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OBS does not document an automatic rule that switches from a missing main video file to a designated backup playlist. The dependable built-in workaround is to use a VLC Video source for an ordered playlist and keep a separate backup scene with media you know is available. Switch to that scene if the main file cannot be used. If you want automatic switching, Advanced Scene Switcher may provide the building blocks, but its behavior needs to be configured and tested with the main file actually missing.
Choose the right OBS source
Use VLC Video for a playlist
OBS’s VLC Video source supports multiple playlist items; OBS describes it as a way to create a playlist, unlike Media Source, which plays an individual media file. VLC Video uses VLC libraries, so VLC must be installed. For 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation for source behavior and settings.
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Use Media Source for a single file
Media Source is appropriate when a scene needs to play one local file. Its loop and restart-when-visible options control playback of that file; they do not select a replacement file or switch to another scene when the file is missing.
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Set up an ordered playlist and a controllable fallback
- Add the playlist source. In the scene where the main video should play, add a VLC Video source and open its properties.
- Arrange the files. Add the main video and the known-good fallback clips, placing them in the order you want played. Turn shuffle off if the order matters.
- Set playlist looping deliberately. Enable playlist looping if playback should start again after the last item. Loop controls what happens when the playlist ends; it is not a missing-file fallback setting.
- Create a backup scene. Add a separate scene with a known-good media file or playlist. Make sure its files are accessible from the computer running OBS, and confirm its video and audio sources are configured as intended.
- Save and test the failure case. Save the scene collection, then temporarily make the main file unavailable. Observe OBS’s missing-file report and source behavior, switch to the backup scene, and verify that its media plays with the expected picture and sound. Restore the main file afterward. Test before relying on the setup during a live stream.
OBS’s missing-files mechanism can report missing playlist paths, and its source implementation includes playlist-next and media-state behavior. Those details do not establish guaranteed runtime failover to a chosen file or scene. Treat the backup scene as an operator-controlled recovery path, not an automatic promise.
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Can OBS switch scenes automatically?
Advanced Scene Switcher is a possible building block for a custom macro: its listing describes File and Media conditions and a Switch scene action. That is not a prevalidated missing-file recipe. Check that the relevant conditions and actions exist and behave as needed in your installed version, then test with the main file truly absent before using the macro live.
The plugin listing reports version 1.36.1, updated August 7, 2026, with OBS Studio 31.1.1 as its minimum version. Requirements and compatibility can change; consult the Advanced Scene Switcher listing before installing, and verify compatibility with your OBS release and platform.
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Alternative: a third-party playlist source
Media Playlist Source is another option, but it is a third-party OBS plugin rather than a built-in source. The OBS Forums listing shows version 0.1.3, updated April 13, 2025; its notes say automatic folder refresh was not implemented in that listed version and that saving the settings again can refresh folder contents. Check the Media Playlist Source listing for current release notes and requirements before adopting it.
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| Approach | Playlist behavior | Switching | Compatibility and file checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLC Video plus backup scene | Built-in playlist source; order items and turn shuffle off for a fixed sequence. | Operator switches to the separate backup scene; OBS documentation does not promise automatic missing-file failover. | Requires VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. Confirm media is accessible on the streaming computer. |
| Advanced Scene Switcher macro | Uses File and Media conditions with scene-switch actions; exact behavior depends on your macro and installed release. | Can be configured for automatic switching, but treat it as custom automation and test the actual missing-file condition. | Check the plugin’s current requirements against your OBS version and platform. |
| Media Playlist Source | Third-party playlist option; the listed v0.1.3 notes say automatic folder refresh was not implemented. | The cited listing does not establish automatic switching to a designated backup scene on a missing file. | Check current requirements and release notes; in the listed version, saving settings again can refresh folder contents. |
Troubleshooting missing media and failed recovery
- VLC Video is not available: Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- The playlist does not play the intended next clip: Check the item order and disable shuffle if you need a fixed sequence. Do not rely on loop as a missing-file recovery setting.
- The backup scene is blank or silent: Check that its media paths resolve on the streaming machine and that its intended sources and audio are present. Re-test after correcting them.
- An automatic macro does not switch: Recheck the condition against the actual missing-file state, the chosen scene-switch action, and plugin compatibility. Reproduce the failure with the main file unavailable before using the macro live.
- A plugin playlist does not show a newly added file: For Media Playlist Source v0.1.3, the listing says to save the settings again to refresh folder contents; check its current notes in case later releases differ.
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