To loop videos stored on your computer on YouTube Live, make a VLC Video Source in OBS, add the files to its playlist and enable Loop Playlist. VLC must be installed in the architecture that matches OBS; YouTube Studio does not loop a local folder for you.
The playlist is part of your OBS scene, and OBS sends that scene to YouTube as a live encoder feed. You can play files in a fixed order or shuffle them, but you need to choose how playback behaves when the source is hidden and test the complete stream before relying on it overnight.
Install VLC that matches OBS
The VLC Video Source is available in OBS only when VLC is installed. OBS also requires matching architectures: if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. Installing VLC in a different architecture can leave OBS unable to offer the source even though VLC itself opens files normally.
Check which OBS version you have before installing VLC. If you are unsure, look at the OBS installer or application information for its architecture, then use the corresponding VLC download. Download VLC from the official VLC site, and close and reopen OBS after installation so it can detect the dependency.
This requirement applies to VLC Video Source, not to every way of playing a file in OBS. For a single video, the built-in Media Source is a simpler choice and has its own loop option. For several files played as a playlist, VLC Video Source provides the relevant playlist controls. OBS explains the distinction in its Media Sources documentation.
Keep the source files somewhere that will remain available to the computer running OBS. A folder on an external drive is usable, but the drive must stay connected and awake. If the files are on a laptop, check that sleep settings will not interrupt the production. This is a local-computer workflow: OBS and the computer must remain running and connected for the live output to continue.
Add a VLC Video Source to the scene
Open the OBS scene where the videos should appear. In the Sources panel, use the add button and select VLC Video Source. Give it a descriptive name such as “Bhajan playlist” or “Night ambience files”, especially if the scene contains other media sources.
A source belongs to the scene in which you create it. If you want the same playlist in a second scene, add or reuse sources deliberately and test how the visibility settings interact with scene changes. Do not mistake the source for a YouTube Studio setting: OBS composes the video locally, and YouTube receives the resulting stream after you connect OBS to your live event.
In the source properties, you can add media files to the playlist. Arrange and test the source within the canvas as you would other OBS content. Use OBS transform controls to resize, position or crop it if necessary. A vertical phone video, for example, may leave empty space in a widescreen canvas; the source's playlist settings will not correct that layout automatically.
If you are deciding whether a local OBS scene fits your channel's operating needs, the differences in YouTube Studio and OBS for a 24/7 pre-recorded stream are worth considering. This guide covers the OBS playlist path, not a claim that every production should run from a local computer.
Add local videos to the playlist
In the VLC Video Source properties, add each video file you intend to play. Think of this as creating a playlist, not pointing OBS at a folder that it will continuously scan. The documented workflow is to add playlist items; do not assume that dropping a new video into the folder later will automatically add it to the source. Reopen the properties and update the playlist when the selection changes.
Use a clear order if the sequence matters. For a devotional channel, that might mean an opening chant, a group of bhajans, then a closing prayer. For a study channel, you might use several long focus tracks in a planned order. Name files clearly and preview transitions, since a playlist can only play the files you added and may expose differences in aspect ratio, volume or picture quality.
Choose files that the installed VLC can play, and test the exact versions you plan to use. A file may open in one player and still behave unexpectedly in a live scene because of its codec, audio tracks or damaged media. Check that both picture and sound play in OBS, and listen for abrupt level changes between items.
The playlist is separate from YouTube's delivery format. A folder of local media files is not the same thing as a transport playlist used by a streaming protocol. You do not need to configure YouTube's HLS segment playlist to make this OBS source loop. For a different workflow that uses online storage and a rotating selection, see streaming a rotating playlist from Backblaze B2.
Set Loop Playlist and shuffle behaviour
Open the VLC Video Source properties and enable Loop Playlist. This tells the source to start again after it reaches the end of the playlist. Looping applies to the playlist as a whole, so it returns to the beginning after the last item rather than requiring you to duplicate every file in the list.
Shuffle Playlist is a separate control. Leave it off if you need a known sequence, such as a news bulletin followed by scheduled notices. Turn it on if a changing order is acceptable. Shuffle changes the file order; it does not replace Loop Playlist. If the playlist must repeat, check that looping is enabled whichever shuffle choice you make.
| Setting | What it does | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Loop Playlist on | Starts the playlist again after its final item | The sequence should continue repeating |
| Shuffle Playlist off | Keeps the listed order | Timing or sequence matters |
| Shuffle Playlist on | Randomises file order | Any of the selected files can play next |
Do a short test that reaches the end of a small playlist if you can, rather than assuming the loop works from a source preview. Confirm that playback returns to the first item. If the order is wrong, inspect the list and the shuffle setting before changing files or rebuilding the scene.
For an always-on channel, predictability may matter more than variety. A fixed sequence can make it easier to check that an opening or announcement appears when expected. Shuffling can be useful for a large collection of interchangeable ambience clips, but it makes the next item less predictable. Keep a record of the intended playlist order if you need to restore it after editing.
Choose what happens when the source is hidden
OBS has a Visibility Behaviour setting for VLC Video Source. It determines what happens when the source is not visible in the active scene. Depending on the chosen behaviour, playback can stop and restart when shown, pause and resume, or continue playing while hidden. The documented default stops playback while hidden and restarts it when visible.
