---
title: Media requests
description: Viewer-requested YouTube videos - limits, volumes, the backup playlist, and what gets auto-skipped.
---

Viewers can attach a YouTube video to their tip (or request one with channel points or `!sr`, if you enable those), and it plays on your overlay through the [media player widget](/overlay/widgets#media-player). The **Media** page is where you run it.

## The queue

Requests play in order, each for up to your **max duration** (default 90 seconds) from the start time the viewer picked. The queue panel shows what's waiting; skip, pause, and replay work from here, from [Controls](/queues/controls), or from chat with `!media skip` / `!media pause` / `!media replay`.

`!queue` in chat shows how many items are waiting, and `!np` shows what's playing - viewers can also watch the live queue on your tip page at `/queue`.

## Settings worth knowing

- **Max duration** - how long each request plays. Changes apply to the overlay instantly.
- **Volumes** - request volume and backup playlist volume are separate.
- **Request limits** - keep one viewer from flooding the queue.
- **Video on stream** - from [Controls](/queues/controls): show the video, or play audio only.

## The backup playlist

Silence between requests is a vibe killer. Point the **backup playlist** at any YouTube playlist and the overlay plays it (shuffled, at low volume) whenever the request queue is empty - then ducks out the moment a real request arrives.

{/* SCREENSHOT /images/queues/media-page.png : The Media page - queue panel with a couple of requests in it, plus the settings (max duration, volumes, backup playlist URL). Uncomment the Frame below once taken. */}
{/* <Frame caption="The Media page - queue, limits, and the backup playlist.">
![The Media page](/images/queues/media-page.png)
</Frame> */}

## What gets skipped automatically

Age-restricted, private, region-locked, or deleted videos can't play in an embedded player. The overlay skips them automatically and shows a small note saying why, so the queue never stalls. Viewers are warned about this on the tip page before they pay.

Want to block a specific video (or a specific donor) permanently? That's the [Bans page](/moderation/bans-and-refunds).