To transition between prerecorded videos in OBS, put each video in its own scene, choose a transition such as Fade or Cut, and switch scenes when you want the handoff to happen. A playlist inside one source can play multiple files, but that is different from transitioning between scenes—and the official OBS guides do not establish that OBS automatically switches scenes when a file ends.
Choose between separate scenes and a playlist
| Setup | Best for | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| One scene per video, with a Media Source in each | A deliberate handoff using an OBS scene transition | You switch scenes yourself; the official OBS guides reviewed do not establish automatic scene switching at the end of a file. |
| One VLC Video playlist source | Playing an ordered list of files within one source | Requires VLC installed with the same architecture as OBS. Playlist playback is not a scene transition. |
In OBS, a scene contains sources that make up the stream output. A Media Source plays a local video within a scene; a scene transition changes from one scene to another. For documentary segments that need a chosen visual handoff, use one scene per video.
Set up one scene for each video
- Create the scenes. In the Scenes dock, add a scene for each segment and give it a clear name, such as “Video 1” and “Video 2.”
- Add each video file. Select the scene, then in the Sources dock click the plus button and choose Media Source. Select the local file and position or fit it in the scene. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM.
- Review playback properties. Open the Media Source properties and check options such as Loop, Restart playback when source becomes active, and Show nothing when playback ends. In OBS’s documented defaults, Loop is off and the other two options are on. Treat these as defaults, not universal recommendations; choose what suits the segment. If Close file when inactive is enabled, the file may take time to load again when you return to that source.
- Repeat for the other scenes. Add each video to its own scene, then check the framing and audio for every source.
OBS Project’s overview guide explains scenes and transitions; its Media Sources guide covers playback properties, supported media, and VLC Video. The Sources Guide covers adding, positioning, and sizing sources.
Choose and configure a scene transition
- Find the Scene Transitions control in OBS and choose a transition from its dropdown.
- Set the duration for the transition. OBS Project documents Fade and Cut as available at first launch; its overview guide also lists Swipe, Slide, Fade to color, and Luma Wipe as options available through the plus control. Choices can vary by installed OBS version, so check the controls in your version.
- Switch between your video scenes to see how the selected transition looks and sounds. Cut changes scenes without a gradual visual blend; Fade blends between them over the configured duration.
OBS Project says in its overview guide, “Some Transitions in OBS Studio are available from the first launch: Fade and Cut Transition.” It also notes that you can change the active transition and its duration. The guide gives 500 ms and 1000 ms as examples for Quick Transitions; these are examples, not evidence-based recommendations for an ideal duration.
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Use Studio Mode for a controlled handoff
- Enable Studio Mode. OBS displays the live program scene on the right and an editable preview scene on the left.
- While the current video remains live, select the next video scene in the preview.
- Review the preview, then click Transition to take it live. Alternatively, configure a Quick Transition and use it for the handoff; Quick Transitions can have their own durations.
This lets you prepare and check the next scene before changing what viewers see. It is a manual handoff: selecting a scene in the preview does not itself put it on air.
Use a playlist when the files belong in one source
If you want several files to play in sequence within one scene, add a VLC Video source instead of making a scene for every file. OBS requires VLC to be installed, and 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Add the files to the playlist in the source’s properties. OBS’s documented defaults have Loop Playlist on and Shuffle Playlist off; check the properties and adjust them for the intended sequence.
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A VLC playlist organizes file playback in one source. It does not create an OBS scene transition, and the official guides reviewed do not establish that the end of a Media Source automatically switches to another scene.
Connect OBS to YouTube and test before going live
- In YouTube Live Control Room, get the stream URL and stream key for the stream you are setting up. Enter them in OBS’s streaming connection settings. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions describe connecting an encoder with the URL and key.
- Review YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for your intended resolution, frame rate, codec, and protocol. YouTube recommends RTMPS; use its current guidance rather than relying on an old preset.
- Run the full sequence before the broadcast: play each file, listen for audio, check the framing, and test the transitions or playlist order.
- Check the YouTube Live Control Room preview before starting, then monitor stream health during the broadcast. YouTube’s live streaming tips recommend checking the preview and monitoring quality.
Transition duration is a visual setting in OBS; YouTube’s bitrate and resolution guidance concerns the encoded stream, not how long a scene transition should be. The official YouTube encoder settings page gives technical recommendations by stream configuration, so use that page for the values that apply to your output rather than treating one bitrate as universal.
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Can OBS automatically switch scenes when a video ends?
The official OBS guides cited here document Media Source playback properties, VLC playlists, Studio Mode, and scene transitions, but they do not establish a built-in rule to switch scenes automatically when a Media Source reaches the end. The reliable workflow described here is to make the handoff manually. If you need an automated handoff, verify the particular plugin, script, or control workflow against your installed OBS version before relying on it in a live broadcast.
Troubleshoot common transition problems
- The next video appears immediately or the wrong transition plays: Confirm the intended option is selected in the Scene Transitions dropdown and that its duration is set. Check which scene is in preview and which is live in Studio Mode.
- A video does not restart when you return to its scene: Check Restart playback when source becomes active in that Media Source’s properties.
- A video disappears after playback ends: Check Show nothing when playback ends and Loop. Their documented defaults are on and off, respectively; choose based on whether the source should clear, repeat, or remain visible.
- A source takes time to appear after switching back: Check whether Close file when inactive is enabled; OBS notes that the local file may need time to load again.
- A VLC playlist source is unavailable: Install VLC and ensure its architecture matches OBS. OBS’s documented requirement is 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- The YouTube preview or stream health is poor: Check the encoder configuration against YouTube’s current guidance for resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, and RTMPS. Test the complete stream before the event rather than assuming a correct scene transition guarantees a healthy stream.
Or let it run in the cloud
OBS is the do-it-yourself option when you want to control scenes and transitions on your computer. If your goal is to keep uploaded videos playing on YouTube without leaving a computer on at home, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative: upload your recording or playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos; it does not broadcast a camera feed. It streams to YouTube only.
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