To schedule different OBS scenes during a nonstop YouTube stream, use Advanced Scene Switcher to change scenes at set times; use OBS’s VLC Video Source when you only need a playlist of clips inside one scene. These are separate jobs from starting or scheduling the YouTube broadcast itself. Configure and test all three layers—media playback, scene changes, and YouTube’s live controls—before leaving a stream unattended.
Choose the kind of “switch” you need
First decide whether you want clips to advance within one scene or OBS to move between separate scenes. The right setup depends on that distinction and on whether the change should happen at a clock time or after a known clip duration.
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| Goal | Use | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Play a sequence of local video files in one scene | OBS VLC Video Source | Playlist progression; loop and shuffle are configurable |
| Change between separate OBS scenes at particular times or dates | Advanced Scene Switcher macros | Date/time conditions trigger scene-switch actions |
| Change scenes after known playback durations | Advanced Scene Switcher, configured and tested for your sequence | Elapsed-duration workflow; timing accuracy depends on the setup and is not guaranteed by the cited capability description |
| Make the YouTube broadcast live or end it | YouTube’s broadcast controls | Separate from OBS playlist and scene automation |
OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes the VLC Video Source this way: “Unlike Media Source, you can create a playlist of items, similar to an Image Slideshow.” That source-level playlist does not itself schedule transitions between OBS scenes.
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Prerequisite: install the matching VLC version
OBS’s VLC Video Source requires VLC to be installed. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well; OBS’s documentation specifies matching 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. If the source is unavailable, check this prerequisite before changing your scene setup.
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Add media and set playback behavior
- In OBS, choose the scene that should contain the playlist.
- Add a VLC Video Source to that scene and add the local media paths to its playlist.
- Choose whether Loop Playlist is enabled. OBS documentation lists it as on by default.
- Choose whether Shuffle Playlist is enabled. OBS documentation lists it as off by default.
- Set the source’s visibility behavior deliberately. A hidden VLC source can be configured to stop and restart, pause and resume, or always play.
Use Always play if clips should keep progressing while their scene is hidden and resume at the current point when shown. If the playlist should wait while off air, choose a stop/restart or pause/resume behavior as appropriate. Test the chosen option by switching away from the scene and back: the source’s visibility setting determines what viewers see and hear when it returns.
Schedule transitions between separate OBS scenes
Check plugin compatibility
Advanced Scene Switcher provides a macro system with date/time conditions and scene-switch actions. The OBS Project Forums listing consulted for this article showed version 1.36.1, last updated August 7, 2026, and listed OBS Studio 31.1.1 as the minimum version. Confirm the listing’s current version and compatibility with your OBS installation before installing; those version details are not a guarantee that every future OBS release is compatible.
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Create a clock-based scene schedule
- Install a compatible Advanced Scene Switcher release and open its macro interface in OBS.
- Create a macro with a date/time condition for the intended change.
- Add a scene-switch action that selects the destination scene.
- Repeat for each scheduled transition, checking the condition and target scene for every macro.
- Run through the schedule while monitoring OBS, including the transitions that occur when a scene is hidden and later shown.
The plugin listing establishes the availability of date/time conditions and scene-switch actions; it does not establish guaranteed timing accuracy for a particular computer, OBS version, or configuration. Test the actual schedule before relying on it unattended.
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For a sequence based on clip durations
If the next scene should appear after a known video length rather than at a wall-clock time, build the sequence around the expected durations and test each transition. Account for any intro, outro, pause, or other media-length variation. Do not treat a timed scene change as proof that the broadcast will stop when a playlist ends: it only changes scene flow.
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Configure YouTube’s broadcast separately
An OBS stream connection and a live YouTube broadcast are not necessarily the same event. The OBS guide consulted for this article explains that when YouTube auto-start is disabled, sending the stream from OBS does not by itself make a scheduled broadcast live; the operator must also use YouTube’s Go Live control. YouTube Studio interface wording can change, so confirm the current broadcast controls in your account.
- Check that the intended scheduled broadcast is selected in YouTube Studio.
- Check whether auto-start is enabled for that broadcast and understand what that means for your start procedure.
- If auto-start is disabled, be ready to use YouTube’s Go Live control after OBS begins sending the stream.
- Confirm the broadcast is actually live in YouTube Studio rather than assuming that OBS’s streaming status means viewers can watch.
Playlist completion is a separate question, too. An OBS community answer says automatic stream termination when a playlist finishes is not built in. A timed scene change can help move the program to another scene, but it should not be presented as an automatic way to end the YouTube broadcast. Use YouTube’s broadcast controls to manage the broadcast itself.
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Test before leaving the stream unattended
Run a full rehearsal with the playlist, scene schedule, and YouTube broadcast settings you intend to use. Verify the expected result at each transition instead of checking only that OBS can connect.
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- Confirm the playlist order, audio, and loop or shuffle behavior.
- Switch away from a VLC scene and back to verify its hidden-source behavior.
- Observe every scheduled scene transition and confirm it selects the intended scene.
- Verify the broadcast start procedure in YouTube Studio, including the manual Go Live step if auto-start is off.
- Know how you will respond if a source stops, a transition does not happen, or the stream connection is interrupted.
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