appears in its output; it does not keep sending a stream after the computer or encoder stops.
Choose the switching method for the job
Start by deciding whether your videos are a playlist or a sequence of scene changes. If a devotional channel shows the same layout while bhajans play one after another, the VLC Video source is usually the straightforward choice. You can set the order, optionally shuffle the files and loop the playlist when it reaches the end.
Choose Advanced Scene Switcher when a clip ending should trigger something beyond moving to the next item in one playlist. For example, a study channel might want a lesson scene with a title card, followed by a break scene with a countdown. Separate media sources and scenes let you give each clip its own layout, while a macro can respond to media playback state and change scenes.
| Your requirement | A suitable OBS approach | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| One scene and a fixed sequence that repeats | VLC Video playlist with Loop Playlist | VLC is installed and its architecture matches OBS |
| One scene and a sequence that plays in a different order | VLC Video playlist with Shuffle Playlist and looping | Confirm the resulting order is suitable before going live |
| A single file repeated in one scene | Media Source with its per-file Loop setting | Decide what the source should do while hidden |
| Different layouts or actions for each clip | Separate media sources and Advanced Scene Switcher macros | Plugin compatibility, macro conditions and full-sequence behaviour |
For one local video that simply needs to repeat, a regular OBS Media Source may be enough: OBS documents a per-file loop option. A playlist inside OBS is also distinct from a playlist used by YouTube's HLS ingestion protocol. You do not need to configure HLS just to advance among local clips in OBS. YouTube's HLS guidance covers how an encoder sends a stream using that protocol, not how an OBS source selects the next local video.
If you are building a channel around recorded material, the looping fireplace video guide is another example of the same general publishing pattern. The switching method still depends on whether all clips share one scene or need separate layouts.
Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS
The VLC Video source relies on VLC being installed on the computer running OBS. Install VLC before looking for the source in OBS. OBS specifies that a 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC for the VLC source to appear. If you are unsure which OBS build you use, check the OBS installation or About information before choosing VLC; do not assume that any VLC installation will be detected.
After installing VLC, restart OBS if the source is not listed. In the Sources panel, use the add control and look for VLC Video. If it is missing, check the OBS and VLC architectures first, then confirm that VLC is installed and that OBS has been reopened. Reinstalling the plugin is not the first step: this workflow uses an OBS source and an external VLC installation, rather than the Advanced Scene Switcher plugin.
The OBS media sources reference describes VLC Video playlists and the available playback options. Labels and behaviour can differ with software versions, so use the reference alongside the controls in your installed OBS rather than relying on an old screenshot.
There is a practical trade-off here. Installing VLC adds a dependency to a setup that otherwise uses OBS alone, but it keeps a multi-file list in one source. If you only need to repeat one file and do not need a playlist, use a regular Media Source instead and enable its loop option. If you already use multiple scenes, scene-level media sources may fit your layout better.
Add a VLC Video source and build the playlist
Open the scene that should remain on air and add a VLC Video source. Give it a name that identifies its role, such as “Main playlist”, especially if the scene contains other media sources. Add the local files to its playlist in the intended order. Before adding a long set, confirm that the files are available on the machine running OBS and that each is the version you intend to show.
Keep the first test small: add a few representative clips, then start playback and watch the OBS preview. Check that both picture and sound are present, and that one clip gives way to the next. This catches ordinary preparation problems—such as selecting the wrong file or discovering that a clip is silent—before you build a long schedule around the source.
If your playlist is fixed, leave Shuffle Playlist off. A local news loop may need a particular order; a class channel may need a lesson followed by a recap. If the sequence can vary, shuffle may suit an ambience station better. Do not infer from the setting alone that every clip will appear in a particular random order: inspect the test output and decide whether shuffled playback is acceptable for your use.
The playlist controls which files the source plays; it does not create a new scene for each file. If all the videos share one background, overlay and layout, that is often exactly what you want. If each one needs a different lower-third, title or transition, one VLC Video source may be the wrong tool. An overlay guide for recorded education streams can help you think through whether the visual treatment belongs in one shared scene or needs to vary by clip.
Enable looping and decide what happens when hidden
Enable Loop Playlist if the list should start again after its last item. With a fixed playlist, the basic behaviour is: OBS plays the items in order, reaches the end, then returns to the beginning. If you also enable Shuffle Playlist, test the actual playback pattern rather than assuming the order will remain fixed.
A VLC Video source has visibility behaviour to consider when your scene changes. OBS documents options that determine whether playback continues, pauses or stops while the source is hidden. Set this deliberately. If the playlist should continue behind another scene and resume at its current point, choose the behaviour that keeps it playing. If each scene visit should start playback afresh, a restart-on-visible behaviour may be more appropriate. The exact choice depends on the scene design and source controls available in your OBS version.
This setting matters most when the source is not always visible. For example, if you switch briefly to a holding slide between programmes, a hidden source configured to stop may not advance during that interval. Conversely, playback continuing in the background can mean the next scene reveals a clip part-way through. Test the transition with the actual visibility setting, rather than assuming that hiding a source is equivalent to pausing it.
