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In OBS Studio, Restart playback when source becomes active restarts a Media Source’s file when the source is in the current scene and visible. It is enabled by default in OBS’s documentation. It is different from Loop, which starts the file again after it reaches the end.
What happens when you switch scenes?
If the Media Source is in the scene you switch to and becomes visible, the setting tells OBS to restart its playback. The documented trigger is the source becoming active—being in the current scene and visible—not merely having the source listed in the project. OBS lists the option as On by default. OBS Project: Media Sources
For example, if a video is partway through and you switch to another scene, then return to a scene where that source becomes visible, the enabled setting is intended to start the media file over. Exact results can depend on how visibility changes occur and on your installed OBS version.
How it differs from the other playback controls
| Control | What triggers it | Documented default and effect |
|---|---|---|
| Restart playback when source becomes active | The Media Source becomes active by being in the current scene and visible. | On. Restarts playback on activation. |
| Loop | The file reaches its end. | Off. Replays the file after it finishes; it does not control what happens when a source becomes visible. |
| Show nothing when playback ends | Playback finishes. | On. Hides the source after the file ends. |
| Close file when inactive | The source is hidden or not in the current scene. | Off. When enabled, unloads the media while inactive to free memory; OBS notes it may take a short time to appear again while the file reloads. |
These are separate controls in OBS’s Media Sources documentation. In particular, a source can restart on activation without looping at the end, and closing the file while inactive introduces a reload trade-off.
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How to check or change the setting
- In OBS, select the scene that contains the video and locate its Media Source in the Sources list.
- Open the Media Source’s properties. In the playback options, find Restart playback when source becomes active.
- Enable it if the file should start over when the source becomes visible; disable it if you want activation not to request a restart.
- Set Loop separately if you also want playback to repeat when the file reaches its end.
- Test by playing the media, switching away so the source is no longer visible, then switching back. If you enabled Close file when inactive, allow for the file to reload.
OBS’s guide describes the control and its default but does not establish that every source setup, automation pattern, or version behaves identically. Verify the result in the OBS version and scene arrangement you actually use.
Media Source and VLC Video are not the same source type
The documented checkbox applies to OBS’s built-in Media Source. The separate VLC Video source has its own Visibility Behaviour control; OBS displays “Stop when not visible, restart when visible” as its default. VLC Video also requires VLC to be installed. Do not assume the Media Source checkbox’s behavior or defaults apply to VLC Video. OBS Project: Media Sources
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When the video does not restart as expected
It keeps playing or does not start over after a scene change
- Confirm that the source actually becomes visible in the destination scene. Being present in the project alone is not the documented activation condition.
- Check that Restart playback when source becomes active is enabled on the Media Source whose playback you mean to control.
- Check whether you are using a Media Source or VLC Video. VLC Video has a separate visibility behavior control.
A quick hide-and-show does not restart it
A report for OBS 30.2.0 described a rapid hide/show immediately after playback ended that did not restart the file. A project member explained that visibility changes are processed by the graphics thread, so an extremely fast toggle may happen before that change is processed. If automation is toggling visibility, allow time for OBS to process the change and test with your installed version. This is a version-specific report, not a guarantee that all quick toggles fail. OBS Studio issue #11040
Playback starts at OBS launch even though the option is off
A report involving OBS 27.0.0-rc6 described media starting when OBS launched or properties were changed despite the setting being disabled. That older report does not establish current behavior across OBS versions, but it is a reason not to treat this checkbox as a universal control for every startup or property-change playback event. OBS Studio issue #4778
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