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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Yes. OBS WebSocket can remotely restart a supported OBS media input or move to the next or previous item in a playlist while OBS is streaming to YouTube. These commands control playback inside OBS; they do not restart, end, or change the status of the YouTube broadcast.
What the controls affect
Think of this as two separate operations: OBS plays media and sends its output to YouTube; YouTube manages the broadcast’s event state. WebSocket’s media-input actions operate on the OBS source. If you want to put a broadcast live, complete it, or otherwise change its YouTube event status, that is a separate YouTube Live Streaming API or Live Control Room operation.
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| Operation | What it controls | Relevant control | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restart or navigate playback | An OBS media input | WebSocket action such as restart, next, or previous | Requires the intended media to be configured in a source that exposes media-input actions. |
| Change broadcast state | A YouTube live broadcast | YouTube’s authorized broadcast-transition operation | For a transition to testing or live, YouTube requires the bound stream to be active; restarting OBS media does not perform this transition. |
Requirements and security
OBS and WebSocket
OBS Studio 28.0.0 and later include obs-websocket by default. The WebSocket server’s documented default port is 4455, and it can be changed in settings. The media-input requests described below are available from protocol version 5.0.0.
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Protect the connection
Enable authentication in OBS WebSocket settings and set a strong password. Do not expose an unauthenticated WebSocket endpoint to the internet. For remote operation, choose a client and network arrangement that provides a secured path to OBS; the appropriate setup depends on whether you are connecting locally or from elsewhere.
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Choose a compatible client
Use a client that supports the 5.x protocol and can issue media-input actions on your platform. OBS’s guide lists examples including Streamer.bot, Touch Portal, Aitum, and the Bitfocus Companion Module. That list is not a compatibility ranking; check the client’s current protocol support, authentication handling, and remote-access requirements before relying on it.
Set up remote playlist controls
- Confirm the source. In OBS, identify the media input that actually plays the content you want to control. A scene name is not necessarily the media-input name your client must target.
- Check playlist behavior. If you are using an OBS media source with a playlist, configure its media files there. OBS documents a Loop Playlist option for restarting a source after its files run out. That automatic end-of-playlist behavior is different from issuing an on-demand WebSocket restart.
- Enable and secure WebSocket. In OBS WebSocket settings, enable the server, retain or configure the port as appropriate for your setup, and enable authentication with a strong password.
- Connect a protocol-compatible client. Configure it to connect to the OBS WebSocket server using the correct address, port, and authentication details. Keep remote access on a secured network path.
- Target the media input and send an action. Use
TriggerMediaInputActionfor the intended input. ChooseRESTARTto restart its playback, orNEXTorPREVIOUSto navigate playlist items. The API also provides play, pause, and stop actions. - Check the result. Request
GetMediaInputStatusfor that input if you need confirmation. The response can report states including playing, opening, buffering, paused, stopped, ended, and error, along with timing fields.
Playlist looping is not the same as restarting on demand
Use Loop Playlist when the desired behavior is to start the source over after its configured media files run out. Use the WebSocket restart action when an operator or automation needs to restart playback at a chosen moment. Next and previous are navigation actions, not broadcast transitions.
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OBS documents VLC as a source option when VLC is installed, including playlist looping. That does not establish that every YouTube playlist URL works as an OBS VLC playlist. Confirm that your actual source loads and exposes the media controls you need before building automation around it.
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YouTube’s Live Streaming API provides authorized broadcast transitions. Before transitioning a broadcast to testing or live, the bound stream must have an active stream status. Completing a broadcast is also a separate transition, and YouTube documents optional auto-start and auto-stop behavior. A successful OBS media restart alone does not show that YouTube’s event changed state.
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Troubleshooting
- The client cannot connect: Check that WebSocket is enabled, the address and port match OBS settings, and the client has the right authentication details. If connecting remotely, verify the secured network path rather than opening an unprotected endpoint.
- The client connects but the action does nothing: Verify that you targeted the media input, not merely a scene, and that the selected source supports media-input actions. Confirm that the client supports the 5.x protocol and is sending the intended action.
- Restart works, but the playlist does not advance: Restart and next/previous are distinct actions. Check that the source is configured with the intended playlist and use the appropriate navigation action.
- The source reaches the end and does not start over: Check whether Loop Playlist is enabled on the configured OBS playlist source. The WebSocket restart action is an explicit command; it does not itself turn on automatic looping.
- The OBS media restarts but YouTube appears unchanged: That is expected when only the OBS input was controlled. Check YouTube broadcast state separately in Live Control Room or through the authorized API workflow.
- A YouTube broadcast will not transition to testing or live: Check the status of the stream bound to that broadcast; YouTube requires it to be active for those transitions.
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