First check whether the source in OBS is Media Source or VLC Video. They have different repeat controls: for one file in Media Source, enable Loop; for VLC Video, check Loop Playlist.
The other settings that sound relevant do different jobs. Restart playback when source becomes active handles visibility and re-entry, while Show nothing when playback ends changes what is visible after completion; neither makes a file repeat.
Identify the OBS source type
In the OBS Sources list, select the item that appears to stop and open its properties. Read the source type and the controls shown there before changing anything. A source named “Bhajan”, “News loop” or “Background video” might be either type, so its name is not enough to identify its behaviour.
A Media Source is OBS's built-in source for playing media files. Its properties include the Loop checkbox. VLC Video is a distinct source type; it uses VLC-related controls, including Loop Playlist. The OBS Project documents these source properties in its Media Sources guide.
| Source type | Typical use | Repeat control to inspect | Important dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Source | One local media file | Loop | Use the Media Source properties |
| VLC Video | A playlist or media requiring VLC support | Loop Playlist | VLC must be installed; its architecture must match OBS |
If your source properties do not show the control you expect, stop and confirm the type rather than looking for the setting in a different source's instructions. The source type determines which control is relevant. For a single devotional video or a long ambience file, Media Source is often the straightforward place to start if OBS supports the format. If your goal is a list of clips that advances from one to the next, VLC Video may be more appropriate, provided the required VLC installation is in place.
These settings govern playback inside OBS. They do not determine whether YouTube accepts the live stream or how long YouTube retains a broadcast. If you are building a devotional channel, the separate guide to looping devotional videos on YouTube Live covers the broader continuous-stream question. Here, first establish what OBS itself is doing with the file.
Enable Loop for Media Source
For a Media Source playing one file, open its properties and turn on Loop. OBS describes the option as replaying the file once playback has completed, and its documentation lists it as off by default. If the file previously played once and stopped at its end, this is the first setting to verify.
After changing it, click OK or close the properties using the confirmation button, then test the source. Do not rely only on the preview's current frame: move playback to a point near the end if practical, or let a test run reach its end. You should see the file begin again. If the source is part of a live scene, make a controlled test before relying on it overnight.
A repeat test should establish three separate facts: the media reaches its end, playback starts again, and audio behaves as intended after the transition. If the picture restarts but audio does not, note that distinction rather than treating it as a complete source failure. If neither picture nor sound restarts, record the source type and the exact checkbox states before trying unrelated options.
Media Source supports a range of common formats, including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM and audio formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV, according to the OBS guide. Format support does not mean every file encoded in a container will behave identically across systems. If Loop is enabled and the file still does not restart, the codec, file integrity, or a distinct visibility change may be relevant; the available evidence does not identify a universal format-related cause for this symptom.
For a rotation that uses different files or formats, one Media Source may not match the job. The guide on streaming multiple video formats in one YouTube Live loop is a better place to consider a multi-file setup. Keep the present test narrow: confirm repetition of one known-good file before adding playlist or scene complexity.
Check VLC Video loop behaviour
If the item is VLC Video, open that source's properties and inspect Loop Playlist. OBS documents this option as restarting the source after it runs out of media files, and lists it as on by default. If you expected a playlist to stop after its last item, the checkbox may explain that behaviour; if you expected it to repeat but it does not, verify the option rather than assuming the default survived previous edits.
Check what the playlist contains as well. A playlist with one file can be used to test whether the source returns to the beginning; a playlist with several files tests both progression and what happens after the final entry. Confirm that each intended file is present and plays before diagnosing repeat behaviour. A missing or unreadable entry can make a playlist test look different from a single-file test.
Media Source and VLC Video are not interchangeable labels for the same source. The former has Loop, while the latter has Loop Playlist. Compare like with like: test a known file in the source type you actually use, then observe the transition at the end. If you switch source types as a diagnostic step, keep a note of which one is active and do not assume that settings carry across.
VLC Video can be useful when you specifically need playlist behaviour or extended media support, but it brings an installation dependency. If you do not need that capability and are playing one supported file, Media Source avoids adding VLC as a troubleshooting variable. If you are setting up a continuous background music station, the guide to streaming 24/7 background music for reading on YouTube may help with the wider channel plan, while this setting still needs to be tested in OBS.
Separate looping from restart-on-active
Restart playback when source becomes active is about the source becoming active, not reaching the end of its file. OBS describes activation in terms of the source being in the current scene and visible. When that setting is enabled, a source can start from the beginning as it becomes active again. That is different from repeating continuously at end-of-file.
This difference matters when scenes are switched. Suppose a music video is in a scene that you leave and later return to. Restart-on-active can affect whether it begins again on return. It does not replace Loop when the file reaches its final frame while the source remains visible. If the file finishes once and then stays finished, inspect Loop; if it starts over when you return to a scene, activation behaviour may be involved.
