OBS can play a multi-file music playlist continuously through its VLC Video source, provided compatible VLC is installed. For one file that should repeat, OBS’s built-in Media Source is simpler; it does not provide multi-file playlist looping.
Before you connect to YouTube, check the playlist order, confirm that the loop setting is on, and listen while watching OBS’s audio meters. That short preflight can catch a silent source, the wrong device, or playback that stops when you change scenes.
Choose between a playlist and one repeating file
Use VLC Video when your music is split across several files and you want OBS to play them in sequence or shuffle them, then start again after the last item. Use Media Source when you have a single audio or video file and want that file to repeat. These are different jobs, and choosing the source to match the files avoids trying to force a playlist into a control that only loops one item.
| Playback need | OBS source | What repeats | Requirement to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| A collection of separate music files | VLC Video | The playlist, when Loop Playlist is enabled | VLC installed in a compatible architecture |
| One long mix or one track | Media Source | The selected file, when Loop is enabled | A media file OBS can read |
OBS lists MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV among the formats supported by Media Source. That list is useful when choosing a straightforward single-file test, but a listed extension does not guarantee that every file is intact or that every codec variant will work on your computer. If playback fails, test another known-good file before changing several OBS settings at once.
A playlist also needs some editorial preparation. Put the files in the order you intend to broadcast, use clear names, and remove test clips or silence you do not mean to include. For devotional programming, for example, you may want a fixed progression from morning bhajans to quieter pieces rather than a random order. For a study station, shuffle might be acceptable if a repeated sequence would be distracting.
Think separately about playback and programming. A looped playlist can keep audio moving, but it does not make the sequence feel varied or establish that tracks are appropriate for your channel. If you are planning a longer rotation, the guide to rotating playlists on a 24/7 channel covers the scheduling question beyond one OBS source.
Install VLC before adding VLC Video
The VLC Video source is not guaranteed to appear in every OBS installation. OBS documents that VLC Media Player must be installed for the source to be available, and that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you do not see VLC Video in the source list, check compatibility and installation first rather than repeatedly restarting OBS or looking for a playlist checkbox in Media Source. See the OBS media sources documentation for the current source requirements.
Check which OBS build you are using, then install VLC with the matching architecture from the VLC project’s official download page. On a typical current Windows system, a 64-bit OBS setup should be paired with 64-bit VLC. If you use a different operating system or build, use the documentation for that build rather than assuming the Windows pairing applies unchanged.
After installation, open OBS and add a source in the scene where the music belongs. In the Sources dock, select the plus button and look for VLC Video. If OBS was open during installation and the source is still missing, close and reopen OBS once, then verify the architecture again. Avoid downloading VLC installers from third-party download sites; use the vendor’s own page.
You can keep your scene deliberately simple. A still image, a visualiser, or a branded layout may accompany the audio, but none is required to confirm that the playlist itself works. Keep the playlist source in the scene that will be live. OBS’s VLC source has visibility behaviour settings; by default playback stops when the source is not visible and restarts when it becomes visible. If you switch scenes without that source, playback may stop or begin again when you return. Review the source properties and scene plan before a long run.
Add the files and enable playlist looping
Once VLC Video is available, create or select the scene you will use on air. Add a VLC Video source, give it a descriptive name such as “Music playlist”, and open its properties. Use the playlist controls to add the files. Arrange them in the intended order before testing; a list that looks right in a file browser is not evidence that OBS has loaded every item correctly.
Play the source in OBS and check that the first item starts. If you are using audio-only files, the source may not produce a visible picture, which is normal. What matters is that the item appears in the playlist and that sound reaches the mixer. Test a few transitions if practical: the first file may work while a later one is missing, unreadable, or unexpectedly quiet.
In the source properties, leave Loop Playlist enabled if you want playback to start again at the beginning after the final file ends. OBS documents this as enabled by default, but confirm the setting rather than relying on a remembered default, especially if someone else configured the scene. Looping takes effect at the end of the playlist; it does not repair a broken file or fill an unintended gap between tracks.
For a fixed programme, compare the source’s displayed order with your planned running order and keep shuffle off. If the playlist is meant to repeat seamlessly, listen to its beginning and end together; a sudden change in loudness or a long pause is a content transition issue, not a looping setting. You can adjust the files or their order before broadcasting.
A local loop is not the same as a YouTube channel’s overall programming plan. A collection that repeats in OBS may be technically continuous while still becoming repetitive to viewers. The article on whether a playlist livestream counts as reused content discusses the separate platform and channel considerations; do not treat a playback setting as an answer about eligibility or policy.
Set shuffle only when the sequence can change
Shuffle Playlist is a separate control from Loop Playlist. OBS documents shuffle as off by default, so a playlist normally follows its listed sequence. Turn it on only when a random order serves the format. A lofi station may work with shuffled tracks, while a programme with an opening, themed sections, or a planned devotional sequence may need the order to stay fixed.
When you enable shuffle, test the behaviour before the stream. Start playback and check that the source is actually using the playlist; do not infer shuffle from the name of a folder or the order in which files were selected. If the expected first track matters, shuffle can undermine that expectation. Keep it off when you need predictable transitions or a specific sequence.
