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For one track, add an OBS Media Source and enable Loop. For a multi-track radio playlist, add a VLC Video source, select your files, and leave Loop Playlist enabled. Then test the audio and YouTube stream before broadcasting—and confirm you have rights to use the music in a livestream.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to play | OBS source | Loop setting | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| One audio file | Media Source | Loop | Simple choice for repeating a single local file. Loop is off by default. |
| Several audio files | VLC Video | Loop Playlist | Supports a playlist and sequential or shuffled playback. VLC must be installed; with 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. |
OBS documents support for common local audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. Its VLC source relies on VLC libraries, so the source may not appear until VLC is installed. See the OBS Media Sources documentation.
Set up a single looping track
- In OBS, choose the scene that will carry the radio audio.
- In the Sources dock, click + and select Media Source.
- Create a new source or select an existing one, then choose the local audio file.
- Enable Loop in the source properties. The documented default is off.
- Confirm the source is visible in the active scene and that its audio meter responds in the mixer. Listen to the output before streaming.
Build a playlist from multiple tracks
- Install VLC if it is not already installed. If OBS is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC.
- In the Sources dock, click + and choose VLC Video.
- Add the audio files you want in the playlist. Arrange them in the order you want if you plan to play them sequentially.
- Keep Loop Playlist enabled so playback restarts when the source runs out of files. It is on by default in OBS documentation.
- Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a predictable sequence, or enable it for randomized order; shuffle is off by default.
- Check the source’s visibility and audio. OBS documents its default visibility behavior as “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” If you hide the source or switch scenes, playback may stop and restart when it becomes visible again.
To add either source, use the plus button at the bottom of the Sources dock. Sources higher in the list appear above sources lower in the list in the preview; for an audio-only playlist, the key check is that the source belongs to the scene that is active during the broadcast. See the OBS Sources Guide.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Enable live streaming for your YouTube channel. YouTube says first-time activation can take up to 24 hours.
- In YouTube Studio, create or select a live stream and open its encoder settings in Live Control Room.
- Copy the YouTube server URL and stream key into OBS’s stream settings. Treat the stream key like a password; do not share it publicly.
- Start the encoder from OBS and follow the stream workflow in YouTube Live Control Room.
- Before the public broadcast, run a private or otherwise appropriate test and check stream health and any messages in Live Control Room.
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive behavior is not a substitute for saving an independent copy of important audio or video. Follow YouTube’s current encoder setup guidance because labels and workflows can change.
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Check audio and encoder settings before going live
Test with audio and movement similar to what you plan to broadcast. Confirm the playlist plays through OBS’s output mix, monitor for unwanted silence or clipping, and review YouTube’s stream-health indicators. A playlist can loop correctly in the preview while the stream still has an encoder, connection, or mix problem.
- Rate control: YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends CBR.
- Audio encoding: YouTube lists AAC or MP3.
- Keyframes: YouTube recommends a two-second interval and says it should not exceed four seconds.
- Video codec: YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 as options.
- Resolution and bitrate: Choose values suited to your planned video and available upload connection. There is no single bitrate or resolution appropriate to every connection and stream.
These are YouTube platform recommendations, not guarantees that a particular connection can sustain a stream. See YouTube’s live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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Make sure the music is cleared for livestreaming
Setting a playlist to loop does not grant permission to broadcast its tracks. YouTube scans live streams for matches to third-party content, including other live broadcasts. If it identifies such content, it may replace the stream with a placeholder and warn you; if the content continues, the stream may be temporarily interrupted or terminated.
Before using music, confirm that the rights you have cover YouTube livestream use. A purchase, subscription, or license for another use does not automatically establish that right. Ask the rights holder whether your channel must be added to its Content ID allowlist. YouTube warns that even licensed third-party material can be interrupted if the channel has not been allowlisted where required. If you archive the live stream, YouTube says Content ID claims on that archived video are made after the stream ends. Read YouTube’s guidance on copyright issues with live streams.
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Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video is missing from the source menu | VLC is not installed or the VLC and OBS architectures do not match. | Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC, then reopen or check OBS. |
| The track plays once and stops | Media Source’s Loop setting is off. | Open its properties and enable Loop. |
| The playlist ends instead of starting over | Loop Playlist is off. | Open VLC Video properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| The playlist order changes unexpectedly | Shuffle Playlist is enabled. | Disable shuffle for sequential playback. |
| Audio stops or starts over after changing scenes | The VLC source is hidden, and its visibility behavior is set to stop when not visible and restart when visible. | Keep the source visible in the scene used for the broadcast, and test scene changes before going live. |
| The OBS preview has audio but viewers cannot hear it | The source may not be reaching the stream mix, or the wrong scene may be live. | Check the active scene and mixer, then test the encoded stream privately before broadcasting. |
| YouTube warns, replaces, interrupts, or ends the stream | A third-party content match or other stream-health issue may be involved. | Read Live Control Room messages. For music, verify livestream rights and ask the rights holder about Content ID allowlisting; do not assume a license prevents interruption. |
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