Keep OBS streaming to YouTube and switch the video inside OBS. Put each prerecorded clip in its own scene, then change scenes while OBS continues sending its feed. Do not click End Stream or stop OBS output for an ordinary video change.
Why switching scenes keeps the YouTube live event running
YouTube receives a continuous feed from your encoder, such as OBS. To change what viewers see without ending the event, change the encoder’s program output while keeping it connected and sending content. YouTube’s end-stream workflow explicitly ends the event and stops the encoder; that is different from switching scenes in OBS. YouTube’s encoder guidance explains starting and ending an encoder stream.
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Method 1: Switch between separate OBS scenes
Use separate scenes when you want to choose a specific clip yourself, or return to a clip and decide whether it should restart from the beginning.
- In OBS, create a scene for each prerecorded video you want to show.
- In each scene, add the local video file as a Media Source.
- Open the Media Source properties and set Restart playback when source becomes active according to your needs. When enabled, the file restarts when its source becomes active and visible in the current scene. Enable it if revisiting a scene should replay that clip from the beginning.
- Start the stream from OBS and wait until the feed appears in YouTube’s Live Control Room preview.
- While OBS continues streaming, select another scene in OBS. The selected scene changes the video program sent to YouTube; do not stop the encoder or end the YouTube event.
OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes local media-source behavior. Labels and scene behavior can vary by OBS version.
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Method 2: Play videos from an OBS VLC Video playlist
Choose this method when you want videos to play from a playlist rather than selecting a separate scene for each clip. OBS’s VLC Video source supports a playlist, along with looping and shuffle options. VLC must be installed for the source to appear in OBS.
- Install VLC on the computer running OBS.
- Add a VLC Video source in OBS and select the video files for its playlist.
- Set the playlist’s loop or shuffle behavior to suit your intended order.
- Start the YouTube stream through OBS and confirm the feed in Live Control Room.
- Keep OBS output running while the playlist plays. If you need to change the selected content manually, switch to the relevant OBS scene or source without ending the event.
See the OBS Media Sources documentation for its media and VLC Video options.
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Choose the setup that matches how you operate
| Approach | Best suited to | Playback behavior | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate scenes with Media Sources | Choosing a specific clip at a particular moment | Each source can be configured to restart when its scene becomes active | You must switch scenes yourself and verify the intended source is active |
| VLC Video playlist | Playing a sequence of files as a playlist | Supports playlist options such as loop and shuffle | VLC must be installed; choose playlist behavior to match the intended order |
Either way, the YouTube event stays live only while the encoder continues sending its feed. Test the setup before relying on it.
Test and monitor the switch
- Before a public broadcast, run a private or unlisted test stream.
- Check the Live Control Room preview after starting and after switching clips. Confirm that the intended video is visible.
- Listen to the stream or monitor its audio. A scene change can show the correct video while sending the wrong audio source or no audio.
- Monitor stream health and audio/video quality while live. YouTube recommends previewing and monitoring the stream; see its Live Control Room guidance.
These steps describe documented OBS and YouTube behavior, not a guarantee for every computer, OBS version, audio configuration, or internet connection. Check the settings for the YouTube stream you are using: options such as auto-start and auto-stop may affect how encoder actions interact with the live event.
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Troubleshooting a video change
- The YouTube event ended: Check whether you selected an end-stream control or stopped OBS output. For a content change, leave the encoder running and switch the OBS scene or source.
- The preview still shows the old clip: Confirm that the intended scene is selected and that its Media Source is visible and active. Allow for the preview to update, then check again.
- A clip starts partway through: Check the source’s Restart playback when source becomes active setting. Enable it if the clip should restart when you return to that scene.
- The video changes but the audio is wrong or missing: Check the active source’s audio and OBS audio routing, then verify the result in the Live Control Room preview or monitoring. Test before going public.
- VLC Video is missing from the source options: OBS documents that VLC must be installed for this source to appear. Install it, then check the source list again.
- The playlist order is unexpected: Review its loop and shuffle options and the selected files in the VLC Video source.
- The YouTube live event behaves differently when OBS starts or stops: Review the stream’s auto-start and auto-stop settings as well as the OBS actions you take.
How long YouTube keeps a live stream archive
YouTube Help states that “All streams under 12 hours will be automatically archived.” This statement applies to streams under 12 hours; it does not establish an automatic-archive guarantee for longer streams. Archiving is separate from switching clips while the encoder keeps the event live. YouTube’s live-stream archive guidance provides the published information.
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