To stream a prerecorded video to YouTube Live in 1080p, add the file to an OBS scene as a Media Source, set OBS to output 1920Ă—1080 at a frame rate suited to the video, enter the stream URL and key from the correct YouTube Live event, then test the incoming feed before going live. You do not need a camera: OBS sends the video file as the picture, while YouTube receives the encoded output over RTMPS.
Before you start
- A YouTube channel enabled for live streaming. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
- OBS Studio installed on a computer that can play the video and encode a stable stream.
- A video file you have the rights to broadcast. Having a copy of a documentary or other video does not necessarily give you permission to retransmit it live.
- Reliable upload bandwidth. YouTube’s bitrate figures below describe the encoder’s video bitrate, not the total network capacity you need. Leave headroom for audio and normal network variation.
OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. If a file will not play, check its container and codec compatibility or make a compatible copy before the stream.
1. Create the YouTube Live event and get its connection details
- Open YouTube Studio and create or schedule a live stream using an encoder. Choose the event’s privacy setting; an unlisted event is useful for a private technical test.
- In the event’s Live Control Room, locate the stream server URL and stream key. Use the details for this specific event, not an old key copied from another setup.
- Keep the stream key private. Treat it like a password: anyone who has it may be able to send video to your event. Do not show it in screenshots, recordings or a public document.
If you have not enabled live streaming before, allow time for YouTube’s activation process rather than scheduling your first broadcast at the last minute. The activation delay is described in YouTube’s encoder setup page.
2. Add the prerecorded file in OBS
- In OBS, create or select the scene you want to use. In the Sources dock, click + and add a Media Source.
- Create a new source or select an existing one, then browse to the local video file. Check the OBS preview to make sure the picture fits the canvas and is not cropped or obscured.
- Choose whether the video should repeat. The Media Source’s loop option is off by default; turn it on if the event should play continuously. By default, Show nothing when playback ends is on, so the final frame is not left onscreen after a non-looping video finishes.
- Check the source’s audio in the OBS mixer. Play a section with speech and music, and confirm that the level moves without clipping or remaining silent. If you use other scene sources, make sure they do not cover the video or add unintended audio.
OBS’s Media Sources guide describes supported file types and playback options. The exact wording or placement of controls can vary by operating system and OBS version.
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3. Set OBS to a 1080p output
For conventional 16:9 Full HD, set the output canvas and scaled output to 1920×1080 in OBS’s video settings. Choose 30 or 60 frames per second according to the source and the motion it contains. Matching the source frame rate is usually a sensible starting point; use 60 fps only when the source benefits from it and your computer and connection can sustain the higher rate.
These are practical production choices, not a complete OBS-specific recipe prescribed by YouTube. A 1080p output cannot add detail missing from a lower-resolution source, and converting a 30 fps file to 60 fps does not create genuine extra motion detail.
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4. Choose encoder settings that match the stream
YouTube’s encoder recommendations distinguish codec and frame rate. The table gives the currently published minimum and recommended video bitrates for 1080p, as shown on YouTube’s encoder settings page (accessed 2026). These are platform recommendations, not a promise of delivered quality.
| Codec | 1080p frame rate | Minimum video bitrate | Recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.264 | 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| H.264 | 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| AV1 or HEVC (H.265) | 30 fps | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| AV1 or HEVC (H.265) | 60 fps | 4 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
In OBS, use constant bitrate (CBR) and set the keyframe interval to two seconds. YouTube says not to exceed four seconds. Select a codec supported by your OBS encoder and the YouTube ingest workflow; YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1. For many setups, H.264 is the straightforward compatibility choice.
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YouTube recommends RTMPS, its encrypted extension to RTMP. Pick the YouTube/RTMPS service in OBS when available; if using a custom server, copy the server URL from the event rather than guessing it. Do not substitute a bitrate from another codec or frame rate: for example, YouTube’s recommended H.264 value differs substantially between 1080p30 and 1080p60.
5. Connect OBS and test the actual event
- In OBS stream settings, choose the YouTube service or the custom server option, then enter the server URL and stream key from the event you created.
- Start the encoder from OBS. Check the Live Control Room preview and wait for YouTube to detect the incoming stream. Confirm the event shown there is the intended one.
- Watch and listen to several minutes of the preview. Verify the image is 1080p, the video is correctly framed, the file’s audio is present and synchronized, and the stream health does not show an ongoing problem.
- For a test, use an unlisted event or another appropriate private setup. Stop the test cleanly, then confirm the scheduled or public event settings before the actual broadcast.
OBS recommends running a short test rather than relying on an untested setup, and YouTube advises checking preview and audio/video quality. See the OBS Quick Start Guide and YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
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6. Start the broadcast and monitor it
When the preview is correct and the event is ready, start the YouTube broadcast according to the event’s auto-start configuration or the Live Control Room controls. Keep OBS’s audio and stream indicators visible, and monitor YouTube’s stream health while the video plays. Decide in advance what should happen when the file ends: a loop continues playback, while a non-looping source reaches its end behavior.
For a prerecorded presentation, audience interaction is not usually the priority; normal latency may be a practical default. YouTube notes that lower latency can increase playback buffering, so choose a lower-latency mode only if you need it and have tested the result.
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Troubleshooting common problems
- YouTube does not show an incoming preview: Check that OBS is streaming to the right event and that the server URL and key were copied correctly. If live streaming was just enabled on the channel, activation may still be pending.
- The video is black or absent in OBS: Confirm the Media Source points to the correct local file, that the file plays in OBS, and that the source is visible in the selected scene. Try a documented supported container such as MP4 or MKV if the current file is incompatible.
- The picture is not 1080p or has borders/cropping: Check the OBS canvas and scaled output dimensions, then inspect the source transform in the preview. A non-16:9 source may need a deliberate choice between preserving the whole image with borders or filling the frame with some crop.
- Stream health reports instability or viewers see buffering: Check whether the computer is keeping up with encoding and whether the internet connection can sustain the selected bitrate. If needed, lower the bitrate or frame rate and test again; do not treat YouTube’s recommended bitrate as a guarantee that a particular connection can deliver it reliably.
- Audio is missing, too loud or out of sync: Confirm the Media Source audio is enabled and appears in the OBS mixer, check the source file itself, and listen to the YouTube preview. Adjust levels and retest before a public event.
- The video stops at the end: Enable the Media Source loop option if the file should repeat. If it should play once, verify the source’s end behavior so the final image is not unexpectedly left onscreen.
- The stream key may have been exposed: Do not reuse a key that has been shared publicly. Replace or reset it through YouTube Studio, then update OBS with the new key before streaming.
Copyright and YouTube policy checks
Only send a video live if you have the necessary rights to broadcast its picture and sound on YouTube. A purchased disc, downloaded file, public upload or permission to show a work in one context does not by itself establish live-streaming rights. Check the license for the specific use, territory and music included, and resolve any rights-management restrictions before scheduling the event. YouTube’s guidance discusses stream rights management; it does not make every prerecorded use automatically permissible. Review the current YouTube encoder and stream guidance and the terms applicable to the material you plan to show.
Or let it run in the cloud
If this is a one-time broadcast, OBS gives you direct control over the scene and encoder. If you need a YouTube channel to keep replaying uploaded video while your computer is off, StreamNeo runs the playout in the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the uploaded file as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot regardless of quality, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. For a continuing loop without a computer running, start your free StreamNeo day.
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