If OBS skips the first video in a local playlist, first identify the source type: the built-in VLC Video source supports playlists, while Media Source is for an individual file. Check the VLC installation and playlist settings if you use VLC Video; if you use the separate Media Playlist Source plugin, check its version and compatibility. YouTube’s HLS settings are a separate part of the live-stream pipeline and do not explain the order of files in an OBS playlist.
Identify which OBS source is playing the VODs
In the OBS scene, select the source that contains the videos and check its type before changing settings. Similar names can conceal different playback behavior:
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- Media Source: OBS’s built-in source for an individual media file. It is not the built-in playlist source.
- VLC Video: OBS’s built-in playlist-capable source. OBS describes it as allowing a playlist of items, similar to an Image Slideshow. It requires VLC to be installed.
- Media Playlist Source: a separate OBS plugin, not the built-in VLC Video source. Its own settings and compatibility requirements apply.
Do not apply a setting for one source type to another. If you are unsure, remove nothing yet: note the source name and type, then follow the matching checks below.
Check the built-in VLC Video playlist
Confirm VLC matches OBS’s architecture
VLC Video depends on an installed VLC version with the same architecture as OBS. OBS’s documentation specifically says 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If the architectures do not match, install the corresponding VLC build, restart OBS, and check whether the playlist source behaves as expected.
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Verify order, shuffle, loop, and visibility
- Inspect the playlist and confirm the gaming VOD you expect to play first is actually at the top.
- Turn shuffle off if playback must begin with a particular file. OBS documents shuffle as off by default.
- Review loop behavior. OBS documents VLC Video’s loop setting as on by default.
- Check whether the source is visible when playback should begin. OBS documents its visibility behavior as stopping when the source is not visible and restarting when it becomes visible. A scene change or hidden source can therefore affect playback timing; it does not, by itself, prove why an item was skipped.
VLC Video also exposes network caching and audio-track settings. Those settings may matter for playback conditions, but the available documentation does not identify them as a universal fix for a first-item skip.
Check the Media Playlist Source plugin separately
If the source is the Media Playlist Source plugin, record the OBS version and plugin version, then compare them with the plugin resource’s stated requirements and release notes. Do not assume a plugin fix applies to VLC Video.
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The plugin’s 0.1.3 release notes, dated April 13, 2025, list fixes for a playlist not continuing to the next item after a scene transition and for continuing when a file path repeats. These changes make the plugin version worth checking when those conditions match your setup; they do not confirm that the plugin causes every report of the first VOD being skipped.
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Reproduce the problem safely before going live
- Make a short test playlist from harmless local video files, with the expected first item clearly identifiable.
- Start playback in a test scene and watch whether the first item starts at all, or whether the source begins on a later item.
- Check whether a scene transition happens before the next item starts, and whether the same file path appears more than once.
- Repeat with the source kept visible, then with the scene changes used in your live setup. This helps distinguish playlist ordering from visibility or transition behavior.
- Record the exact steps that reproduce the issue before changing several settings at once.
This is a diagnostic procedure, not a confirmed reproduction of a universal OBS bug. The exact source configuration and startup sequence behind this symptom are not established.
Keep OBS playlist playback separate from YouTube HLS
An OBS playlist is a local source-ordering and playback feature. YouTube’s HLS instructions describe how an encoder submits media segments and sequence numbers for ingestion. Those requirements do not establish why OBS skips a local playlist item. Check YouTube HLS settings only when diagnosing the encoder-to-YouTube delivery path, not as a substitute for checking the OBS source and its playlist.
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When the single-file Media Source setting is relevant
An OBS forum answer for a single Media Source recommends unchecking Restart playback when source becomes active when the goal is to resume a file after switching away and back. That advice concerns activation behavior for one media file; it is not a proven fix for a playlist that skips its first item. Apply it only if you have confirmed the source is Media Source and the problem is specifically about returning to that source.
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| What you observe | What to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| The wrong file is first, consistently | Source type, playlist order, and whether shuffle is enabled | Correct the list order and turn shuffle off if a fixed start is required. |
| Playback changes after hiding the source or switching scenes | VLC Video visibility behavior and scene transitions | Test with the source visible, then reproduce the same transition sequence. |
| The list fails to continue after a transition or repeated path | Whether you are using Media Playlist Source and which plugin version is installed | Compare the installed version with the plugin’s release notes, including the 0.1.3 fixes dated April 13, 2025. |
| VLC Video is unavailable or does not behave as expected | Whether VLC is installed and its architecture matches OBS | For 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC; restart OBS after correcting the installation. |
| A single file restarts when returning to its source | Whether the source is Media Source and its “Restart playback when source becomes active” setting | If the goal is to resume the file, try unchecking that setting; this does not diagnose a playlist skip. |
What to include when asking for help
If the issue persists, gather the OBS log, operating system, OBS version, exact source type, plugin and VLC versions where applicable, playlist order, and steps that reproduce the skip. Include whether a scene transition or repeated file path is involved. That information helps distinguish a source configuration issue from a version-specific plugin behavior; there is no single documented fix established for every report of this symptom.
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