Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteTo play different kids’ videos in a random order in OBS, add them to a VLC Video source and turn on Shuffle Playlist. VLC must be installed on the same computer as OBS; if you want the videos to stop after one pass, turn off Loop Playlist, which is on by default.
Set up a shuffled video playlist in OBS
- Install VLC Media Player. OBS’s Media Sources guide says VLC Video requires VLC to be installed. Match the application bitness: if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
- Choose the scene. Open the OBS scene where the videos should appear. In the Sources dock, click + and select VLC Video. The OBS Sources Guide explains how to add sources to a scene.
- Add the video files. Open the VLC Video source’s properties and add the local files you want in the playlist. VLC Video supports multiple media files; the regular Media Source is intended for a single media file.
- Enable shuffle. In the source properties, turn on Shuffle Playlist. OBS describes this setting as randomizing the media files rather than keeping the file-list order. Its documented default is off.
- Set whether playback repeats. Loop Playlist is on by default. Leave it on if you want the playlist to start again after reaching the end; turn it off for one pass.
- Check visibility behavior. If the source or its scene may be hidden, review Visibility Behaviour in the source properties. Its options determine what playback does while the source is not visible.
What shuffle does—and what it does not promise
OBS documents shuffle as randomizing the playlist rather than retaining its listed order. It does not specify a particular randomization algorithm or guarantee that every video will be selected before any video repeats, or that each video will trigger a fresh shuffle. A community forum discussion describes files playing once each in shuffled order before the playlist repeats, but that is community guidance, not a guarantee in the current official documentation. The OBS source implementation includes logic to rearrange playlist items when shuffle is enabled; implementation details may change between versions.
If VLC Video is missing or the playlist does not behave as expected
- VLC Video does not appear in the source list: Confirm VLC is installed and that its bitness matches OBS. In particular, 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. If VLC was installed while OBS was open, close and reopen OBS, then check the Sources dock again. OBS documents the installation prerequisite; restarting is a practical troubleshooting step, not a documented requirement.
- Videos play in the listed order: Open the VLC Video source properties and confirm Shuffle Playlist is enabled. The documented default is off.
- The playlist starts over unexpectedly: Check Loop Playlist. Turn it off if playback should end when the playlist runs out of files.
- Playback changes when switching scenes or hiding the source: Review Visibility Behaviour and choose the option that fits how you want playback to act while the source is not visible.
When a playlist plugin may be useful
For the basic task of shuffling local videos, start with OBS’s built-in VLC Video source. A community alternative is the Media Playlist Source plugin. Its OBS Forums listing advertises editing a playlist without restarting the video, selecting a file or folder item from the list, saving the current file for playback after an OBS restart, and shuffling. The listing states a minimum OBS Studio version of 30.0.0 and support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. These are claims in the plugin listing, not a compatibility guarantee for every current setup; check compatibility with your installed OBS version and only install plugins from a source you trust.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a continuous YouTube channel playing uploaded videos, StreamNeo is a separate option from running an OBS playlist on your computer. You upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. It streams to YouTube, not from a camera.
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