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First separate the two things that can stop: an OBS playlist of local video files, and the encoder connection sending your stream to YouTube. In OBS, use a VLC Video source with Loop Playlist enabled to repeat a file playlist. To restore the feed after a disconnect, enable OBS automatic reconnect and check the YouTube event’s stream key and Auto-start/Auto-stop settings. A reconnect does not guarantee that OBS resumes the exact playlist item or timestamp.
Identify which playlist you mean
If you added video files to an OBS scene, you mean an OBS media playlist. Its playback is controlled by the source settings in OBS. If you mean a playlist or queue on YouTube’s watch page, that is separate: the official guidance cited here does not establish how a YouTube-side queue behaves after an encoder reconnect. Do not apply OBS VLC-source settings to a YouTube watch-page playlist.
In either case, a successful encoder reconnect only addresses the connection carrying video to YouTube. It does not establish that a media source resumes at its previous item or position.
Set up an OBS playlist of video files
- Add a VLC Video source. In the OBS scene, add a VLC Video source and add the files to its playlist. OBS documents this source as supporting playlists. VLC must be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Enable Loop Playlist. This makes the list start over after its last item. OBS documents the setting’s default as On, but check it in the source properties rather than assuming it has not been changed.
- Choose Visibility Behaviour. Set what should happen when the source is hidden: OBS lists options to continue, pause, or stop playback. If playback stops or appears to restart when you switch scenes, check this setting.
- Test the source and reconnect separately. Confirm the playlist advances and loops in OBS, then test the output connection separately. The OBS documentation does not promise exact-item or timestamp restoration when a source or OBS is restarted.
A single-file Media Source is different from a VLC playlist. Its loop and Restart playback when source becomes active options concern that source’s playback and activation; they do not control YouTube’s ingest connection.
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Keep the YouTube broadcast available for OBS to reconnect
- Enable OBS automatic reconnect. In OBS, open Settings → Advanced and enable the automatic reconnect option in the Network section. This controls OBS’s attempts to reconnect its output; it does not guarantee that the attempt will succeed or determine the media playlist’s position.
- Use the intended YouTube event and stream key. In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm the selected event and encoder settings. YouTube describes a stream key as identifying where the encoder sends its feed, and custom stream keys can be reused. See YouTube’s live stream settings guidance.
- Check Auto-start and Auto-stop. YouTube says these settings let the encoder start or stop streaming. Check Auto-stop if you do not want stopping the encoder to end the broadcast. Understand the selected event’s settings before relying on a reconnect workflow.
- Do not manually end the broadcast if you intend to reconnect to that same event. Keep the relevant event selected and available, then let OBS attempt to reconnect. YouTube distinguishes sending encoder data from broadcast controls; the OBS community workflow guide explains this distinction at How to stream to YouTube with OBS Studio.
- After the connection returns, check both systems. Verify that OBS is sending output and that YouTube reports the incoming stream or broadcast as expected. Separately inspect the VLC source’s playback state and current item.
The cited product documentation does not specify a guaranteed reconnect time, success rate, or exact playlist resume position. Treat the encoder connection and the OBS source as independent states.
What YouTube DVR does—and does not do
DVR is a viewer playback feature, not an OBS playlist or reconnect control. When available, it lets viewers pause, rewind, and resume a live stream from where they paused. YouTube notes that DVR features can be limited or unavailable on very long streams, including streams longer than 12 hours. See Turn on DVR on live streams.
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Which setting controls what?
| What you want to keep going | Relevant control | What it controls | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS playlist of local files | VLC Video: Loop Playlist and Visibility Behaviour | Sequence looping and playback while the source is hidden | That a disconnect restores the exact item or timestamp |
| Encoder feed to YouTube | OBS automatic reconnect; YouTube stream key and Auto-start/Auto-stop | OBS’s reconnect attempts, feed destination, and whether encoder actions can start or stop the broadcast | The playback position of the OBS media source |
| Viewer’s place in the live video | YouTube DVR, when available | Viewer pause, rewind, and resume behavior | OBS source playback or encoder reconnection |
Troubleshoot the common failure cases
- The stream returns, but the video does not advance: Check that the playlist is a VLC Video source, that its files are accessible, and that Loop Playlist is enabled if it should repeat. The reconnect setting does not operate the source.
- Playback stops after changing scenes: Review the VLC source’s Visibility Behaviour. It may be set to pause or stop while hidden.
- OBS reconnects but YouTube does not show the expected broadcast: Confirm the selected YouTube event and stream key, then check Auto-start/Auto-stop and YouTube’s incoming-stream status.
- The stream is live, but the playlist starts from a different place: The cited documentation does not guarantee resumption at the prior item or timestamp. Check the source’s current state in OBS; do not infer playlist position from the encoder reconnect indicator.
- A viewer can rewind but the OBS playlist is unchanged: That is expected: DVR controls the viewer’s live playback, not the local OBS source.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps uploaded videos playing without leaving OBS or a computer running at home, StreamNeo runs the loop from the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos to YouTube, not a live camera feed. Each slot includes one always-on stream, 24/7 looping and playlists, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, and automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. Videos stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot with no re-encode or quality tiers. The first day is free with no card; one free day is available per account. Monthly access is $9.99 per month. UPI and cards are supported in India; card checkout is available worldwide. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
For a file playlist you want to manage locally, OBS remains the direct route. For a YouTube channel that should keep playing after you shut down your computer, the cloud approach removes the home computer and connection from the streaming path.
Quick Recap
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