OBS can loop a YouTube radio stream’s playlist, but its built-in VLC Video source documentation does not promise that the current playlist item will be restored after OBS restarts. For that, consider the community Media Playlist Source plugin, which says it can remember the current file. Restoring the file is separate from restarting OBS, reconnecting the encoder, and getting the YouTube broadcast live again—and the plugin description does not promise restoration of the exact playback timestamp.
First, identify what restarted
A source becoming visible again, OBS closing and reopening, and the computer rebooting are different events. Each can affect a different part of the setup:
- Source or scene visibility: OBS’s VLC source has a visibility behavior that can restart playback when the source becomes visible.
- OBS restart: The application must reopen, and the playlist source must determine which file to play.
- Computer reboot: The operating system must start, OBS must launch, and the encoder must reconnect before YouTube can receive the feed.
Do not treat a successful encoder reconnection as proof that the intended playlist item—or its exact position—was restored.
Choose how OBS should handle the playlist
Built-in VLC Video source
OBS’s VLC Video source supports a VLC-backed playlist. VLC must be installed. The documented defaults are Loop Playlist on, Shuffle Playlist off, and “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” Review the visibility setting if you want playback to continue while the source’s scene is hidden. These controls do not establish that OBS will remember the current playlist item after a full application restart.
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OBS describes Loop Playlist as specifying whether the source should restart after it has run out of media files. That is a loop control, not a promise to persist the current item across an OBS restart. See the OBS Project Media Sources documentation.
Community Media Playlist Source plugin
The plugin’s resource description says it saves the currently playing file so it will play when OBS restarts. It also offers a choice to play either the first or current file when the source restarts. The listing specifies a minimum OBS version of 30.0.0 and notes limitations, but compatibility with your particular OBS version and operating system should be checked before you depend on it. The description does not say that it restores the precise timestamp within the file.
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Because it is a community plugin rather than an OBS built-in feature, test it with a noncritical stream before using it for an unattended broadcast. See the Media Playlist Source resource listing.
Set up and test playlist recovery
- Confirm the failure case. Note whether only the scene or source changed visibility, OBS restarted, or the computer rebooted. Test the same event you need to recover from.
- Check the built-in source first. In OBS, select the VLC Video source and review its playlist, Loop Playlist, Shuffle Playlist, and visibility behavior. Confirm VLC is installed. Do not rely on these settings alone to restore the current item after OBS closes.
- If you need current-file persistence, evaluate the plugin. Check the resource listing against your installed OBS version and operating system, install only a compatible version, then test whether the current file is selected after restarting OBS. Do not assume the in-file timestamp is preserved.
- Plan host startup separately. For a computer reboot, verify that the operating system starts, OBS launches, and the intended scene and source are available. The playlist feature does not itself establish that OBS will launch after a reboot.
- Reconnect the YouTube encoder. In OBS, use the YouTube server URL and stream key for the intended stream. YouTube’s encoder guide covers creating or scheduling a stream and connecting an encoder: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- Check the broadcast state in Live Control Room. Confirm that OBS is sending the intended media and that YouTube reports the expected stream and broadcast state. Depending on the stream workflow, receiving an encoder feed and taking a scheduled stream live may be separate actions.
Keep YouTube broadcast controls separate from playlist recovery
YouTube’s stream key and server URL connect the encoder to YouTube; they do not store the local OBS playlist position. Similarly, auto-start and auto-stop govern broadcast startup and shutdown, not which local file OBS plays. YouTube’s settings page also explains that Reuse settings copies selections such as these broadcast settings; it does not restore a local playlist item. See YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
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| Option | What it supports | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| OBS VLC Video source | VLC-backed playlists, loop and shuffle controls, and visibility behavior. VLC must be installed. | Restoring the current item after a full OBS restart. |
| Media Playlist Source plugin | Its resource description says it can save the current file for playback after OBS restarts and choose the current or first file on source restart. | Exact timestamp recovery, compatibility with every system, or launching OBS after a computer reboot. |
| YouTube Live Control Room | Encoder connection details, scheduled streams, auto-start and auto-stop, and reuse of settings. | Persistence of the local OBS playlist item or playback position. |
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
The playlist starts at the first file after OBS restarts
The built-in VLC source documentation does not promise current-item persistence. If the current file matters, test the Media Playlist Source plugin’s current-file option with your OBS version and operating system.
Playback restarts when a scene becomes visible
Review the VLC source’s “Stop when not visible, restart when visible” behavior. That setting concerns visibility, not recovery after closing OBS.
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OBS is streaming, but the wrong file is playing
Check the playlist source itself. An encoder feed only confirms that media is being sent; it does not confirm the playlist item or timestamp.
OBS reconnects, but YouTube is not live
Check Live Control Room for the stream and broadcast state. A scheduled stream may require a separate Go live action; auto-start and auto-stop settings affect broadcast behavior, not playlist selection.
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The computer rebooted and nothing resumed
Treat this as several recovery steps: operating-system startup, OBS launch, playlist item selection, encoder reconnection, and YouTube broadcast state. The cited playlist feature does not establish unattended reboot recovery end to end.
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