For a clean test, keep the source in one scene and visible, and check its end-of-file behaviour with Loop enabled. Then separately test leaving and returning to the scene, with restart-on-active set as you intend to use it. Changing both controls at once makes it harder to know which behaviour came from which option.
For an always-on stream, consider what you want during scene changes. A short transition or temporary scene switch may be meant to preserve playback position, or may be meant to restart a clip from its opening. Choose restart-on-active for that re-entry decision, not as a substitute for Loop. Write down the intended result: “repeat at file end” and “start fresh when shown again” are separate requirements.
Check what happens at the end of playback
The Show nothing when playback ends option affects visibility after a file completes. If enabled, the source can disappear when it reaches the end. It does not enable looping and should not be used as a remedy for a file that needs to repeat.
This setting can make two different symptoms sound alike. One viewer may say “it stopped” because the image vanished. Another may mean the image froze on its last frame, or that audio ceased while the image remained. Observe the preview at the end and record exactly what changes: does the source disappear, remain on the final frame, return to its opening, or continue visually while the sound changes?
If the image disappears, inspect the end-of-playback visibility setting. If it remains on the last frame, that alone does not prove the file is looping; it may simply have finished and stayed visible. If it returns to the start, repetition is occurring even if some other part of the output behaves unexpectedly. Keep visibility and repetition as two separate checks.
Audio has its own observable paths. Ask whether OBS playback itself stops, whether the stream output loses sound, or whether only local audio monitoring is silent. These are not necessarily the same failure. A community discussion on the OBS Project forum describes a monitoring complaint involving a looped MP3 with embedded cover art. It is a narrow user report about monitoring, not evidence that cover art generally prevents Media Source from looping.
If the file is still playing for viewers but you cannot hear it on the monitoring device, investigate monitoring separately from the end-of-file control. An OBS forum thread is anecdotal context, not a general diagnosis. Likewise, if the source disappears precisely at completion, changing Loop may solve the repeat requirement while the visibility choice remains useful only if you want an empty scene at the end.
Verify VLC installation and architecture
VLC Video is available only when VLC is installed. OBS's documentation specifies that if you use 64-bit OBS, the VLC installation must also be 64-bit. If VLC Video is absent from the source menu, check installation and architecture before searching for Loop Playlist; changing a setting in Media Source will not make VLC Video appear.
First confirm whether OBS itself is 64-bit, then check that the installed VLC architecture matches when using 64-bit OBS. If you have just installed VLC, close and reopen OBS before checking the source list again. If VLC Video remains unavailable, review the current OBS guidance and the installation details for your operating system rather than guessing at an incompatible package.
Do not install VLC solely to fix a Media Source that already offers its own Loop setting. Installation is only relevant if your plan requires VLC Video or its supported media behaviour. The simplest troubleshooting path is to use the source type that fits the task and verify its own repeat control.
Once the source appears, test one file before loading the full playlist. Confirm it begins, reaches its end, and then behaves according to Loop Playlist. If you use several files, test the transition after the final item as well as the transitions between items. This makes it easier to distinguish a broken entry from a repeat setting that is simply off.
If the source type, repeat option, visibility option, and installation all look right but the failure remains, gather reproducible details instead of toggling unrelated controls. Record your OBS version, operating system, source type, exact property values, file container and codec (or audio format), and whether playback ends, the image disappears, or only monitoring changes. An OBS log and a short test file can help someone else understand the sequence.
For a 24/7 channel, a local OBS setup also means the computer and source remain part of your overnight failure path. If the specific pain is leaving the computer running, StreamNeo removes that particular task: you upload the video and connect the YouTube stream key, rather than keeping this OBS source playing on your own machine. That does not change the meaning of OBS loop settings or guarantee a particular outcome on YouTube.
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
Does restart-on-active make a Media Source loop?
No. It controls what happens when the source becomes active and visible in the current scene. For repeating the file after it finishes, enable Loop in Media Source properties.
Why does my source disappear when the video finishes?
Check Show nothing when playback ends. It controls visibility at completion, not whether playback repeats. If you want the video to start again, also verify the appropriate repeat setting for the source type.
Why can’t I find VLC Video in OBS?
OBS requires VLC to be installed for VLC Video to be available. OBS also specifies matching 64-bit VLC when using 64-bit OBS; check the current OBS documentation and your installed versions.
What information should I provide if Loop is already enabled?
Include your OBS version, operating system, source type, relevant property values, media format details, and an OBS log. Describe whether the file stops, the source disappears, the picture remains on its last frame, or only local monitoring loses sound.