Choose based on what a scene change should mean. If a playlist should begin at its opening whenever you return to the scene, stop-and-restart behaviour may suit you. If it should pick up from the same point, use pause-and-resume. If it should advance even while another scene is on air, choose the always-play behaviour.
Test this with the scene you actually plan to use. Switch away and back, then check both the picture and the point in the playlist. A source that keeps playing in the background may be useful for seamless transitions, but it can also move past an item you expected viewers to hear. Conversely, a source that restarts may show the same opening each time you change scenes.
For a single-scene loop that remains visible throughout the broadcast, this setting may not change much during normal operation. It still matters if you hide sources while editing, use a standby scene, or add a second scene for an announcement. StreamNeo addresses the specific burden of keeping a local computer and OBS available for a continuous prerecorded broadcast: it turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that can continue with your computer switched off. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a replacement for a multi-scene OBS production.
Preview playback before going live
Before connecting to an audience, check the source in the OBS canvas. Confirm that video appears in the intended place, fills or fits the frame as you expect, and is not covered by another source. Play through enough of the playlist to check more than its first frame. Listen to the audio on headphones or speakers, and look for black gaps or abrupt changes between files.
Then configure OBS to connect to the YouTube stream you intend to use. In YouTube Live Control Room, select or create the stream and use the server URL and stream key provided there in OBS's stream settings. Treat the key as private: anyone with access to it may be able to send a feed to that stream. Follow YouTube's current live encoder setup guidance rather than copying a saved setup from another channel.
Start the encoder for a test and confirm that the preview appears in Live Control Room. YouTube recommends testing before going live and checking representative picture and sound; its encoder settings guidance also covers bitrate, resolution and frame rate. Use settings suited to your output and the upload connection you can sustain, rather than treating one bitrate as right for every computer and network.
Check stream health in Live Control Room and watch for warnings or a missing preview. If the picture stutters, investigate the upload connection and OBS output settings before assuming the playlist is at fault. A local preview can look correct while the encoded stream still has network or output problems. Run a representative test long enough to see scene transitions and playlist behaviour, and monitor the stream after it starts.
Keep the distinction between local playback and platform delivery clear. Loop Playlist controls the OBS source's list of media files. YouTube's encoder connection carries the composed output to the live event; YouTube Studio does not browse your computer and loop its folders. For a channel built around prerecorded relaxation video, the considerations in streaming a 24/7 relaxation channel from a cloud server describe a different operating model.
Troubleshoot a missing source or playback issue
If VLC Video Source is missing from OBS's source menu, first confirm that VLC is installed. If OBS is 64-bit, OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Install the matching version, close OBS fully and reopen it; then check the source menu again. Installing another media player or changing YouTube settings will not make this particular OBS source appear.
If the source exists but a file does not play, check the file path and confirm that the file is still accessible. A moved or renamed file can break a playlist entry. Check that the file plays in VLC, then re-add it to the source if needed. Test from the computer and account that will run the live stream, particularly if the media is on removable storage.
If playback ends at the last item, inspect Loop Playlist. If the list starts in an unexpected order, turn off Shuffle Playlist and review the order of entries. If the playlist appears to start over after a scene change, inspect Visibility Behaviour and test whether the source was hidden, stopped or restarted.
If OBS shows the video but YouTube does not, check the stream URL and key in OBS and verify the selected event in Live Control Room. Confirm that the encoder preview appears before treating the stream as ready. If the stream itself is unstable, review YouTube's current stream-health messages, your connection and the output settings; changing the media playlist will not fix an upload problem.
Keep the operating choice practical
A VLC playlist is useful when you already have several local files and want one OBS scene to play them in order or at random. The trade-off is that the computer, files, VLC and OBS all need to remain available. If the computer sleeps, loses power, restarts for an update or disconnects, the local production can stop. Consider power and network reliability as part of the setup, not just the playlist controls.
A single file does not need a playlist. OBS's built-in Media Source has a Loop setting and avoids the VLC installation dependency for this use case, according to OBS's documentation. Conversely, if your programme depends on multiple scenes, overlays, a camera or live operator decisions, OBS remains the appropriate production tool; a simple file-loop approach does not provide those editorial controls by itself.
If you want prerecorded video to continue without leaving your own computer running, compare that requirement with a cloud-based operating model and check current terms directly. Do not assume a cloud loop can reproduce every OBS scene or accept any kind of live input. The right choice depends on whether you need a local production you control, or just a recurring prerecorded output.
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FAQ
How do I loop a folder of videos in OBS?
Install VLC in the same architecture as OBS, add a VLC Video Source to the scene, and add the intended files to its playlist. Turn on Loop Playlist, then choose whether Shuffle Playlist should be off for a fixed sequence or on for a random order. The source uses the files you add; do not assume it automatically updates when new files are placed in the folder.
Why is VLC Video Source missing in OBS?
OBS requires VLC to be installed for the source to appear. If OBS is 64-bit, OBS requires 64-bit VLC, so check the architecture rather than only whether VLC launches on your computer. Restart OBS after installing the matching version.
Does YouTube Studio loop videos from my computer?
No. YouTube Studio does not loop a local folder on your computer. OBS plays the playlist and sends the composed scene to YouTube as an encoder stream.
Will the playlist keep playing when I change scenes?
That depends on the VLC source's Visibility Behaviour setting. It can stop and restart, pause and resume, or continue while hidden; test the selected behaviour by switching scenes before you go live.