To stream several local videos as one YouTube Live broadcast from Windows, use OBS Studio with its VLC Video source: install VLC, add the files to the source playlist in the order you want, then connect OBS to a YouTube encoder stream using its stream URL and key. Test the full video-and-audio path in YouTube’s Live Control Room before going live. OBS’s playlist source uses files you add; it is not documented as automatically watching a folder for new videos.
Before you start
- A Windows PC with the video files you want to play and a stable internet connection with enough outbound upload capacity.
- OBS Studio and VLC installed. Match their architecture: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- A YouTube channel eligible to livestream. YouTube says the channel must be verified, have no live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days, and meet its stated minimum age of 16. Check access in Live Control Room before scheduling around a particular date.
- Permission to stream every video and its audio. A successful technical setup does not grant copyright or other rights to the material.
Menu labels can change between software versions. YouTube’s current help pages and OBS’s documented source behavior are the references for the workflow below.
1. Create or select a YouTube encoder stream
- Open YouTube Studio and choose Create > Go live to open Live Control Room.
- Create an encoder stream or select a scheduled stream. Set its title, privacy (public, unlisted, or private), and schedule as needed.
- In the stream settings, locate the stream URL and stream key. You can select an existing key or create one if the interface offers that option.
- Keep the key private: anyone with it may be able to send a feed to your stream. Do not share it in screenshots, public messages, or recordings. If it is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube’s stream settings.
YouTube’s encoder setup explains the stream URL and key workflow: YouTube encoder setup. Its live-stream settings documentation covers stream configuration: YouTube live stream settings.
2. Add your video folder’s files to an OBS playlist
For a folder of multiple videos
- Install VLC from its official source if it is not already installed, then open OBS Studio.
- In the Scenes panel, select or create the scene you will use for the broadcast.
- In Sources, select + and choose VLC Video. Give the source a recognizable name.
- In the source properties, add the video files from the folder to the playlist. Arrange them in the intended playback order.
- Choose whether the playlist should shuffle or loop, then confirm the source properties. Check the OBS canvas to verify that a video appears and plays.
The VLC Video source is designed for playlists and requires VLC. The documented workflow is to add media files; it does not establish automatic folder scanning or adding files that arrive later. Select the intended files yourself and update the playlist when the folder changes.
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For one video only
Use OBS’s built-in Media Source instead. Select the local file in its properties and enable Loop if you want that one file to repeat. OBS lists common supported video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM; audio formats include MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. Check OBS’s documentation for version-specific behavior: OBS Media Sources.
3. Connect OBS to YouTube and configure output
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream. Select YouTube if available, or select the custom server option and enter the stream URL and key from Live Control Room.
- Open Settings > Output and configure the streaming encoder. For standard SDR, YouTube’s encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 options; available choices depend on your encoder and setup.
- Use CBR (constant bitrate), set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds, and do not exceed 4 seconds. YouTube recommends RTMPS, up to 60 fps, and AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS.
- Choose a resolution and frame rate your PC can encode and your connection can sustain. Unless you have a reason to override them, YouTube recommends letting it detect resolution and frame rate.
- Set the bitrate according to YouTube’s table for your codec, resolution, and frame rate—not just the source file’s resolution. For H.264, YouTube lists these 30-fps examples:
| Output | YouTube H.264 bitrate guidance |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps minimum; 8 Mbps recommended |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps minimum; 14 Mbps recommended |
These are YouTube’s published encoder recommendations, not measured guarantees of picture quality. Its guidance varies with codec, resolution, and frame rate; consult the current table before selecting other combinations. YouTube recommends RTMPS as a secure extension of RTMP. Read its encoder settings and bitrate guidance at Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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4. Test, go live, and monitor the broadcast
- Start a representative test with actual movement and audio. Confirm that the OBS canvas shows the right content and that the source advances or loops as intended.
- Start streaming from OBS. In Live Control Room, wait for the preview and check both picture and sound. For a scheduled encoder stream, click Go live after the preview is ready if you want a deliberate review before the public broadcast.
- During the stream, watch YouTube’s stream health and check for dropped frames, audio problems, or unexpected gaps between files. YouTube recommends leaving 20% headroom beyond the total streaming bitrate in available outbound upload capacity.
- When finished, stop the stream through the encoder and/or Live Control Room workflow shown for your event. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume the same archive behavior for longer streams.
YouTube’s operational recommendations and advice on testing and monitoring are in YouTube streaming tips and its encoder settings guidance. The preview, stream health, and event controls are described in YouTube encoder setup.
Choose manual start or automatic start deliberately
YouTube stream settings include auto-start and auto-stop options. They can reduce the number of manual steps, but a manual preview gate is useful when you want to check the actual playlist, sound, and event before the audience sees it. For a scheduled encoder broadcast, wait for preview and click Go live when you are satisfied. Confirm the selected behavior in the event’s current settings before relying on it.
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Common problems and fixes
- VLC Video is missing or will not load: Install VLC and restart OBS. If OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC. For a single clip, use OBS Media Source instead.
- The playlist is empty or plays the wrong items: Reopen VLC Video properties, add the intended files, and check their order and shuffle/loop selections. The source does not automatically monitor the folder for new files.
- YouTube does not show a preview: Verify that OBS is sending to the correct event and that the stream URL and key match it. Check that streaming is enabled for the channel and that the stream has actually started in OBS.
- YouTube reports poor stream health or viewers see buffering: Reduce the output bitrate, resolution, or frame rate to a level your stable upload can sustain. Check total bitrate and retain YouTube’s recommended 20% upload headroom.
- The video appears but sound is absent: Check that the file has an audio track, OBS’s audio mixer is not muted, and the selected audio encoder and output are configured. Test the actual video and audio together before going live.
- The stream ends or cannot start: Recheck channel eligibility and restrictions, the event’s status, and the key/URL. If the key may have been exposed, replace it and update OBS.
Copyright, privacy, and replay considerations
Only stream material you have the rights and permissions to use, including music, images, and footage embedded in a documentary. YouTube’s copyright systems and policies apply to livestreams as well as uploaded videos; a private or unlisted setting does not create permission to use someone else’s work. Choose public, unlisted, or private based on who should be able to access the live event, and remember that an archived stream may remain available afterward. Review YouTube’s current eligibility and event rules at YouTube live-streaming eligibility and its stream setup guidance before broadcasting.
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