To loop one video in OBS, add it as a Media Source and enable Loop. To send it live, select an available NVIDIA NVENC encoder in OBS, enter the YouTube stream URL and key, and match YouTube’s ingest settings. The video looping and the live connection are separate: looping restarts the file, while OBS and your computer must stay running to keep the broadcast going.
What you need before you start
- A video file stored on the computer running OBS.
- OBS and an NVIDIA GPU and driver that make NVENC available to OBS. OBS’s published baseline lists GeForce 750 Ti or 900-series (Maxwell) and newer, on Windows and Linux; actual encoder and codec availability depends on your hardware, drivers, operating system, and OBS version. See the OBS hardware encoding guide.
- A YouTube channel able to livestream, plus the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room.
- A stable upload connection capable of sustaining the bitrate you select.
Update your NVIDIA driver if needed, then confirm NVENC appears in OBS’s encoder dropdown before configuring the stream. The listed GPU baseline is not a guarantee that every NVENC codec or configuration will be available or perform well.
Loop a video in OBS
For one video file
- In OBS, select the scene you intend to broadcast.
- In Sources, choose + → Media Source and give the source a recognizable name.
- In the source properties, select Local File, browse to the video, and enable Loop.
- Check the preview, framing, and audio. OBS’s Media Source supports common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM; see OBS Media Sources.
With Loop enabled, OBS restarts the file when playback completes. If the source is not visible, check that it is enabled and positioned appropriately in the Sources list. If it plays without sound, check the source’s audio output and OBS’s audio mixer before going live.
For a playlist of multiple files
- Install VLC, then in OBS choose Sources → + → VLC Video.
- Add the files to the playlist in the order you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist, then verify the sequence and audio in the preview.
OBS’s VLC Video source depends on VLC being installed. If you use 64-bit OBS, OBS notes that 64-bit VLC is required. Use Media Source with Loop instead if you only need to repeat one file.
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Select NVENC for the live stream
- Open Settings → Output in OBS.
- Set Output Mode to Advanced if you need the detailed streaming controls.
- Under the streaming encoder setting, choose the NVIDIA NVENC option that is available on your system. Names vary with OBS version and supported GPU codecs.
- Apply the YouTube-oriented settings below, then save them.
NVENC moves video encoding to supported NVIDIA hardware. OBS recommends hardware encoders as a way to use a dedicated GPU component, but notes that older hardware encoders can produce lower image quality than software encoding at the same bitrate. Check the actual output and system stability rather than assuming a preset will suit every GPU or video. OBS’s guide is at Hardware Encoding.
Set OBS output for YouTube
YouTube’s live encoder guidance calls for RTMP or RTMPS ingest, constant bitrate (CBR), and a 2-second keyframe interval; do not exceed 4 seconds. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video, though what you can select depends on your NVENC hardware, OBS, and the intended ingest configuration. For stereo audio, YouTube lists AAC or MP3 and recommends 128 Kbps. For SDR, it specifies Rec. 709 and 8-bit. Consult the current YouTube live encoder settings and bitrate guidance for the codec and resolution you plan to use.
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Choose a bitrate for the resolution and frame rate
Use YouTube’s recommended bitrate for your chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate, and make sure your upload connection can sustain it. For example, YouTube’s current help-page recommendations at the time of this article’s research are:
| Output | H.264 recommended bitrate | AV1 or H.265 recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
These are YouTube-recommended ingest values, not guarantees or universal prescriptions. Don’t copy a bitrate intended for a different codec or frame rate. If your upload connection cannot sustain the target, lower the output resolution, frame rate, or bitrate and test stream health before relying on the setup.
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Do not copy recording settings into streaming
OBS’s NVENC recording baseline is for recording, not YouTube livestream ingest. Its advanced recording guide lists Constant QP 16–23, a 2-second keyframe interval, P5 preset, High Quality tuning, two-pass quarter-resolution multipass, High profile, Look-ahead off, Adaptive Quantization on, and 2 B-frames. Live ingest instead needs CBR and YouTube’s keyframe guidance. Keep recording and streaming settings separate. See the OBS Advanced Recording Settings Guide.
Connect OBS to YouTube and verify the loop
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select a stream and obtain its stream URL and stream key. Follow YouTube’s instructions for creating a live stream with an encoder.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose YouTube or the applicable custom service option, and enter the stream URL and key as required by that setup.
- Treat the stream key like a password: do not show it in a recording or share it publicly. If it is exposed, replace it in YouTube and update OBS.
- Start with a test or preview. Confirm YouTube receives the broadcast, the video is framed correctly, audio is present, and the Media Source restarts when the clip ends.
- While live, watch YouTube’s stream health and OBS’s connection indicators. YouTube recommends testing before starting and monitoring the stream; see YouTube live streaming tips for computers.
The loop setting only controls playback of the source. It does not reconnect OBS if the computer loses power, OBS closes, or the internet connection fails.
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Choose whether to keep a local archive
YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived and warns that a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. If you need a dependable copy of a long broadcast, configure a local recording and verify it is being written. YouTube’s archive guidance is at Archive live streams.
| Workflow | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
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| Stream plus local MKV recording | The broadcast is long or retaining a local copy matters. | Requires storage and can add system load, so test streaming and recording together. |
OBS recommends MKV for recording resilience: an ungraceful stop is less likely to corrupt the whole file, and OBS can remux a completed MKV recording to MP4. See the OBS Standard Recording Output Guide. YouTube’s archive guidance and computer livestream tips are available at Archive live streams and YouTube live streaming tips.
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Troubleshoot common failures
- NVENC is missing from the encoder list: OBS may not have access to compatible NVIDIA hardware or a suitable driver, or the available codec may differ from the one you expect. Check the GPU and driver, restart OBS after driver changes, and inspect the dropdown again. The OBS hardware guide describes its compatibility baseline but does not guarantee every configuration.
- The video plays once and stops: Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a VLC playlist, enable Loop Playlist.
- A playlist source is unavailable or empty: Confirm VLC is installed and matches OBS’s bitness; OBS requires 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS.
- YouTube does not receive the broadcast: Recheck the stream URL and key in OBS against the selected stream in Live Control Room. Make sure the key was not replaced, and check OBS’s connection status and YouTube stream health.
- The stream drops or reports poor health: Test the upload connection and lower the bitrate or output demands if it cannot sustain the selected target. Verify CBR, the 2-second keyframe interval, and the codec-specific YouTube recommendation.
- Video is visible but silent: Check the Media Source audio and OBS mixer meters, then confirm the audio codec and stereo settings are suitable for YouTube.
- The broadcast stops when you leave: OBS is running locally; the computer, OBS, and its internet connection must remain available. A repeated source is not an unattended cloud broadcast.
- No archive appears after a very long stream: YouTube warns that streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured. Use and verify a local recording when preserving a long loop matters.
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