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24/7 streaming

How to Use OBS Scene Playlists for a 24/7 YouTube Stream

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To run a repeating video playlist in OBS, add a VLC Video Source to a scene, load the files in order, and enable Loop Playlist. That repeats videos inside one scene. To rotate among different OBS scenes, use an automation plugin such as Advanced Scene Switcher; OBS does not have a single built-in feature called “scene playlist.” This guide covers both setups and connecting the result to YouTube Live.

Choose what you mean by an OBS “scene playlist”

There are two different jobs people may mean by this phrase: replaying a list of media files in one scene, or switching between several scenes in sequence. Pick the first setup for a loop of lectures, songs, or prerecorded segments that share one layout. Add scene automation if each part needs a different OBS layout or source arrangement.

Approach Best for What it does Main tradeoff
VLC Video Source playlist Repeating multiple video or audio files in one scene Plays multiple items, with loop and shuffle controls VLC must be installed; changing scenes is a separate task.
OBS Media Source Repeating one media file Plays a single file with a Loop option It does not provide the documented multi-item playlist behavior of VLC Video Source.
Advanced Scene Switcher Moving among scenes or automating actions Uses macros that pair conditions with actions Requires plugin compatibility checks and configuration.

Loop a playlist of videos in one OBS scene

1. Install VLC with the matching architecture

Install VLC before setting up the source. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC; otherwise, the VLC Video Source may not appear in the source list.

2. Add the playlist source

  1. In OBS, create or select the scene that should show the videos.
  2. In the Sources dock, select + and add VLC Video Source.
  3. Open the source’s properties and add the media files in the order you want them to play.
  4. Enable Loop Playlist to repeat the sequence. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed order; turn it on if you want randomized playback.

3. Decide what happens when the source is hidden

The OBS reference lists stop/restart as the default visibility behavior. Check the source’s visibility behavior and choose whether it should pause, continue, or stop when hidden, based on how your scenes are arranged. Test by hiding and showing the scene: confirm that playback resumes or restarts as intended, rather than producing a blank interval or an unexpected jump.

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Rotate between OBS scenes with Advanced Scene Switcher

A VLC playlist cycles through files; it does not move between OBS scenes. For scene rotation, Advanced Scene Switcher lets you create macros made of conditions and actions. A timed rotation can use a condition that a scene has been active for a chosen duration and an action that switches to the next scene.

  1. Install a compatible Advanced Scene Switcher release for your operating system and OBS build.
  2. In the plugin, create a macro for each transition. Set a condition, such as the current scene having been active for a chosen duration, and an action that switches to the next scene.
  3. For transitions tied to media playback rather than elapsed time, choose an appropriate media condition and test how it behaves with your selected source.
  4. Define the final transition back to the first scene, or use a recurring trigger. Without that return step, the sequence stops at the last scene.
  5. Save a copy of your OBS profile or settings before changing automation, then preview the complete cycle.

The Advanced Scene Switcher release listing reports version 1.36.1, dated August 7, 2026, with minimum OBS Studio version 31.1.1 and Windows, macOS, and Linux listed. Check the listing against your installed OBS build before installing; plugin compatibility can change between releases.

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Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live.
  2. Open the Stream tab and create a stream if you do not already have one.
  3. In OBS streaming settings, enter the YouTube Live server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Studio.
  4. Before starting the encoder, check that OBS is connected to the intended stream and that the stream’s visibility settings are correct.

YouTube says prior stream settings, including the stream key, may load again in a later session. Still verify the selected stream and key before going live, especially if you manage more than one broadcast.

Prepare a 24/7 broadcast for the long run

  • Test the whole loop: Confirm that videos play in the intended order, the scene sequence returns to its start, and transitions have no unintended blank gaps.
  • Check audio and visibility behavior: Preview scene changes and verify that media resumes, continues, or restarts as you intended after a scene is hidden and shown again.
  • Plan recordings separately: YouTube’s documentation says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. It does not promise automatic archiving for streams lasting 12 hours or longer, so do not rely on a 24-hour broadcast being saved automatically. Consider local recording and a deliberate restart or segmentation policy, and verify YouTube’s current behavior.
  • Stay within YouTube’s simultaneous-stream limits: YouTube’s published limits, checked October 3, 2026, are 10 active streams per channel and 3 per stream key; both limits apply at the same time.
  • Use material you have the rights to stream: Follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, and make sure your channel is entitled to broadcast every video and audio item in the playlist.

Troubleshooting OBS playlist and scene rotation problems

  • VLC Video Source is missing: Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS. For 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC.
  • The playlist stops after the last file: Check that Loop Playlist is enabled. Shuffle is a separate setting and does not make a playlist repeat.
  • Files play in an unexpected order: Turn off Shuffle Playlist for a fixed sequence and review the order of items in the source properties.
  • A scene does not switch: Check that the macro’s condition is being met, its action points to the intended next scene, and the plugin is compatible with your OBS version.
  • The sequence runs once but does not restart: Add an explicit last-scene-to-first-scene transition or a recurring trigger.
  • Playback jumps or stops after switching scenes: Review the source’s visibility behavior, then test the complete hide-and-show cycle before broadcasting.
  • The YouTube broadcast uses the wrong stream: Verify the selected YouTube Studio stream and the server URL and stream key entered in OBS before starting the encoder.
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Or let it run in the cloud

If you do not want a computer and OBS to stay on at home, StreamNeo keeps a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded video from the cloud; it does not broadcast from a camera.

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