For a video playlist that should repeat in OBS, add a VLC Video Source, put the files in its playlist and enable Loop Playlist. Then set Visibility Behaviour separately: the documented default is to stop when hidden and restart when visible, so looping alone does not keep playback progressing through a scene change.
Choose a continue or always-play behaviour only if it is available in your installed OBS version and suits the way you use scenes. If the source should start again from the beginning when you return to it, the default may be exactly what you want.
Add a VLC Video Source
In the scene where you want the playlist to appear, select the add-source control and choose VLC Video Source. Give the source a useful name, such as “Main music playlist” or “Night ambience”, so you can recognise it later in the Sources dock. If VLC Video Source is not offered, check that VLC is installed; the source does not appear without it.
Open the source properties and add the video files you want to play. VLC Video Source is designed for a playlist of media files. It is different from OBS’s built-in Media Source, whose documented setup is for one local file at a time. If you have multiple music videos for a continuous broadcast, this distinction matters: a single-file source’s Loop checkbox is not the playlist’s Loop Playlist control.
Before configuring visibility, confirm the source is in the scene you intend to use and that its eye icon is on. A source can be present in the scene but hidden. It can also be enabled yet covered by another source above it in the stack, such as a full-screen image or another video. The OBS guide to sources is useful background if you are still getting comfortable with scenes, source order and the preview.
Build the playlist and enable Loop Playlist
Add the files in the sequence you want them to play. The ordering in the VLC Video Source playlist determines which item plays first and what follows it, so check the list rather than relying on file names alone. For a devotional channel, for example, you might put an opening bhajan first, followed by the longer set, then a closing item before the playlist returns to the beginning.
In the source properties, enable Loop Playlist. OBS describes this setting as controlling whether the source should restart after it has run out of media files. The setting addresses the end of the whole list: after the final item finishes, the sequence can begin again. OBS’s Media Sources documentation documents the VLC Video Source controls, including Loop Playlist and Visibility Behaviour.
Do not confuse playlist looping with a source staying active while hidden. Loop Playlist applies at the end of the sequence; Visibility Behaviour applies when that source is not visible. If a playlist is stopped because you switched to a scene without it, Loop Playlist will not prevent that stop. You can find a broader workflow for selecting and arranging clips in this guide to multiple music videos in one continuous YouTube Live stream.
It is worth checking your list before you leave OBS running unattended. Remove accidental duplicates, confirm the intended order, and check that each item is the right version and has usable audio. A playlist that loops reliably can still repeat the wrong file or expose a blank interval if an entry is missing or unsuitable. The OBS controls determine playback behaviour; they do not check whether your source material is appropriate for your channel or whether you have the rights you need.
Understand what visibility changes
Visibility is about whether a source is shown in the current scene, not whether the playlist has reached its final item. Clicking the eye icon in the Sources dock hides or shows a source. Switching to a different scene can also make a source not visible if that scene does not contain it. OBS’s documentation says Visibility Behaviour controls whether playback continues, pauses or stops while the source is not visible.
For VLC Video Source, OBS documents the default as Stop when not visible, restart when visible. In practical terms, hiding the source interrupts playback; showing it again starts it over. That behaviour is separate from enabling Loop Playlist. The playlist may be set to loop at its end and still restart from the first item when you return to its scene.
This catches people who test only one part of the setup. You may play the list through to the last item and see it return to the first, then assume the channel will carry on through scene changes. But if the source is hidden before the list ends, the visibility setting determines what happens next. Think of the two controls as answering different questions: “What happens when the list ends?” and “What happens when I cannot see this source?”
Source order is a third, separate matter. A visible source can be obscured by another source above it. If playback seems absent in the preview, look at both the eye icon and the order of the sources before changing the playlist settings. The OBS sources guide explains source visibility and stacking order. For channel planning, organising video filenames for automatic playlist scheduling can help keep a collection easier to audit, though filenames do not replace checking the VLC playlist itself.
Choose what should happen while hidden
Open the VLC Video Source properties and look for Visibility Behaviour. Select the behaviour that matches the role of the source and the way you change scenes. Labels and options can vary by OBS version, so use the choices actually shown in your installed build. The documented purpose of the control is to choose whether a source continues, pauses or stops while not visible; do not assume a particular option is available without checking.
| Behaviour while hidden | What it suits | What to bear in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Stop, then restart when visible | A clip or playlist that should begin afresh whenever you return to the scene | Returning to the source can restart at the beginning rather than pick up where you left off. This is the documented default. |
| Pause while hidden | A source you want to hold rather than play through while another scene is shown | Confirm how your installed version resumes playback when you show it again. |
| Continue or always play, if offered | A playlist that should make progress while another scene is active | Playback continues out of view, which may use decoding resources. Check the result and position in your own scene workflow. |
There is no universally best choice. If your stream is a single scene containing a continuous devotional playlist, you may rarely hide the source, so the default may not cause a problem. If you routinely switch to a holding screen, announcements or a camera scene, decide whether the playlist should keep advancing underneath. For a 24/7 music channel, returning to the same point and returning to the start are different editorial choices, not merely technical details.
The exact position semantics of continue and pause should be checked in your installed OBS version. The official documentation establishes the continue/pause/stop distinction, but it does not promise identical playback-position behaviour across every version and workflow. Test the choice instead of relying on a label to answer every question.
