To schedule different playlists in OBS, put each playlist in its own scene, then use Advanced Scene Switcher macros to switch to the scene you want at a chosen time. If you want the next playlist to start only after the current VLC playlist item ends, use a media condition based on the VLC source’s Ended state instead. The trigger and scene switch are separate decisions: choose a clock-based trigger for a fixed schedule, or a playback-based trigger for a handoff at an item boundary.
Before you set up the schedule
Advanced Scene Switcher automates OBS through macros: conditions determine when a list of actions runs. Its resource listing includes date-and-time conditions, media conditions, and scene-switch actions. The listing identifies version 1.36.1, supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, and gives OBS Studio 31.1.1 as the minimum version; it was updated August 7, 2026. Check the current plugin listing and your installed OBS version before installing, because compatibility requirements can change.
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- Install Advanced Scene Switcher only after confirming that your OBS version meets the plugin’s current requirement.
- Decide whether the switch should happen at a particular clock time or when a playlist item finishes.
- Identify the source type for each playlist. The documented item-end behavior applies specifically to a VLC source; do not assume another source type reports playlist events the same way.
- Plan how the old playlist should behave while its scene is inactive. Pause/resume behavior needs its own test.
Put each playlist in a separate scene
A straightforward arrangement is one OBS scene per playlist or programming block. Add the relevant playlist source to each scene, then use names that make the schedule easy to read—for example, “Morning playlist” and “Evening playlist.” Separate scenes make the switch action explicit: the macro activates the scene that contains the playlist you want on screen.
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- Add the playlist source to its scene and configure the playlist there.
- Give scenes and sources distinctive names so you can select the right target when configuring macros.
- Test each scene manually to confirm its playlist appears and plays as expected before automating transitions.
Schedule a scene switch by time
Use a date-and-time condition when a playlist should take over at a scheduled time. The plugin listing confirms that date/time conditions and scene-switch actions are available, but the sources consulted do not establish one definitive sequence of current macro controls or every recurrence and timing edge case. Labels and layout can vary between plugin releases.
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- In OBS, open Tools → Advanced Scene Switcher and confirm the plugin is active.
- Create a macro and add a date-and-time condition. Set the date or time condition that matches your intended schedule using the controls shown in your installed version.
- Add a scene-switch action and select the scene containing the playlist that should become active.
- Enable the macro, then test it with your actual schedule and OBS/plugin versions. Confirm whether the condition fires as expected and whether the transition occurs at the intended time.
A clock condition answers “when should OBS switch?” It does not by itself establish whether the current playlist item should be cut off immediately or allowed to finish first. The reviewed sources do not document all scheduling and recurrence cases, so test the exact behavior you need rather than assuming a particular boundary rule.
Switch when a VLC playlist item ends
For a handoff at the end of a playlist item, use a media condition for the VLC source’s Ended state and pair it with a scene-switch action. The plugin author, Warmuptill, explained on the OBS forum that “Basically you rely on the VLC source entering state "Ended" every time the playback of a playlist item ends.” This guidance is specific to VLC playlist behavior; confirm it with your own source and playlist before relying on it.
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- Open Tools → Advanced Scene Switcher in OBS and create a macro.
- Add a media condition for the VLC playlist source and select or configure the Ended state, using the controls available in your installed plugin version.
- Add a scene-switch action targeting the scene that should take over when the item ends.
- Run the real playlist and observe the transition at an item boundary. Confirm that the condition is detected for each item as intended.
This method is playback-driven rather than clock-driven: it waits for the media condition. If the source is not VLC, test whether its end state is exposed in a compatible way instead of assuming equivalent behavior.
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| Trigger | Use it when | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Date and time | The next scene should start at a planned clock time. | Test the schedule and decide whether the current item should be interrupted or allowed to finish; all recurrence and boundary behavior is not established by the cited material. |
| VLC media state: Ended | The next scene should start when a VLC playlist item ends. | Verify that the VLC source enters the expected state at each item boundary. Equivalent behavior for other source types is not established. |
Keep a playlist position when a scene becomes inactive
If a scheduled scene interrupts a playlist and you want it to resume rather than restart, investigate the VLC source properties for Pause when inactive and Resume when active. A forum user reported using these settings alongside switching away when the playing item had less than 1000 ms remaining, but also reported that the source sometimes continued while inactive. This is a community-reported workaround, not a guaranteed fix; test it with your playlist and OBS setup.
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Test pause/resume separately from the macro transition. Confirm what happens to the current item when its scene becomes inactive, whether it pauses, and where playback resumes when the scene becomes active again. If it continues playing while hidden or restarts unexpectedly, do not rely on the workaround for unattended scheduling.
Test and troubleshoot before relying on automation
- The plugin does not appear in Tools: Check that Advanced Scene Switcher is installed for your operating system and compatible with your OBS version. Compare your setup with the current plugin listing.
- A scheduled scene does not activate: Confirm the macro is enabled, the date-and-time condition matches the intended schedule, and the scene-switch action targets the correct scene. Test the condition in the installed version because exact labels and scheduling details can differ.
- The next scene never starts after a playlist item: Confirm the source is VLC and that it enters Ended at the item boundary. Do not infer the same behavior for a different media source.
- The playlist starts over or continues while hidden: Check the VLC source’s inactive pause/resume settings, then test activation and deactivation separately. The reported workaround was inconsistent for at least one user.
- A transition happens at the wrong point: Decide whether you need a clock time or an item-end event. A clock trigger can be scheduled independently of a playlist boundary; an end-state trigger waits for playback behavior.
Run the actual playlist through the transition on the operating system and versions you will use. Verify the destination scene, item boundary or clock timing, and playback behavior after the previous scene becomes inactive.
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Optional playlist-source alternative
Media Playlist Source is a third-party OBS plugin described by its repository as an alternative to VLC Video Source and based internally on Media Source. Its repository lists playlist editing without restarting playback, shuffle support, and saving the current file for OBS restarts. It also lists limitations: no audio-track or subtitle selection, and no automatic refresh of folder contents. These features and limitations may matter if playlist editing or restart behavior is a concern; Advanced Scene Switcher does not require this plugin.
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