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How to Stop OBS From Repeating the Same Video in a YouTube Playlist Stream

Fix repeated playback in an OBS YouTube stream by checking Media Source Loop, VLC Video playlist settings, visibility behavior, and YouTube’s separate viewer loop control.

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If OBS keeps showing the same video, check which source is playing it. OBS’s Media Source plays one file, and its Loop setting repeats that file. To play several local files in sequence, use VLC Video, add the files to its playlist, and check Loop Playlist and Shuffle Playlist. YouTube’s loop control affects playback for viewers on YouTube; it does not change OBS’s local source settings.

Find the OBS source that is repeating

  1. In OBS, select the scene that feeds your YouTube stream.
  2. In the Sources list, identify the source responsible for the repeated video and audio. Select it and inspect its properties.
  3. Use the source type to choose the right fix: Media Source is for an individual media file; VLC Video can play multiple files as a playlist. OBS documents both under Media Sources.

If one file is repeating: change Media Source’s Loop setting

  1. Select the Media Source in the scene and open its properties.
  2. Confirm that the file path points to the video you intend to play.
  3. Turn off Loop if that file should play only once. OBS describes this control as specifying whether the file plays again after playback completes.

Turning off Loop stops that file from restarting; it does not make OBS advance to other files. If your goal is a sequence of local videos, set up a playlist instead.

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If you want several local files to play: use VLC Video

  1. Install VLC, then add a VLC Video source in the intended OBS scene.
  2. Open the source properties and add the distinct media files you want in its playlist. Check the list itself: adding the same path more than once can look like a repeat even when the playlist is working as configured.
  3. Set Loop Playlist according to what should happen at the end. When on, the playlist starts again after it runs out; OBS documents this as on by default.
  4. Set Shuffle Playlist if you want randomized ordering. OBS documents it as off by default. Shuffle changes order; it does not determine whether the playlist repeats.
  5. Check the source’s visibility behavior. OBS provides options that determine whether VLC playback continues, pauses, or stops when the source is not visible.

VLC must be installed for VLC Video to work. Match the architecture: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. See OBS’s Media Sources documentation and its streaming guide.

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Keep YouTube’s viewer loop separate from OBS playback

YouTube Help’s instructions for looping videos or playlists describe repeating content while watching YouTube. That viewer-side control is separate from OBS’s local files and source settings. If your scene uses a browser or window source to show an embedded YouTube playlist, investigate that page or player’s behavior; the Media Source and VLC Video steps above apply to local media playback.

Check the plugin only if you use Media Playlist Source

If the repeating source is the third-party Media Playlist Source plugin, check its version and compatibility before treating this as an ordinary Loop setting. The plugin’s version 0.1.3 notes, dated April 13, 2025, report a fix for a playlist not continuing when the next file path is the same, including a case where only one file is looped. The notes say the required upstream OBS change is included starting with OBS 31. This is a plugin-specific diagnostic, not a general explanation for every repeating video.

Preview and test the full output before going live

  1. Watch the OBS preview long enough to confirm it advances through the intended files and behaves correctly at the end of the playlist.
  2. Check the complete output, including audio and any browser or capture sources in the scene, before broadcasting.
  3. OBS recommends testing for a few minutes before a stream. Its streaming guide covers preparation and setup.

Common causes and fixes

What you see Likely setting or cause What to check
The same local file starts again when it ends. Media Source has Loop enabled. Turn off Loop if the file should play once; use VLC Video for a multi-file playlist.
The playlist starts over after its last item. Loop Playlist is enabled. Turn it off if playback should stop at the end.
Files play in an unexpected order. Shuffle Playlist is enabled, or the playlist order is not what you expect. Check Shuffle Playlist and inspect the listed files.
Playback pauses or stops when the source is hidden. The VLC Video visibility behavior is configured to pause or stop when hidden. Set the visibility behavior to match whether playback should continue, pause, or stop.
VLC Video is unavailable or does not work. VLC may not be installed, or its architecture may not match OBS. Install VLC and use 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS.
A one-file plugin playlist does not continue as expected. A same-path continuation issue may apply to Media Playlist Source. Check whether you use that plugin and review its version 0.1.3 notes and OBS compatibility; do not assume this explains other source types.

Or let it run in the cloud

If your goal is to keep uploaded videos playing on YouTube around the clock, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams your upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; automatic recovery can restart the stream if YouTube drops it. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube; it is not a camera-based live setup. Start your free day with StreamNeo.

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