This also determines how much of the operation depends on keeping your local OBS session active. If your goal is to play an uploaded file as a YouTube broadcast without leaving your own computer running, StreamNeo removes the specific burden of maintaining the local OBS session and checking whether the source remained active after a scene change; it is a YouTube-only route, not a way to control OBS scene visibility.
Check VLC installation and matching architecture
VLC Video Source requires VLC to be installed. If it is missing from the Add Source menu, install VLC and restart OBS before checking again. OBS’s media source instructions state that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Matching the architecture is a straightforward first check if VLC is installed but the source still does not appear.
Check which OBS build you have and install the corresponding VLC build. Do not assume that because VLC opens independently, OBS can necessarily use it as the VLC Video Source dependency. If the source remains missing, verify both applications’ architecture and consult the current OBS documentation for your operating system and version.
This requirement applies to the VLC Video Source, not every way of playing media in OBS. The built-in Media Source can play a single local file with its own settings. That may be sufficient for one clip, but it does not turn a collection of files into the same VLC playlist workflow. If you are using a sequence of still images rather than videos, OBS has a separate Image Slide Show source with its own loop and visibility controls. Its defaults should not be assumed to match those for VLC Video Source; see OBS’s Image Sources documentation.
Verify playback across scene changes
Test the setup in the preview before using it for a long broadcast. First start the playlist and confirm that the first item appears and its audio is audible. Let the list reach its final file and check that it returns to the first item. That verifies Loop Playlist, but not hidden-source behaviour.
Next, hide the source with its eye icon or switch to a scene that does not show it. Wait long enough to distinguish the selected behaviour, then return to the source. With the documented default, expect playback to have stopped while hidden and to restart when visible. If you selected pause or a continue/always-play option, observe whether playback paused or progressed and where it resumes. This is a practical local check, not a guarantee about every later OBS release or every media file.
Repeat the test with the actual scene changes you plan to use. For example, switch from your main playlist scene to a holding slate and back, then switch to any secondary scene that shares the same source. A source included in multiple scenes may be visible in one and absent in another; check the real setup rather than only clicking the eye icon. Confirm that the preview shows the expected source, not a different layer covering it.
If it restarts unexpectedly, first inspect Visibility Behaviour. If the list does not repeat after its final item, check Loop Playlist in the VLC Video Source properties. If nothing appears, check the source’s eye icon, its stacking order and whether the VLC dependency is installed with the right architecture. Change one thing at a time, then repeat the same preview test so you can tell which setting affected the result.
For an overnight or all-day channel, the preview check should include the transitions you actually expect to make, not just a short initial playback. OBS settings are one part of a reliable broadcast: your computer must remain available, the media must play, and the live connection must continue. If you are considering whether to keep that work on a local machine, how to stream a Marathi devotional playlist all day covers a related channel workflow. Check current official guidance for YouTube Live requirements as well; OBS visibility settings cannot confirm that your broadcast or content meets YouTube’s current policies.
Alternatives and when to use them
For one video that should repeat, the built-in Media Source may be a simpler fit than a VLC playlist. It has a single-file Loop control and a separate setting for restarting playback when a source becomes active. Those are not the same controls as VLC Video Source’s playlist loop and visibility behaviour. Choose based on whether you need one file or an ordered sequence, then test how your chosen source responds when hidden.
For a sequence of still images, use Image Slide Show rather than treating each image as a video playlist entry. It has its own Loop and Visibility Behaviour settings, with documented defaults that differ from the video playlist behaviour. Keep source type and source settings aligned with the material you are actually showing.
A community add-on called Media Playlist Source is another possible route for people who need its particular playlist features. Its OBS forum listing describes editing a playlist without restarting playback, retaining the current file across OBS restarts and shuffle. These are claims in the listing, not a guarantee for your setup. Check the current release notes, compatibility with your OBS version and operating system, and installation instructions before relying on it for a continuous channel. An add-on adds another dependency to maintain, so it is not automatically a better choice than the built-in VLC source.
For a fixed playlist and straightforward scene workflow, start with OBS’s built-in controls and verify them. If the workflow depends on playlist editing during playback or another feature the built-in source does not provide, investigate the add-on carefully and test it before a live session. The right choice depends on the job, not on a general claim that one source type is best for everyone.
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 make an OBS playlist loop continuously?
Use VLC Video Source for a multi-file playlist, add the files in the desired order and enable Loop Playlist in its properties. Then test the end of the list in the preview to confirm it returns to the first item. Loop Playlist does not determine what happens while the source is hidden.
Why does my OBS playlist restart when I show the source?
The documented VLC Video Source default is Stop when not visible, restart when visible. If you hide the source or change to a scene where it is absent, playback stops and showing it again restarts it. Check Visibility Behaviour and select a different available behaviour if that better fits your workflow.
Will an OBS playlist keep playing when the source is hidden?
Not with the documented default: it stops while hidden and restarts when visible. The Visibility Behaviour control is intended to choose whether playback continues, pauses or stops while the source is not visible. Check the options in your installed version and verify the behaviour with a scene-change test.
Why is VLC Video Source missing from Add Source?
VLC must be installed for VLC Video Source to appear. OBS’s guide also says that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC, so check that the applications’ architectures match and restart OBS after installing VLC.