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For looping a local video in OBS, MP4 and MKV both work: add it as a Media Source and enable Loop. The container does not control looping. Choose between them based on the file’s other job—recording, editing, or uploading—not on whether OBS can repeat it.
Choose the format for the job
| Workflow | Practical choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Loop one local file in an OBS scene | MP4 or MKV; enable Loop on the Media Source | OBS supports both, and looping is a source setting. OBS Media Sources |
| Repeat a sequence of files | VLC Video source with Loop Playlist | It supports playlists and Loop Playlist is on by default. VLC must be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS Media Sources |
| Record in OBS, then edit or upload | Record as MKV; remux to MP4 if needed | OBS recommends MKV for resilience if recording is interrupted. YouTube recommends MP4 for uploaded videos. OBS recording guide · YouTube upload settings |
| Send a looping scene live to YouTube | Loop the local source, then configure OBS’s outgoing encoder for YouTube Live | The local file container and the live stream’s encoding are separate parts of the workflow. YouTube live encoder settings |
Loop a single MP4 or MKV in OBS
- In OBS, add a source to the scene: select Sources → + → Media Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
- In the source properties, select Local File and browse to the MP4 or MKV file.
- Enable Loop, then select OK. OBS defines this setting as replaying the file after playback finishes; it is off by default. OBS Media Sources
- Start playback and let the file reach its end once. Confirm it restarts as expected in the scene and that the audio and video remain in sync.
Other Media Source properties affect scene behavior, not the file extension. Restart playback when source becomes active is on by default. Show nothing when playback ends is also on by default, so a non-looping source can disappear at its end. Close file when inactive is off by default; enabling it unloads a hidden file to free memory, but may introduce a delay when the source is shown again. OBS Media Sources
Loop a playlist instead of one file
Use OBS’s VLC Video source when the scene needs to cycle through several videos. Add the source, create or select a playlist in its properties, and leave Loop Playlist enabled if it should repeat. OBS documents that this option is on by default. The source appears only when VLC is installed; match VLC’s architecture to OBS (64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC). OBS Media Sources
When MKV is the better recording format
Looping playback is not the same as recording. If OBS is recording a program that you may edit or upload later, MKV is the safer default when an unexpected power loss or shutdown is a concern. OBS says an unfinished MKV recording can remain playable and recoverable, while ordinary MP4 or MOV files need finalization and may not be recoverable if writing is interrupted. MKV may be less well supported by editing software, so you may need to remux it. OBS Audio/Video Formats Guide · OBS Standard Recording Output Guide
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Remux an OBS recording to MP4
- In OBS, open File → Remux Recordings.
- Select the MKV recording and start the remux.
- Use the resulting MP4 where an editor or upload workflow needs that container. Remuxing changes the container; it is not the same as choosing MP4 for live-stream ingestion.
OBS also offers Automatically remux to mp4 so a recording is remuxed after it stops. OBS Standard Recording Output Guide
OBS’s formats guide describes fragmented MP4/MOV as fault-resistant alternatives with broader compatibility than MKV, though some editing suites may require remuxing for lossless or uncompressed audio. Hybrid MP4 was introduced in OBS 30.2; Hybrid MOV in OBS 32.0. OBS describes the hybrid formats as combining fragmented-file recovery with a finalization step aimed at compatibility with software that accepts regular MP4/MOV. Hybrid MOV is the option in that pair that supports ProRes. Check the options available in your installed OBS version before relying on them. OBS Audio/Video Formats Guide · OBS Hybrid MP4 & Hybrid MOV Formats
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MP4 for a finished YouTube upload
If the video is being uploaded as a regular YouTube video, YouTube’s recommended upload settings specify MP4 as the container, with H.264 video and AAC-LC or Opus audio among the listed options. YouTube also advises matching the upload frame rate to the rate at which the video was recorded. Those upload recommendations do not mean OBS cannot play an MKV locally. YouTube recommended upload encoding settings
YouTube Live does not require the local file to be MP4
For a live broadcast, OBS reads and loops the local file, then encodes the scene into the stream sent to YouTube. YouTube’s live guidance concerns that outgoing stream—not the extension of the file in the Media Source. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video; up to 60 fps; AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS; and CBR bitrate encoding. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Select the bitrate for the live codec, resolution, and frame rate using YouTube’s current live settings table rather than applying an upload bitrate to the stream. YouTube live encoder settings
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- In OBS, configure the outgoing stream encoder to match YouTube’s live recommendations for your chosen resolution, frame rate, and codec.
- Use a two-second keyframe interval; do not exceed four seconds.
- Use CBR and choose the applicable bitrate from YouTube’s live table. Ensure the audio encoder is AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS.
- Test the complete scene and representative audio and motion, then monitor YouTube’s stream health. A general supported-format list does not guarantee that every file codec or machine configuration will behave identically. YouTube live encoder settings · OBS Media Sources
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; this is relevant if you expect the live broadcast to remain available as an archive. Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder
Copyright and channel eligibility still apply
A local file looping in OBS does not change YouTube’s rules for the material or live stream. Use video and audio you own or are authorized to broadcast, and check YouTube’s live-stream requirements and your channel’s access before scheduling a long-running broadcast. YouTube’s encoder guidance describes using an encoder for live content and does not imply that looping a file grants permission to rebroadcast it. YouTube live encoder guide
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Troubleshoot a loop that fails or behaves unexpectedly
- The video stops at the end: Reopen the Media Source properties and enable Loop. The property is off by default. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist in the VLC Video source.
- The VLC Video source is missing: Install VLC, then make sure its architecture matches OBS. The OBS guide specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- A file disappears when playback ends: Check Show nothing when playback ends. It is enabled by default; with looping disabled, the source may show nothing after the file ends.
- A hidden source takes time to appear: If Close file when inactive is enabled, OBS unloads it while hidden and may need time to reload it when shown.
- The live stream is rejected or unhealthy: Check outgoing encoder settings—codec, CBR, bitrate for the selected resolution and frame rate, audio format, and keyframe interval. Do not assume changing the local file from MKV to MP4 will fix an ingestion-setting problem.
- An interrupted recording will not open in an editor: If the recording is MKV, use OBS’s remux feature to make an MP4 copy for software that needs it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can OBS loop an MKV file?
Yes. Add it as a Media Source and enable Loop.
Does YouTube Live require MP4?
No. YouTube’s live ingestion settings govern the outgoing encoded stream; the local file’s container is a separate choice.
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