If a Wirecast media playlist stops after its last video, set the playlist’s end behaviour to Loop so it returns to its first shot. If the final video itself stops at its endpoint, set that clip’s separate Source Properties → When Finished option to Loop as well.
These controls affect different things: one restarts the playlist, while the other governs an individual video source. Set the one that matches the symptom, then test the whole playlist through the ending before relying on it overnight. The exact control location can vary by Wirecast version and platform, so check the guide that matches your installation.
Identify whether the playlist or clip stopped
Start by watching what happens at the final item. Does the playlist return to its first shot, remain on the last shot, or does the final video reach its end and freeze on a frame? Those outcomes point to different settings. A playlist can have its own end behaviour, and a video source within it can also have its own behaviour when playback finishes.
A useful first test is to run the playlist while watching the transition from the last item. If the list stops on its final shot rather than moving back to the beginning, inspect the playlist end control. If the list reaches its final video and that video freezes, inspect that source’s When Finished option. Both settings may matter when the final playlist item is a video.
Do not infer that the playlist setting necessarily overrides the video source’s endpoint. The Wirecast 16.3 Windows guide describes both controls separately. A good diagnosis treats them as two related questions: what should happen after the whole playlist ends, and what should happen when this particular clip ends?
Before changing anything, note which shot or source is selected and what the current settings are. If you are managing a continuous channel, record the intended order and endpoint behaviour somewhere outside Wirecast. That makes it easier to restore the setup if an edit changes the wrong item. For a broader workflow involving a changing lineup, see how to switch videos without ending a 24/7 YouTube live stream.
Set the playlist end behaviour to Loop
Select the playlist shot and locate its playlist behaviour control. Choose Loop for the playlist’s end behaviour. In Telestream’s Wirecast 16.3 Users Guide for Windows, Loop sends playback back to the first shot and continues the sequence. The Wirecast 16.3 Windows guide describes the control under Playlist Controls.
Think of this setting as the instruction for what to do after the last shot in the list. If the sequence is A, B, C, the playlist-level Loop action takes playback back to A after C. It does not mean that every individual clip in the list will replay from its own beginning whenever it reaches its endpoint. That is why a playlist can appear to have a looping setting and still show a final video that has stopped on its last frame.
Control placement and labels can differ between versions and operating systems. The cited guide covers Wirecast 16.3 for Windows, not every release or platform. Telestream’s Wirecast documentation index is the sensible place to find the documentation for your version. Follow the matching guide rather than assuming that a menu is in precisely the same place.
After selecting Loop, verify that you changed the playlist control rather than the source control for one clip. Then play through at least one full cycle and observe whether the first shot starts again after the last shot. If the list returns to the beginning but the final video behaves unexpectedly while it is still playing, investigate that clip separately.
Set the final clip’s When Finished behaviour
If the last playlist item is a video and it reaches its end before the sequence behaves as you intend, select that video source and open Source Properties. Set When Finished to Loop when you want that video to replay from its beginning at its own endpoint. The guide’s distinction matters: this setting describes the source, not the sequence of shots.
The two controls can be set to Loop together when you want a playlist to cycle through its shots and want its final video to repeat rather than sit on its last frame. The source-level setting is particularly important when you are testing the final item and it appears to stop there. Changing the playlist’s setting alone does not establish what that source should do at its own endpoint.
Consider a devotional channel with an opening visual, several bhajan videos, and a final long video. If the intention is for the sequence to return to the opening visual, set the playlist to Loop. If the final video should also replay when it ends, set that clip’s When Finished to Loop. If it is intended to remain on a final image, use Hold for that source instead, and choose the playlist behaviour that matches what should happen after the full list ends.
This is also a useful point to check the source itself. Confirm you selected the intended final video, not an adjacent shot or a duplicate source elsewhere in the production. A setting applied to the wrong clip can make the configuration look correct at a glance while leaving the actual final item unchanged.
Know what Loop and Hold do
Loop and Hold describe actions at an endpoint, but their scope depends on where you set them. Playlist behaviour applies to the list of shots. When Finished applies to an individual media source. A playlist Loop returns to the first shot; a source Loop repeats that source. Hold leaves the relevant playback at its endpoint rather than starting the relevant sequence or clip again.
| Control | Scope | Loop does this | Hold does this |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playlist end behaviour | The sequence of playlist shots | Returns to the first shot after the last shot | Leaves the playlist on its last shot |
| Source Properties → When Finished | One video source | Repeats that video when it reaches its endpoint | Leaves the video on its last frame |
The table is about the actions described in Telestream’s Wirecast 16.3 Windows guide. It is not a promise that every release presents the options in the same place. For source-level behaviour, the manual specifically distinguishes a video clip’s end from the playlist’s end. Setting both the playlist and the final video to Hold is how to remain on the final clip’s last frame, rather than cycling back or replaying the video.
