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How to Add Videos to an OBS Playlist Without Stopping a YouTube Stream

By Freedom251 Team · · 4 min read

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You can add videos to an OBS playlist while a YouTube stream is live, but the built-in VLC Video Source is not documented to guarantee that edits preserve the video currently playing. For in-place playlist changes, the OBS Media Playlist Source plugin says it can make edits without restarting playback. That is a plugin feature claim, not a guarantee that every edit—or the YouTube broadcast itself—will remain uninterrupted.

Choose a playlist method before editing live

OBS has a built-in VLC Video Source for playlist playback. The OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation says it can create a playlist, but does not promise that adding or reordering items during playback leaves the current video untouched. The separate Media Playlist Source plugin lists editing without restarting the current video as a feature.

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Option What is established What to check
VLC Video Source, built into OBS OBS documents playlist playback and settings such as loop and shuffle. In-place editing that preserves current playback is not promised in the official documentation.
Media Playlist Source plugin The plugin listing says edits, including reordering, can be made without restarting the video. Check the current release, OBS compatibility, and the behavior of your specific edit before relying on it live.

Set up the built-in VLC Video Source

  1. Install VLC. The OBS source requires VLC to be installed. Match the VLC architecture to OBS: for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
  2. Add the source. In your OBS scene, click the + under Sources and choose VLC Video Source. Create or select the source, then add the video files to its playlist.
  3. Set playback behavior. Configure options such as looping and shuffle to suit the stream. Review what happens when the source is not visible in the scene; visibility behavior can affect playback.
  4. Check the result before going live. Test adding, removing, and reordering items while a video is playing. Observe whether the current video continues, restarts, or advances, and confirm that the playlist order is what you expect.

OBS distinguishes a Media Source from a VLC Video Source: the latter supports a playlist. The official Media Sources guide does not describe a dependable live-edit workflow that preserves the active video.

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Use the Media Playlist Source plugin for in-place edits

The OBS forum resource listing for Media Playlist Source says it allows playlist editing without restarting the video, including when files are reordered. The listing shows version 0.1.3, last updated 2025-04-13, and states that versions from 0.1.0 require OBS 31 or later.

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  1. Verify compatibility first. Open the plugin’s resource listing and check its current version and OBS requirements. Do not assume that the listed version or compatibility details remain current.
  2. Install the plugin using its current instructions. The resource page is the authoritative place to check the supported installation process for the version you choose.
  3. Add its source to your scene and configure the playlist. Confirm the sequence and playback behavior with your actual media files.
  4. Test the edit you intend to make. While a video is playing, add or reorder an item and watch for a playback reset. The listing describes the intended behavior; it is not an independently verified guarantee for every setup.

Keep playback continuity separate from broadcast continuity

Two different things can be interrupted: the video playing inside the OBS source, and the outgoing YouTube live broadcast. A source reset does not by itself prove that YouTube has ended the broadcast, and an uninterrupted broadcast does not prove that the current video kept playing.

OBS community forum threads include reports of media restarting and playlist-file updates behaving inconsistently. Those are individual reports, not controlled tests, and do not establish what will happen on every system or whether YouTube disconnects when a source changes. Test both outcomes separately before making a playlist edit during a public stream.

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Avoid relying on an overwritten playlist file without testing

In a forum discussion about updating a VLC playlist used by OBS, one user reported that a saved replacement sometimes appeared in live playback and sometimes required restarting OBS or YouTube. A two-scene workaround was also suggested, but the person suggesting it was unsure whether it would work. Treat file replacement and scene-switch approaches as unverified for your setup: try them in a private or otherwise low-risk test stream before depending on them.

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Troubleshoot a live playlist edit

  • The VLC Video Source does not appear or play files: Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. Then reopen the source and check the playlist entries.
  • The current video restarts after an edit: The built-in source documentation does not promise playback-preserving edits. Test the Media Playlist Source plugin’s stated in-place editing behavior, after verifying compatibility.
  • A changed playlist file does not update consistently: Do not assume OBS will reload an overwritten file in the way you expect. Test the exact save-and-update sequence before using it during a public broadcast.
  • The source changes but you do not know whether YouTube stayed live: Check the OBS output and YouTube’s live status independently. Source playback and broadcast connection are separate signals.
  • A plugin instruction or setting differs from what you see: Recheck the plugin’s current listing and requirements; the version details cited here may have changed.
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Or let it run in the cloud

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livestreamingOBSOBS pluginsVLC Video SourceYouTube Live

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