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Freedom251 › Blog › Advanced Scene Switcher

How to Make an OBS Playlist Rotation Resume at the Next Scheduled Block After a Reboot

By Freedom251 Team · · 6 min read

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To resume the block that should be playing now—not merely the file that was playing before shutdown—have the operating system reopen OBS, start Advanced Scene Switcher with OBS, and use date/time conditions to select the scene or media source assigned to the current schedule window. This approach combines documented plugin features, but a ready-made, tested macro for an unspecified schedule is not documented. Plan and test your own schedule logic, especially its time zone, boundaries, and gaps.

What “resume” means in an OBS rotation

There are two different goals after a reboot:

  • Continue the same playlist item: restore the file that was active before OBS closed.
  • Start the block scheduled for now: account for the time OBS was offline, skip blocks that have passed, and select the block whose schedule window includes the current time.

OBS’s built-in playback options and playlist persistence can help with the first goal. For schedule-aware recovery, use Advanced Scene Switcher date/time conditions to map the current time to the appropriate scene or media source. Those are distinct problems and require different configuration.

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Choose how each block is represented

One file per block: Media Source

OBS Media Source handles a single file. Its “Restart playback when source becomes active” property is on by default, so activating a source can restart its media. That setting does not choose which scheduled block is due. See the OBS Project Knowledge Base: Media Sources.

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A list of files: VLC Video

OBS’s built-in VLC Video source supports a playlist, ordered or shuffled playback, playlist looping, and visibility behavior. VLC must be installed for the source to appear, and 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. These are playback controls, not documented logic for selecting the block that should be active after downtime. The OBS Knowledge Base page covering these sources is dated January 11, 2022; consult it alongside the documentation for your installed OBS version.

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Restore the same item: Media Playlist Source

The community Media Playlist Source resource says it saves the currently playing file so it will play when OBS restarts, and it offers a choice to play either the first file or the current file after restart. This can suit continuity of the same playlist item, but the documented behavior does not calculate which scheduled block should be active now. The resource page lists version 0.1.3, updated April 13, 2025. Check the release’s compatibility with your OBS build before installing it: Media Playlist Source on the OBS Forums.

Set up schedule-aware recovery after a reboot

1. Define the schedule before configuring macros

Write down every block’s start and end time and the time zone the schedule uses. Decide what should happen if there is a gap, if two blocks overlap, or if OBS starts exactly at a boundary. Use one consistent boundary rule—for example, a block is active from its start time up to, but not including, its end time—so only one block is selected at a transition. The correct policy depends on your schedule; there is no universal set of macro values.

2. Build the OBS scenes or media sources

Decide whether each block maps to its own scene, its own Media Source, or a playlist. Give scenes and sources clear names that match the schedule. For each time window, identify exactly what OBS should activate and what should happen to the prior block. If a block uses a single Media Source, account for its default restart-on-active behavior when a scene or source is activated.

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3. Map the current time to the correct block

Install Advanced Scene Switcher and create date/time conditions for the schedule windows. For each window, configure an action to select its assigned scene or media. The plugin documents date/time conditions and scene, media, and macro actions; its Macro Schedule feature is intended to schedule macro actions for a date and time. These capabilities provide building blocks, not a verified, ready-made macro design for your particular rotation. Review the plugin’s current documentation and version notes before relying on a specific configuration:

The OBS Forums listing showed version 1.36.1, updated August 7, 2026, with OBS 31.1.1 as the minimum supported version and Windows, macOS, and Linux support. Plugin versions change, so confirm the current release and compatibility with your installed OBS before proceeding.

4. Start the switcher when OBS opens

Set Advanced Scene Switcher’s startup behavior so the plugin runs after OBS opens. The plugin’s available choices include always starting it or starting it if it had been running previously. This setting starts the switcher inside OBS; it does not launch OBS itself. The plugin’s startup choices are documented in its English locale strings.

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5. Configure the operating system to relaunch OBS

Separately, configure your operating system or boot process to start OBS after a reboot. The exact procedure depends on your operating system and how OBS was installed, so use the appropriate current OS instructions. Verify that OBS opens the intended profile and scene collection, that Advanced Scene Switcher starts, and that the schedule logic can evaluate the current time. A plugin startup option alone cannot relaunch a closed application.

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6. Test boundaries, downtime, and gaps

Before depending on automatic recovery, simulate restarts at more than one point in the rotation. Include a time in the middle of a block, a schedule boundary, and a gap if your schedule has one. Confirm that the intended scene or source is selected and that both video and audio begin as expected. These are validation steps for your configuration, not a claim that a particular macro setup has been tested for every schedule.

What each option does—and does not—recover

Need Relevant documented feature What it does not establish
Restart one file when its source becomes active OBS Media Source’s “Restart playback when source becomes active” setting, on by default Choosing among blocks according to the current schedule time
Play a list in order or loop it OBS VLC Video playlist source Which playlist block is due after downtime
Restore the playlist’s current file after an OBS restart Media Playlist Source current-file persistence Selecting the next scheduled block based on elapsed downtime
Select the block scheduled for the current time Advanced Scene Switcher date/time conditions with scene, media, or macro actions A ready-made, tested macro for a schedule that has not been specified
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Common recovery problems

OBS opens, but the old block keeps playing

Check that Advanced Scene Switcher is running, its startup behavior is configured, and the macro conditions cover the current time. A playlist’s saved current item is not a substitute for selecting a schedule window.

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The wrong block is selected near a transition

Review the time zone, start and end boundaries, and whether conditions overlap. Make the windows mutually exclusive and define what happens at an exact boundary.

OBS starts, but the plugin does not

Check the plugin’s OBS startup choice and confirm that the installed plugin release supports your OBS version. Starting OBS at boot and starting the plugin inside OBS are separate requirements.

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The VLC Video source is missing

Confirm VLC is installed. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as required by the OBS documentation.

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Check whether the block uses Media Source or VLC Video and review that source’s playback and visibility settings. A Media Source’s restart-on-active property restarts its single file; it does not determine which block should be activated.

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