Choose according to the viewing experience you want. For a rotating nature or study channel, returning to the start of the sequence may be appropriate. For a short announcement followed by a closing visual, holding on a final frame may be the intended finish. If that closing visual is itself a video, decide whether it should stop on its final frame or replay; that choice belongs to the source’s When Finished behaviour.
If you are building a longer sequence from several files, the principle is the same whether the material is music, ambient scenes, news items or lessons. The playlist decides what happens after the last shot. Each video source decides what happens when that video ends. For planning a continuous music lineup, how to create an always-on music channel on YouTube covers the wider channel workflow, while this article focuses on Wirecast’s playback endpoints.
Check the installed version before trusting a menu path
The procedural example here comes from the Wirecast 16.3 Windows User Guide. Telestream’s documentation covers guides for different releases and platforms, so do not treat a Windows menu location as a universal click path. Check the guide for the edition you have installed, particularly if you use Wirecast on macOS or an interface from a later release.
This distinction is practical, not merely editorial. A control can retain the same purpose while appearing in a different panel, or a particular build may handle media playback differently. If you cannot find Playlist Controls or When Finished where the cited guide describes them, consult the matching documentation rather than changing unrelated source or shot options at random.
If the settings appear right but playback still behaves unexpectedly, note the exact Wirecast version and consult its release notes. Telestream’s version information page and version-specific notes are useful for this check. Research for this article found that Wirecast 16.4.1 included fixes concerning hold behaviour with media files and a black frame during a media-file loop or transition. That history is a reason to check your build; it is not proof that an older or newer version is the cause of your particular issue.
Keep a short record of the version, the selected playlist setting, the final source’s setting, and what the test showed. If you need help from a colleague or support, those details make the report more useful than saying simply that “the playlist doesn’t loop”. Do not assume that a release note describes your symptom exactly; use it as a lead for checking the relevant version and behaviour.
Test the full playlist through its end
A setting visible in a properties panel is not proof that the complete sequence behaves as intended. Test the playlist from its first shot through the final item and watch the endpoint. If the intended result is a full playlist cycle, confirm that playback goes from the last shot to the first. If the final clip must repeat while the playlist is still on that shot, also observe that clip’s own endpoint.
For a practical test, write down the expected result before pressing play. For example: “After the final video ends, this video should replay, and when the playlist completes it should return to the opening shot.” This phrasing forces you to consider both levels. If instead the expected result is to hold on a closing frame, state that clearly and configure both the playlist and final source to Hold when that matches the desired finish.
Let the test run long enough to reach the actual endpoint. Scrubbing near the end or checking a short middle section does not show what Wirecast will do when the final frame is reached. If the final video is long, plan the test when you can observe it without interrupting other work. Make the test in the production setup you intend to use, with the same playlist and sources, rather than a separate simplified example that may not have the same settings.
After making a change, change one setting at a time and repeat the relevant part of the test. If both controls are changed simultaneously and the result changes, you may know the new combination works, but not which earlier setting caused the symptom. When troubleshooting under time pressure, the combined intended configuration may be enough; for a reliable handover, testing each level separately gives you a clearer record.
A continuous YouTube channel also needs its source material and sequence to be ready. If you are combining multiple episodes or segments, the guide to combining cartoon episodes into one 24/7 YouTube stream is relevant to preparing the lineup. Before leaving a channel unattended, confirm that the correct playlist is active, the final item is the expected one, and the endpoint action matches the viewing experience you want. No loop setting substitutes for checking the content and stream itself.
For a channel run from a personal computer, the broader problem may be keeping that computer on and dealing with playback interruptions after setup. StreamNeo can remove that specific need to leave your own computer running by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube live stream, with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It does not change Wirecast’s playlist or clip behaviour, so configure and test those controls if Wirecast is the playback tool you are using.
When you have confirmed the endpoint behaviour, keep the settings alongside a simple operating note: which sequence is meant to play, whether the final clip repeats or holds, and which first shot should follow the playlist’s end. That is useful if someone else takes over, if you revise the order, or if a future update changes the interface. For continuing or replacing material without ending a broadcast, refer to the relevant workflow and test it separately from the playlist loop.
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FAQ
Does playlist Loop make the final video repeat?
No. Playlist Loop returns the sequence to its first shot after its last shot. A video source has a separate Source Properties → When Finished setting, so set that to Loop too if you want the final video to replay at its own endpoint.
What should I set if I want the channel to finish on the final frame?
Set the playlist end behaviour to Hold so the playlist remains on its last shot. If that final shot is a video and you want it to remain on its last frame, set that source’s When Finished behaviour to Hold as well.
Why do the instructions not match my Wirecast screen?
The detailed steps in this article are grounded in the Wirecast 16.3 Windows guide, and control placement may differ in other versions or on another platform. Find the guide for your installed release through Telestream’s documentation index and verify the setting there.
What if Loop and Hold are set correctly but playback still looks wrong?
Confirm that you changed the playlist control and the intended final video source, then test through the complete endpoint rather than judging from the middle of playback. If it still behaves unexpectedly, check the release notes for your installed version and record the version and exact result when seeking support.