To loop one pre-recorded video in OBS, add it to a scene as a Media Source and enable Loop in its properties. For multiple videos, add a VLC Video source, build a playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. Connect OBS to a YouTube broadcast with its server URL and stream key, then keep the computer, OBS, and internet connection running for the broadcast to continue.
Choose the right OBS source
One video: Media Source
Use a Media Source when you want one file to repeat. OBS lists common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. In the source properties, select the file and turn on Loop; it is off by default. The setting restarts playback when the file reaches its end. (OBS Media Sources documentation)
Restart playback when source becomes active can be useful if the source becomes visible again after being inactive: OBS describes it as restarting a file once the source is in the current scene and visible. Show nothing when playback ends controls whether the source hides at the end. With Loop enabled, playback should restart rather than remain at an end frame.
Several videos: VLC Video
For a sequence of files, install VLC and add a VLC Video source. Create the playlist in the source properties and use Loop Playlist to repeat it. OBS documents that option as on by default and Shuffle Playlist as off by default; turn shuffle on only if you want a randomized order. VLC must match OBS’s architecture: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. (OBS Media Sources documentation)
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Check the transition between each file and listen for changes in loudness or silence. Playlist playback does not guarantee seamless transitions on every computer or with every combination of files.
Set up and start the YouTube broadcast
- Confirm channel eligibility. YouTube says a channel must be verified and must not have had live-stream restrictions in the past 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours. Check this before scheduling a broadcast. (YouTube: Get started with live streaming)
- Create or select the broadcast. In YouTube Studio, open Create → Go live and use the Live Control Room to create or choose a stream. (YouTube: Stream with an encoder)
- Copy the server URL and stream key. In YouTube’s encoder setup, copy the live server URL and stream key into OBS’s streaming settings. The key links the encoder feed to the broadcast; treat it like a password and do not share or publish it. (YouTube: Stream with an encoder)
- Check the OBS scene. Confirm that the intended looping source is visible in the preview and that both video and audio are present. Start streaming in OBS.
- Check YouTube’s preview and stream health. Wait for the encoder preview and review the dashboard’s status messages. For a scheduled stream, YouTube may require a separate Go live action in Live Control Room after the preview appears. (YouTube: Stream with an encoder)
Choose settings and test the feed
There is no single bitrate or resolution that suits every connection. Choose a quality your upload connection can sustain, test with representative movement and audio, and monitor YouTube’s stream-health messages. YouTube’s encoder guide specifically recommends testing before going live. (YouTube: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions)
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- Test the actual source files and playlist order you intend to use, not just a static scene.
- Watch the OBS preview and listen to the audio before starting, then check YouTube’s preview and health indicators once the encoder is connected.
- If the feed buffers or stream health deteriorates, lower the output quality to a level the upload connection can sustain and test again.
What a local 24/7 stream requires
OBS loops the files, but it does not remove the need for a continuously operating host. The computer must stay powered on, OBS must keep running, and the internet connection must continue sending data. A shutdown, application failure, or connection outage can interrupt the broadcast. YouTube recommends matching stream quality to the upload connection and monitoring stream health; it does not establish that one local setup will remain uninterrupted indefinitely. (YouTube encoder settings guidance)
A dedicated computer is one possible way to host OBS, but the documentation here does not establish minimum hardware requirements or validate any particular PC. Check OBS and source playback on the actual machine before relying on it for continuous use.
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Copyright, YouTube rules, and long-stream archives
Use material you have the right to stream
YouTube scans live streams for matches to third-party content, including other live broadcasts. If it identifies a match, a placeholder may replace the stream and YouTube may warn you to stop streaming that material; if the stream continues, it may be temporarily interrupted or terminated. For licensed third-party content, YouTube says to ask the rights holder to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist. A license alone may not prevent an interruption if the channel has not been allowlisted. (YouTube: Copyright issues with live streams)
Looping or using pre-recorded footage does not exempt a broadcast from YouTube’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, and permission to use a work does not itself establish that a stream will be monetized. Make sure you have the necessary rights for the video and audio you broadcast. (YouTube live-streaming guidance)
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Do not rely on a 24/7 stream as its own archive
YouTube’s encoder guide says all streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. It does not make that assurance for broadcasts lasting 12 hours or longer. If you need a replay, plan a separate recording or archive workflow rather than assuming a 24/7 broadcast will become a complete video. (YouTube: Stream with an encoder)
Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The file stops at the end | Media Source’s Loop setting may be off. | Open the source properties and enable Loop. |
| The playlist ends instead of repeating | Check Loop Playlist in the VLC Video source. | Enable it, then verify that the desired files are in the playlist. |
| VLC Video is unavailable or does not load the playlist | VLC may not be installed or may not match OBS’s architecture. | Install VLC; if OBS is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC. |
| OBS shows no picture or sound | The source may not be selected, visible, or playing the intended file. | Check the source properties, scene visibility, and OBS preview; confirm the intended scene is being sent to YouTube. |
| YouTube does not show an encoder preview | Check that OBS has the correct YouTube server URL and stream key. | Copy the current values from the broadcast’s Live Control Room into OBS, start the encoder, and review YouTube’s status messages. |
| Stream health is poor or the broadcast buffers | The selected quality may exceed what the upload connection can sustain. | Reduce the output quality, test with representative content, and monitor stream health again. |
| The stream is interrupted after starting | Check OBS, the computer’s power and operation, the network, and YouTube’s copyright or stream-health notices. | Restore the encoder feed or resolve the dashboard warning. If third-party content triggered a match, stop using it and consult the rights holder about Content ID allowlisting where applicable. |
Monetization is conditional
For eligible channels, YouTube lists ads, Super Chat and Super Stickers, and channel memberships as ways to earn from monetized live streams. YouTube also cautions that ad slots are not guaranteed to serve an ad. (YouTube: Monetize your live stream)
YouTube reported an average uplift of over 20% in instream ad revenue per hour for creators using automatic live mid-roll ads compared with channels that did not turn them on. That platform-reported comparison covered 207 countries in January 2024; it is not a forecast or guarantee for an individual creator or a 24/7 stream. (YouTube live monetization guidance)
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