How to Loop VLC Playlist in OBS Studio

Setting up continuous background music in OBS Studio is an excellent way to keep your stream engaging during intros, gameplay, or intermission screens. This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to use the “VLC Video Source” to create a seamless, looping audio channel using your local music files.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the 64-bit version of the VLC media player installed on your computer. OBS Studio requires VLC to be installed on the same system to enable the “VLC Video Source” option in your sources list. If you do not see this source option in OBS, download and install VLC (matching your system’s architecture, usually 64-bit) and restart OBS.

Step 1: Add the VLC Video Source

  1. Open OBS Studio and navigate to the Sources dock.
  2. Click the + (plus) icon at the bottom of the dock to add a new source.
  3. Select VLC Video Source from the drop-down menu.
  4. Name the source (e.g., “Background Music”) and click OK.

Step 2: Configure the Playlist and Loop Settings

Once the properties window for your new source opens, configure the following settings: 1. Loop Playlist: Ensure this checkbox is ticked. This tells OBS to automatically restart the playlist from the beginning once the final track finishes playing. 2. Visibility Behavior: Change this setting to Always play even when not visible. This prevents the music from stopping or restarting when you switch scenes in OBS. 3. Playlist: Click the + (plus) button on the right side of the playlist box. Select Add Files or Add Directory to upload your royalty-free music tracks.

Click OK to save the settings.

Step 3: Configure Audio Output Settings

By default, the VLC source will output audio directly to your stream, but you may not hear it through your headphones. To monitor the audio: 1. Locate your background music source in the Audio Mixer dock. 2. Click the three dots (options) next to the source and select Advanced Audio Properties. 3. Find your music source in the list and locate the Audio Monitoring column. 4. Change the setting from “Monitor Off” to Monitor and Output.

Your VLC playlist is now configured to run continuously in the background of your stream. You can adjust the volume slider in the Audio Mixer to ensure the music does not drown out your microphone.