# Automatic playlists from a folder, tags, or OneDrive

At the end, the playlist plays whatever is in a folder or carries certain tags. You no longer maintain entries: new matching media appear on their own, and deleted ones disappear.

> **Type:** guide
> **For:** Anyone who does not want to update a rotation by hand.
> **Prerequisite:** The permission to edit playlists — by default, the roles **Owner** and **Manager** have it. In addition, a playlist, media in the library, and for OneDrive a connected account.
> **Where in the portal:** **Playlists** › open a playlist › **Where does the content come from?** section

## Steps

### Choose the source

1. Open the playlist and the **Where does the content come from?** section. The segments **Manual**, **Folder**, and **Tags** sit side by side, with a sentence below about the chosen kind.
2. Click **Folder** or **Tags**. The change takes effect once you save.

![The Where does the content come from? section of a folder playlist: the segments Manual, Folder, and Tags (1), the folder tree with the Include subfolders switch (2), the media types (3), the order (4), and below it the sequence with the From the source badge (5), which shows the resolved media](/docs/programs/bilder/b5dc9506-playlist-source-settings.png)

*1 Segments Manual, Folder, and Tags · 2 Folder tree · 3 Media types · 4 Order · 5 Sequence with the From the source badge*

### Folder: determine the folder

3. In the folder tree, choose the **Folder**. “Every playable media file in this folder runs in the playlist.”
4. Switch on **Include subfolders** if the media in subfolders should play too.

### Tags: determine the tags

5. Under **Tags**, enter 1 to 10 tags.
6. The AND rule applies: “A media file only runs if it carries ALL listed tags.” The more tags, the smaller the selection.

### Media types, order, and duration

7. Under **Media types**, choose whether **Images**, **Videos**, or both play along.
8. Choose the **Order**: **Name (A–Z)**, **Name (Z–A)**, **Newest first**, or **Oldest first**.
9. The duration for each image is in the **Defaults** under **Default duration per item (seconds)**, not here. Videos run their natural length.
10. Click **Save**.

### OneDrive: keep an eye on the sync

A OneDrive playlist is a folder playlist whose folder fills itself. Above the selection is an origin strip.

11. There you read **Kept in sync from …** with the account and the state **Running** or **Paused**. Below it is “Last synced: …”, and before the first run “First sync is starting — the first media will appear within the next few minutes.”
12. If it says **The sync is paused**, the text names the reason. **Reconnect** obtains the permission again.
13. **Sync ended** is not an error: the playlist keeps playing the folder, but the folder is no longer refilled.

## Options

### The limit of 200 media

A source playlist takes at most 200 media, in the chosen order. If the selection matches more, the sequence warns with **Not the whole selection runs** and says how many media are missing.

### Switch from manual to a source

If you switch a curated playlist to **Folder** or **Tags**, the portal asks **Take content from a source?** and warns: **The sequence will be discarded** — a playlist with a source carries no sequence of its own. **Use source** confirms.

### Switch from a source to manual

If you switch back to **Manual**, **Take over as a manual playlist** offers to turn the resolved media into an editable sequence. If there are more than 100, the dialog reports **Not every media file fits into a sequence**. The first 100 are taken over. **Take over** confirms.

## Check the result

- The **Sequence** carries the **From the source** badge and shows the resolved media with position, name, and duration, and at the top the number and total duration. It cannot be edited.
- If the selection matches nothing: “No playable media currently matches this selection.”
- In the list under **Playlists**, it carries the **Folder** or **Tags** badge, and the **Extent** column shows the number of items. A OneDrive playlist counts as **Folder**.

## If something goes wrong

| Symptom | Meaning | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The playlist plays nothing | Empty folder, tags too strict, or media type deselected | Widen the selection. The sequence shows the matches immediately. |
| A freshly uploaded media item is missing | Processing is still running | Wait until the status in the media library is **Ready**. |
| “The source is not complete yet — please check the selection.” | Folder, tag, or media type is missing | Add the missing detail and save. |
| **Not the whole selection runs** | The selection matches more than 200 media | Narrow the selection or split it across two playlists. |
| **The selection could not be resolved.** | The preview could not be created | Click **Try again**. |
| The playlist is deleted, but the media are still there | When you delete it, the folder sync and the imported media remain | End the sync in the media library if it is no longer needed. |

## Related

- [Folders, tags, and saved filters](/docs/content/folders-tags-filters)
- [Places: OneDrive folders in the media library](/docs/content/onedrive-places)
- [What is a playlist, and when do I not need one?](/docs/programs/about-playlists)