In OBS, enable Loop on the sleep-music audio source so the file starts again when it finishes. That keeps the audio repeating while OBS is running; it does not keep an OBS-originated broadcast running while the OBS application is closed or restarting. OBS’s Automatic Reconnect addresses stream connection interruptions, not continuity while the application itself is stopped.
To reduce disruption, set up the looping source, understand what reconnect can and cannot do, and test how your streaming platform handles an encoder restart before relying on it overnight. If your stream is on YouTube and you want it to run independently of your computer, see the cloud option below.
Set sleep music to loop in OBS
For one long audio file, add it as a Media Source and enable its Loop option. OBS documents common audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. The loop takes effect when playback reaches the end of the file; it does not protect the broadcast if OBS stops. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources guide (published January 11, 2022) for source details.
- Add a Media Source. In the Sources panel, select the plus button and choose Media Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
- Choose the audio file. In the source properties, select the local file you want to play.
- Enable Loop. Check Loop so playback begins again when the file ends, then apply the properties.
- Confirm playback. Start the source and check that its audio level appears in the OBS audio mixer. Test through the end of the track if practical, to verify it starts again.
Use a playlist instead of one audio file
For a playlist, OBS’s VLC Video source supports playlists and includes a Loop Playlist setting, enabled by default in the OBS documentation. VLC must be installed for the source to be available; if you use 64-bit OBS, the guide specifies 64-bit VLC. The documented source requirements and behavior are in the OBS Media Sources guide.
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- Install VLC if needed. Match its architecture to OBS: 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- Add the source. In OBS’s Sources panel, select the plus button and choose VLC Video.
- Build the playlist. Add the audio files to the playlist in the source properties.
- Check Loop Playlist. It is enabled by default according to OBS’s guide; verify the setting is still on, then test the playlist’s end-to-start transition.
Choose Media Source for a single file and VLC Video for a playlist. The documentation establishes these functions, but does not establish that one is more reliable than the other across different OBS releases or streaming platforms.
What happens when OBS restarts?
When OBS is shut down or restarting, its media source is not playing from the running OBS process. Looping only repeats the file while the source is active. Whether viewers see the existing broadcast resume, end, or require a new start depends on the streaming platform and its handling of an encoder disconnect; the platform is not specified here, so no single outcome or exact recovery sequence can be promised.
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OBS lists Configure Automatic Reconnect among its Advanced settings. Treat it as a stream-connection recovery setting, not evidence that output continues while OBS itself is stopped. The OBS Studio Overview Guide documents the setting, but does not settle how a particular platform handles an OBS process restart.
Prepare a restart recovery plan
- Identify your platform and OBS release. Check the platform’s authoritative help documentation for what happens to a broadcast when its encoder disconnects and reconnects. Exact behavior and steps vary; the evidence here does not establish them for any named platform.
- Enable and test Automatic Reconnect. In OBS, locate the Advanced settings and configure the reconnect option for connection interruptions. Confirm what it does in a controlled test, without assuming it covers a full application restart.
- Test the actual restart path. With a non-critical stream or private test setup, observe what viewers see when OBS is closed and reopened. Verify whether the platform accepts the reconnect, whether the broadcast remains available, and whether you must start streaming again.
- Keep a recovery checklist nearby. Record the steps that worked for your platform and OBS release, including how to reopen the scene and start output. Do not rely on an untested script or setting for overnight continuity.
Can OBS automation restart sources or scenes?
OBS WebSocket gives external tools a way to control or automate scenes and sources. OBS says WebSocket integration is built in by default starting with OBS Studio 28, and recommends protecting the interface with a password. See the OBS Remote Control Guide (published April 18, 2023).
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Automation may help operate OBS, but the existence of a control interface does not establish that a broadcast remains uninterrupted during an OBS process restart. Any scripted recovery needs to be tested against both your OBS release and the streaming platform’s disconnect behavior. Protect WebSocket access with a password, and do not expose it without appropriate security.
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If your sleep-music stream is on YouTube, StreamNeo can loop uploaded recordings from the cloud instead of relying on OBS running on your computer. The setup is: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free day.
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Troubleshooting
- The track ends instead of repeating. Check that Loop is enabled on the Media Source, or Loop Playlist is enabled for VLC Video. These settings repeat media after playback completes; they do not resolve an OBS shutdown.
- VLC Video is missing. Install VLC. For 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC, as specified in the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Automatic Reconnect does not restore the broadcast after a restart. Reconnect is a stream-connection setting, not proof of continuity while OBS is stopped. Check your platform’s documented encoder-disconnect behavior and test the complete restart workflow.
- A script can control OBS, but viewers still lose the stream. WebSocket can automate scenes and sources; it does not by itself establish uninterrupted output. Test the script with the platform, and verify which recovery actions require manual intervention.
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