It is useful to distinguish randomisation from variety. Shuffle changes the order of the files it has; it does not add tracks, prevent frequent repeats in a short playlist, balance volume, or create a schedule that changes by time of day. If you need different content at different hours, build a programme structure rather than expecting one shuffle toggle to do that job. A separate planning guide on matching music genres to livestream formats can help you think through the listener experience, while the actual playback controls remain in OBS.
After setting shuffle, save the scene and source configuration, then run a short playback check. If the stream should have a fixed order, explicitly verify Shuffle Playlist is off. That is easier than discovering after the broadcast begins that an opening track is appearing in the middle of the programme.
Use Media Source for one looping file
For a single continuous mix, long recording, or one video with an audio track, use Media Source. Add it from the Sources dock and select the file in its properties. Enable Loop if the same file should start again when it ends. Because Media Source handles one selected file at a time, adding more files as separate Media Sources does not turn it into a playlist with a shared looping sequence.
This distinction matters if you are converting a folder of individual songs. Do not choose Media Source expecting it to advance through several items and then repeat the collection. For that requirement, install compatible VLC and use VLC Video’s playlist controls. If a single long mix is already assembled and you have the appropriate rights to broadcast it, Media Source avoids an additional VLC dependency.
For an audio-only Media Source, make sure the source is configured so its audio is available in the mixer. The OBS sources guide explains how sources are added and managed in scenes. You can also use a short, known-good file to confirm the setup before selecting your full-length mix. If that test file plays but the intended one does not, investigate the file or its format rather than assuming the source type is wrong.
The simpler source is not necessarily the better choice in every case. VLC Video is more suitable when the programme is a set of tracks with an order or shuffle requirement; Media Source is less to configure for one file. If your goal is a genuine 24/7 station, also consider what happens if the computer sleeps, OBS closes, or the network drops. OBS playback running on a computer depends on that computer remaining available. For a different operating model, the guide to cloud services for 24/7 video playout discusses the broader trade-offs.
Test the audio before connecting to YouTube
Do not assume the playlist is ready because the progress indicator moves. With playback active, watch the OBS Audio Mixer meters. They should respond to the music. Listen through the output you normally use as well; meters can show signal while the wrong source or an unsuitable monitoring arrangement makes the sound unclear to you.
If the expected mixer meter does not move, check the source’s audio configuration and then open Settings → Audio. Select the device you intend to use where a device selection is needed. For file playback, the signal should normally come from the media source itself, so be careful not to confuse desktop audio capture with the playlist source. A loop can be advancing silently if the audio path is not the one you expected.
Check that the music is neither inaudible nor clipping in the mixer. Listen to the beginning, a transition, and a later point in the list. If the files have very different loudness, the OBS source can still be functioning correctly while the listening experience jumps from quiet to loud. Adjust the source material or the mix deliberately, then repeat the test. Avoid changing multiple audio controls at once: one change and one check make it easier to identify what fixed the issue.
Review Settings → Output before the live run, but do not copy a generic resolution or bitrate recipe from an unrelated setup. The correct encoder settings depend on the channel and connection; use YouTube’s current encoder streaming guidance for the current requirements. YouTube describes encoder streaming as a way to use production elements such as overlays and external audio equipment. If you are unsure about a setting, verify it against the live guidance rather than treating a tutorial’s old values as universal.
OBS recommends a test before a real broadcast in its Quick Start Guide. Follow that advice: make a short private or otherwise appropriate test, confirm both picture and sound at the YouTube end, and check the stream status in YouTube Studio. The interface and controls can change, so follow the current Studio prompts. Confirm that you have selected the intended stream and scene before starting a longer session.
Eligibility is a separate check from OBS configuration. YouTube says channels need verification and no live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days to live stream; review the current requirements and your channel’s status in YouTube Studio before planning a broadcast. Also use only music for which you have permission for the intended YouTube livestream and any monetisation you plan. A file playing on your computer does not establish broadcast rights, and YouTube’s policies still apply to livestream content.
If a test reveals that keeping a computer running overnight is the problem, choose an operating arrangement that addresses that specific constraint rather than hoping an OBS setting will prevent sleep or recover every interruption. StreamNeo can remove the need to leave your own computer running for a file-based continuous broadcast, but it is YouTube-only and does not determine whether your music is cleared or your channel is eligible.
When the audio test passes, the loop and shuffle behaviour match your plan, and the channel is ready, use the setup you have tested for the longer broadcast.
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FAQ
Do I need VLC for an OBS playlist?
You need VLC installed for OBS’s VLC Video source to appear. Match the installation to OBS’s architecture; OBS specifies that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. Media Source can loop one file without providing a multi-file playlist.
How do I loop a playlist in OBS?
Add a VLC Video source, add the files to its playlist, and make sure Loop Playlist is enabled in the source properties. The documented default is on, but check it in your scene. Keep the source visible if playback must continue while that scene is live.
Can Media Source repeat several songs?
Media Source’s Loop control repeats its selected file; it is not the documented multi-file playlist option. Use VLC Video for several files and enable Loop Playlist there. If you have combined the songs into one long file, Media Source can loop that single file.
What should I check if OBS shows no music on the stream?
Start playback and watch the Audio Mixer meters, then listen locally and confirm the intended source or device is selected in Settings → Audio. Run a short test to confirm sound at YouTube before the longer broadcast. If the meters move but the stream is silent, check the output and stream configuration rather than assuming the playlist is looping incorrectly.