To keep playback running when you switch OBS scenes, prevent the playback source from restarting or unloading while it is hidden. For a local Media Source, turn off Restart playback when source becomes active and leave Close file when inactive off. For a VLC Video Source, set its visibility behavior to continue playback while hidden. For a Browser Source, leave Shutdown source when not visible and Refresh browser source when scene becomes active off. These settings help preserve playback across scene changes; they do not guarantee an uninterrupted YouTube broadcast.
Why playback stops or starts over during a scene change
OBS scenes are arrangements of sources. When you switch scenes, a source may become hidden or active, and its behavior on those visibility changes depends on its settings. A media file can restart when activated, unload while hidden, or resume with a delay. A browser source can shut down or refresh its page. Configure the source according to whether it needs to keep playing while it is not visible.
For a kids’ stream with a background video, a useful design is to keep one playback source active and switch overlays or other scene elements around it. Source order determines which elements appear on top, so arrange the playback and overlays accordingly. OBS’s Sources Guide explains scenes, sources, and ordering.
Configure the source you use for playback
Local Media Source
- In OBS, open the Media Source’s properties.
- Turn off Restart playback when source becomes active. OBS documents this option as on by default; disabling it prevents activation from restarting the file.
- Leave Close file when inactive turned off. When enabled, this unloads the file while the source is hidden and may cause a short delay before it appears again.
- Set Loop only if you want the file to play again after it finishes. Loop controls end-of-file repetition; it does not control what happens when the source becomes hidden.
These options are documented in OBS’s Media Sources guide.
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VLC Video Source
- Open the VLC Video Source’s properties.
- Set Visibility Behaviour to the option that continues playback when the source is not visible.
- Check that VLC is installed. OBS states that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC for this source type.
Choose the continue behavior when the source must keep playing in another scene. The setting governs playback while hidden; it does not ensure that a stream remains available to YouTube.
Browser Source
- Open the Browser Source’s properties.
- Leave Shutdown source when not visible off so OBS does not unload the page when the source is hidden.
- Leave Refresh browser source when scene becomes active off so activation does not refresh the page.
OBS describes the first option as shutting down the page when hidden and the second as refreshing it when active. Keeping them off can preserve the page state, but whether an embedded player continues seamlessly also depends on that website’s player and your setup. See OBS’s Browser Source guide.
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Choose the source type that fits your playback
| Source type | Best fit | What to check for scene changes | Requirement or limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Source | A local media file | Disable restart-on-activation and keep close-file-when-inactive off. | Loop is a separate choice for repeating the file after it finishes. |
| VLC Video Source | A VLC-based source or playlist | Choose the visibility behavior that continues playback while hidden. | VLC must be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. |
| Browser Source | A webpage or embedded player | Keep shutdown-when-hidden and refresh-when-active off. | Continuous playback also depends on the webpage’s player and setup. |
The choice comes down to where the video comes from, whether it must play while hidden, and whether the source unloads, restarts, or refreshes on activation. The settings above are based on OBS documentation, including its Media Sources and Browser Source guides, both published January 11, 2022.
Test scene changes before relying on the setup
- Start playback and confirm the video is playing in the intended scene.
- Switch to another scene, then return. Check whether playback continued, restarted, paused, or took time to reappear.
- Repeat the switch while the video is at a different point in the file. Confirm that the behavior matches your intent, including whether the file should loop when it ends.
- Check overlays and source order so that changing scenes does not cover the video unexpectedly.
- Verify the actual OBS project before using it for a long-running broadcast.
A setting that preserves a source through scene changes is not an end-to-end reliability guarantee. YouTube ingest, the network connection, the playback webpage, and the computer running OBS can each affect whether a 24/7 broadcast stays live. The OBS guidance cited here describes source behavior; it does not establish YouTube’s current 24/7 live-stream requirements or validate a complete system over time.
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Troubleshoot common scene-change problems
- The local video starts over when you return to its scene: turn off Restart playback when source becomes active in the Media Source properties.
- The local video is briefly missing after you switch back: make sure Close file when inactive is off; OBS says closing the file unloads it while hidden and can cause a delay when displayed again.
- VLC playback stops while its source is hidden: change Visibility Behaviour to continue playback while not visible. If the VLC source does not work, confirm VLC is installed and matches OBS’s 64-bit requirement where applicable.
- The browser player reloads or loses its page state: turn off Shutdown source when not visible and Refresh browser source when scene becomes active. If playback still stops, the page’s own player may be responsible.
- The video continues but is covered or absent in the new scene: check that the relevant source is included and inspect source ordering; OBS uses ordering to determine what appears on top.
- The source behaves correctly but the YouTube stream still drops: investigate the broader broadcast path as well. The source visibility settings alone cannot establish whether YouTube ingest, your connection, or the OBS machine will remain available.
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