To show a countdown before a repeating video sequence in OBS, add a countdown video as the first item in an OBS VLC Video source playlist, place the videos after it, and leave Loop Playlist enabled. VLC must be installed for the VLC Video source to appear; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you want text that counts down when media starts playing instead, use a different method—the available OBS countdown script is playback-triggered, not a delay that holds the first video.
Choose the countdown behavior you need
| What you want | OBS method | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| A countdown video before a repeating sequence | VLC Video source with a playlist | The countdown clip plays first, followed by the other playlist items. Loop Playlist restarts the media list when it ends. |
| One countdown clip repeated by itself | Media Source | A single local video repeats when its Loop setting is enabled. |
| Text that counts down when selected media starts | OBS Lua Media Countdown Timer script | The text countdown begins after the selected media starts in the live output; it is not documented as a pre-roll delay. |
For an actual pre-roll before the first video, the playlist method is the straightforward choice. OBS’s Media Sources documentation describes playlist playback and looping for the VLC Video source, but not a separate countdown-before-playlist setting.
Play a countdown clip before a looping playlist
- Install VLC. The VLC Video source is available only when VLC is installed. Match the architecture: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Add the playlist source. In the OBS scene, use the Sources dock’s add control and select VLC Video. Create the source, then add the countdown clip to its playlist.
- Set the order. Put the countdown clip first, then add the videos to play after it. The countdown needs to be a media file; this workflow does not create a timer automatically.
- Check playlist behavior. Leave Loop Playlist enabled if the sequence should restart after the last item. OBS lists it as on by default. Keep Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence; OBS lists that setting as off by default.
- Review visibility behavior. OBS lists the default as “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” If the source or its scene becomes hidden, playback can stop and restart when it becomes visible again.
- Preview the whole sequence. Confirm that the countdown plays first, that the videos follow in the intended order, and that the list loops as expected before using the scene in a live output.
Those default settings and source behaviors are documented by the OBS Project in its Media Sources guide (published January 11, 2022).
Loop a single countdown video
If you only need one countdown clip to repeat, use OBS’s built-in Media Source instead of a playlist:
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- In the Sources dock, add a Media Source to the scene.
- Select the local countdown video file. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM.
- Enable Loop if the clip should repeat.
- Check Restart playback when source becomes active and Show nothing when playback ends. Both are on by default according to OBS’s documentation, and can affect what happens when the source appears or finishes.
Use a text countdown tied to playback
The community resource OBS Lua Media Countdown Timer 2.0.0 by Luuk Verhagen describes a script that uses a selected text source and a chosen media source—or all media sources. When selected media starts playing in the live output, the text source displays a countdown. Its listing was last updated August 18, 2023.
This is useful when the timer should react to media playback, but it is not the same as showing a countdown and then starting the first playlist video. The resource listing does not describe a built-in delay that holds that video until the timer finishes. For a designed pre-roll, use a countdown clip as the first playlist item.
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Put the text over the video
Add a text source to the scene and place it above the video source in the Sources list. OBS explains that sources higher in the list appear above others in the preview. Position and size the text in the preview. See the OBS Project’s Sources Guide (published January 11, 2022) for source layering.
Do you need a playlist plugin?
Not for the basic countdown-first workflow: OBS’s VLC Video source already supports a playlist and looping. An optional community alternative is Media Playlist Source 0.1.3 by CodeYan. Its listing describes editing a playlist without restarting video, choosing a file or folder, and shuffle behavior. It lists Windows, macOS, and Linux support, a 64-bit build, a minimum OBS version of 30.0.0, and an April 13, 2025 last update.
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The plugin listing also notes limitations, including no audio-track or subtitle selection and a need to refresh folders manually. Requirements and compatibility can change; check the current resource details against your installed OBS version before installing it. For a simple countdown followed by videos, the built-in VLC playlist is the simpler documented option. These sources describe features, not comparative performance testing.
Troubleshoot common countdown and playlist problems
- VLC Video is missing: Install VLC, then check that its architecture matches OBS. OBS’s documentation specifically calls for 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS.
- The videos begin without a countdown: Check that the countdown clip is the first playlist item and that the VLC source is the source being played in the scene.
- The countdown appears after a video starts: A playback-triggered text timer is not a pre-roll delay. Use a countdown clip as the first playlist item to make it play before the sequence.
- The playlist does not repeat: Check that Loop Playlist is enabled. OBS lists it as on by default, but the setting may have been changed.
- The order changes unexpectedly: Turn off Shuffle Playlist if the sequence must stay fixed.
- Playback restarts or stops when changing scenes: Review Visibility Behaviour. The documented default stops playback while the source is not visible and restarts it when visible.
- A single clip does not repeat: In the Media Source properties, enable Loop; also review the source-activation and end-of-playback options.
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