To make OBS reopen the video that was playing before OBS restarted, use the third-party Media Playlist Source plugin: its listing says it saves the currently playing file for playback when OBS restarts. That claim concerns the file, not the exact timestamp within it. OBS’s built-in VLC Video source supports playlists and visibility controls, but its documented visibility settings do not promise playlist recovery after a full OBS or PC restart.
First, decide what “resume” should mean
There are two different goals that are easy to confuse:
- Resume the same file: after OBS restarts, the playlist opens the video that was playing before.
- Resume at the same timestamp: the video continues from the exact point where playback stopped.
The Media Playlist Source listing describes saving the currently playing file for playback when OBS restarts. It does not establish that playback resumes at the exact in-file position. The cited OBS documentation does not promise either kind of playlist-position recovery for its built-in VLC Video source after a full restart.
Choose between VLC Video and Media Playlist Source
| Question | OBS VLC Video | Media Playlist Source plugin |
|---|---|---|
| What happens when the source is hidden? | Visibility Behaviour controls whether playback continues, pauses, or stops while the source is invisible. The documented default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.” | The cited listing does not establish equivalent visibility behavior. |
| Does the current file survive an OBS restart? | The cited OBS documentation does not promise this. | The listing says it saves the currently playing file for playback when OBS restarts. This is not a claim about the timestamp within the file. |
| Does it require VLC to be installed? | Yes. VLC Video uses VLC libraries; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. | The listing describes it as an alternative to VLC Video using Media Source internally, so it does not have the same stated VLC installation dependency. |
| Platform and OBS requirements | The cited documentation says VLC Video is available when VLC is installed and gives the 64-bit requirement above. | The resource listing shows 64-bit Windows, macOS, and Linux support. It lists OBS 30.0.0 as a minimum on the resource page, while its update history says version 0.1.0 raised the minimum to OBS 31. Check the current listing for the release you intend to install. |
| Audio tracks, subtitles, and folder refresh | The cited comparison material does not establish these details for the built-in source. | The listing says audio-track and subtitle selection are not supported, and folder contents do not refresh automatically. Saving the settings again is the listed manual refresh method. |
For ordinary scene changes, VLC Video’s Visibility Behaviour setting is relevant. It is not a substitute for restart persistence. “Loop Playlist” repeats the list after it reaches the end, while “Shuffle Playlist” changes playback order; neither setting is documented as saving the current file across a restart.
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Set up Media Playlist Source to remember the current file
- Back up your scene collection. Do this before replacing a source or installing a plugin. It gives you a way back if the change disrupts your scenes.
- Check the plugin’s current release and requirements. Find Media Playlist Source in the OBS Forums resources and verify the release’s OBS minimum and platform support. The listing’s general page and update history differ on the minimum OBS version, so use the requirements for the release you are actually installing.
- Install the plugin using its current listing instructions. The listing describes Media Playlist Source as an alternative to VLC Video that uses Media Source internally. Follow the release’s installation instructions rather than assuming steps for another plugin version.
- Add or configure the playlist source in OBS. Load the gaming VOD files you want in the playlist and save the source settings. If you use a folder as the playlist input, remember that the listing says folder contents do not refresh automatically; saving settings again is its stated manual refresh method.
- Run a controlled restart test. Start a recognizable item, save your OBS settings, close OBS normally, and reopen it. Check whether the same file plays. If exact in-file position matters, check that separately: the plugin feature statement supports current-file restoration, not timestamp restoration.
If you are using the built-in VLC Video source
VLC Video is OBS’s playlist-capable source built on VLC libraries. It can loop or shuffle a playlist, and it has controls for playback when the source becomes invisible. It is appropriate when you need those playlist and scene-visibility behaviors, but do not treat its visibility setting as a way to make OBS remember the playlist’s current file after Windows or OBS restarts.
- Install VLC if VLC Video is unavailable in OBS.
- Match architectures: a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC.
- Use “Visibility Behaviour” to decide what happens when the source is hidden in a scene. The default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible.”
- Use “Loop Playlist” to repeat the playlist after it runs out, or “Shuffle Playlist” to randomize its order. These affect playlist playback, not restart recovery.
Troubleshoot a playlist that starts over or fails to load
OBS starts at the beginning after a restart
If the source is VLC Video, that behavior is not contradicted by the documented visibility controls: those controls govern hidden-source playback, not full-restart persistence. If you need OBS to reopen the same file, consider Media Playlist Source and verify its current requirements. Do not assume it will restore the timestamp within the file.
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The source pauses or restarts when you change scenes
Check the VLC Video source’s “Visibility Behaviour” setting. Its default stops playback while hidden and restarts when visible. This is a scene-visibility issue, distinct from recovering a playlist after a PC restart.
VLC Video is missing or will not work
Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. The documented requirement is 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
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The plugin does not appear to restore the expected file
Check that the plugin release supports your OBS version and operating system, save the source settings, and repeat a normal close-and-reopen test with a recognizable playlist item. The listing’s claim is limited to saving the current file for an OBS restart; it does not guarantee recovery after every crash or power loss.
A new file added to a folder is absent from the playlist
The plugin listing says folder contents do not refresh automatically. Save the source settings again to perform the listed manual refresh.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep uploaded gaming videos playing as a YouTube live stream without leaving your PC on, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option—not an OBS restart setting. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on.
- Each slot streams the uploaded quality, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot.
- It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free, with no card required; one free day is available per account.
- Monthly: $9.99 per month.
StreamNeo is for looping uploaded videos to YouTube; it is not a way to resume an OBS playlist at a particular file position. See StreamNeo, or start the free day.
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