For a single file, OBS's Media Source has its own loop setting and visibility behaviour. It can be a cleaner fit than a VLC playlist when nothing needs to change except repeating that file. For a channel whose materials are stored in a cloud drive, the question of where OBS can read files is separate from playlist switching; see the guide on using Google Drive videos for a 24/7 stream.
Keep OBS connected to YouTube while switching media
The playlist or scene switch happens inside OBS. Keep the YouTube broadcast running while the OBS program output changes from one clip or scene to another. You do not need to stop and restart the YouTube live stream merely because one local video ended and another began.
That distinction is useful when reading setup advice. YouTube documents HLS as one way to ingest an encoder's stream, with protocol-specific requirements; those requirements are not prerequisites for a VLC playlist. Unless you have deliberately configured HLS, the playlist controls in OBS and YouTube's ingestion protocol are separate parts of the workflow. Refer to YouTube's current HLS requirements if you are configuring that protocol, rather than applying its segment guidance to a local media list.
A continuous media sequence still depends on the computer and encoder continuing to run. If OBS stops sending, switching settings cannot keep the broadcast going. For a local setup, check the machine's power and sleep behaviour, OBS status and network before leaving it unattended. If your concern is a stream that drops from YouTube, the disconnect troubleshooting guide covers a different problem: maintaining the encoder connection rather than choosing the next clip.
Use Advanced Scene Switcher for playback-triggered actions
When a clip ending should cause a scene change, use separate Media Sources or scenes and configure Advanced Scene Switcher macros. A macro can use media playback conditions and scene-switch actions. That makes it possible to move from a lesson to a break screen, or from one programme layout to another, based on playback state rather than a manually timed click.
The basic design is to give each clip its own source or scene, then make the macro react to the relevant media state. A maintainer discussion on the OBS Project forum describes a sequence that starts one source, waits for it to stop and then starts another. Treat this as an example of the pattern, not a guarantee that every combination of source visibility, transitions and macro conditions will behave the same way.
Plan what should happen at each hand-off. If the next clip is in a different scene, decide whether the prior source should stop or simply be hidden. Make sure the macro is listening for the intended source, not another media item in the same scene. Consider what the viewer will see between clips: a brief transition, a holding graphic or the next scene immediately. These choices affect the macro and scene design, so test them together.
This route is more flexible than a single repeating playlist, but it takes more configuration and gives you more ways to miss a condition. Use it only when the scene changes or actions are part of the programme. If you have one layout and simply need the next video, the VLC Video playlist avoids having to coordinate separate scenes and macros.
Check plugin compatibility and test the output
Advanced Scene Switcher is maintained as an OBS plugin, so check its current listing before installing. As listed on the OBS Project forum on 3 October 2026, version 1.36.1 specifies OBS Studio 31.1.1 as its minimum version and lists Windows, macOS and Linux support. Those are plugin compatibility details, not a promise that every macro will work unchanged in every setup. Check the current plugin listing against your installed OBS version before proceeding; plugin requirements can change.
After installation, build the macro for a short test sequence rather than starting with the full channel schedule. Verify that the first source starts, the expected playback condition is detected, the intended scene becomes active, and the next clip plays. Repeat the sequence, including any transition and hidden-source behaviour. A manual test of each scene is not enough if the macro depends on a clip reaching its end.
Then watch the OBS program output, not only the preview. Check that the stream stays connected to YouTube while the visual changes, that the right scene is on air and that audio behaves as intended. If you can, observe a complete pass through the sequence before relying on unattended operation. A macro that works for one hand-off may still behave differently at the end of a loop or when a source is hidden.
Keep the simplest arrangement that satisfies the channel's needs. A long playlist can be easier to maintain in one VLC Video source, while a small set of clips with distinct layouts may justify scene automation. If you want the stream to continue when your own computer is switched off, OBS running locally is not that arrangement: the cloud service reliability guide explains the separate considerations for that operating model. StreamNeo can remove the need to leave a local computer running by taking an uploaded video and broadcasting it to YouTube, which is useful when the specific pain is maintaining playback from your own 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 automatically switch to the next video in OBS?
For a list that uses the same scene, add the files to an OBS VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist if the list should repeat. Install VLC first, matching its architecture to OBS. Use separate media sources and Advanced Scene Switcher when the next clip needs a scene change or another playback-triggered action.
Can OBS switch scenes when a video ends?
Yes. Advanced Scene Switcher can use media conditions and scene-switch actions in macros. Set up the sources and scenes, then test the complete sequence, including transitions and what happens while a source is hidden. Do not assume a macro example will behave identically in every scene arrangement.
Do I need HLS to loop a playlist in OBS?
No. A local OBS playlist and YouTube's HLS ingestion protocol are separate. VLC Video selects local files for OBS to play; HLS requirements apply when you configure an encoder to send a stream using HLS.
Will the OBS playlist continue if my computer turns off?
No. OBS cannot continue sending its output after the computer or encoder stops. Keep the local machine and encoder running for a local OBS broadcast, or consider an operating approach that does not depend on your computer staying on.