To keep OBS audio playing after a single file ends, open its Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist, use a VLC Video Source and leave Loop Playlist enabled. These settings repeat the audio; they do not automatically end the livestream when the playlist finishes.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Setting | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| One local audio or video file | Media Source | Loop | Loop is off by default. |
| Several local files in sequence | VLC Video Source | Loop Playlist | VLC must be installed; hidden-source behavior can affect playback. |
OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes the Loop and Loop Playlist controls. Its Sources Guide explains that sources are added to scenes. Menu wording and placement may differ by OBS version, so use the source’s Properties window in your installed version.
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Loop one audio file with Media Source
- In the OBS scene where the radio audio should play, go to Sources and select +.
- Choose Media Source, create a new source or select an existing one, then choose the audio file in its properties.
- Enable Loop and apply the change.
- Start playback and let the file reach its end. It should begin again rather than stop.
Use this when your radio stream repeats one recording. If the source remains in the scene but you cannot hear it, check that it is not muted in the OBS mixer and that the file plays correctly on its own.
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- Install VLC Media Player if it is not already installed. OBS will not offer VLC Video Source without VLC; OBS documents that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- In the scene, select Sources → + → VLC Video Source. Create or select a source.
- In the source properties, add the files to the playlist in the order you want them played.
- Confirm that Loop Playlist is enabled, then apply the settings.
- Start playback and allow the final playlist file to finish. The playlist should restart from its beginning.
OBS documents Loop Playlist as on by default. Still, check it in the source properties if playback stops at the last track or if someone has changed the source configuration.
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Check what happens when the source is hidden
A playlist can appear to stop when you switch scenes or hide its source. In the VLC Video Source properties, inspect Visibility Behaviour. OBS documents this control as determining whether playback continues, pauses, or stops while the source is not visible. Choose the behavior that fits your scene setup, and keep the source visible in the active scene if you want uninterrupted playback.
Looping media does not end the livestream
Repeating a file or playlist controls media playback, not the YouTube broadcast itself. An OBS forum moderator, FerretBomb, answered in a community thread that OBS had no built-in way to auto-end a stream when a playlist finished. That is a dated forum response rather than an official specification; do not assume that enabling or disabling a loop will automatically stop your live broadcast.
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If your goal is uninterrupted radio, enable looping. If your goal is to end the broadcast at a particular time, plan to stop it separately rather than relying on the playlist reaching its end.
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Troubleshooting a playlist that still stops
- VLC Video Source is missing: Install VLC. If OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC.
- Playback ends after the last track: Open the VLC Video Source properties and confirm Loop Playlist is enabled.
- Playback stops after a scene switch: Check Visibility Behaviour and whether the source is visible in the active scene.
- One file does not repeat: If you used Media Source, open its properties and enable Loop; that option is off by default.
- You expected the YouTube live broadcast to end with the playlist: Playlist looping and broadcast stopping are separate tasks. Stop the broadcast using your normal streaming controls.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
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