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How to Make OBS Resume a Gaming VOD Playlist After a PC Restart

OBS’s VLC Video source does not document playlist recovery after a full restart. The Media Playlist Source plugin says it can reopen the current file, but not its exact playback position.
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To make OBS remember which video in a playlist was playing when OBS restarts, use the third-party Media Playlist Source plugin. Its listing says it saves the currently playing file for playback when OBS restarts. That claim is about the file—not the exact timestamp within it. OBS’s built-in VLC Video source supports playlists, but its visibility settings do not document resuming a playlist after a full OBS or PC restart.

First, define what “resume” means

There are two different goals: reopening the same VOD that was playing before the restart, or continuing that VOD from its exact previous timestamp. The Media Playlist Source listing describes saving the current file; it does not establish timestamp recovery. If exact in-file position matters, test it separately rather than assuming the plugin preserves it.

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Check your current OBS source

VLC Video source

OBS’s built-in VLC Video source can play playlists and provides loop, shuffle, and visibility behavior settings. It is available only when VLC is installed; if you use 64-bit OBS, you need 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.

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Visibility behavior applies when a source is hidden in a scene. The default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible”; other choices govern whether playback continues, pauses, or stops while hidden. Those options are not documented as restart persistence. Looping repeats the playlist after it ends, while shuffle changes its order; neither is described as making OBS remember the current file after a restart.

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Media Playlist Source plugin

The Media Playlist Source resource listing describes the plugin as an alternative to VLC Video that uses Media Source internally and saves the currently playing file so it plays when OBS restarts. The listing’s feature statement does not promise recovery of the timestamp, behavior after a power loss, or guaranteed recovery from every crash.

Set up and verify current-file recovery

  1. Back up your scene collection. Save a copy before replacing a source or installing a plugin. This is a precaution; it does not guarantee compatibility.
  2. Check the plugin’s current requirements. The resource page lists 64-bit support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It gives OBS 30.0.0 as a minimum on the page, while its update history says version 0.1.0 raised the minimum to OBS 31. Check the current release details against your installed OBS version before installing.
  3. Install the plugin using its current listing instructions. Add Media Playlist Source in OBS, configure the playlist, and save the source settings. Exact menu labels can vary by plugin and OBS release, so follow the instructions for the version you install.
  4. Run a controlled restart test. Start a recognizable playlist item, save settings, close OBS normally, then reopen it. Check whether the same file starts. If you need the same timestamp too, compare the position separately; the listing does not promise that behavior.

Plugin limitations to check

  • The resource listing says audio-track and subtitle selection are not supported.
  • Folder contents do not refresh automatically; the listing says saving settings again can refresh them manually.
  • Plugin compatibility and minimum OBS requirements can change, so use the current resource page rather than relying on an older version note.

When the playlist still starts over

  • OBS opens a different file: Confirm you configured Media Playlist Source rather than VLC Video, then repeat the controlled restart test after saving the source settings.
  • Playback resets only after hiding the scene source: Review VLC Video’s visibility behavior. This is a visibility event, not a full-restart recovery setting.
  • VLC Video is missing: Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
  • The file resumes but the position does not: That is consistent with the plugin listing, which establishes current-file persistence but not timestamp persistence.
  • A folder playlist does not show newly added files: The plugin listing says folder contents do not refresh automatically; save the settings again to refresh manually.
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Or let it run in the cloud

If the goal is an always-on YouTube channel rather than resuming a local OBS playlist after a PC restart, StreamNeo is a different approach: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. For Indian creators, UPI is available. Start the free day on StreamNeo.

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