To loop a prerecorded video as a YouTube live stream through Restream, add the local file to an OBS Media Source, enable that source’s Loop option, connect OBS to Restream, and turn on YouTube as a destination. Start the broadcast in OBS, then confirm the correct event and feed in YouTube Live Control Room. This is a broadcaster workflow—not the YouTube player’s Loop control, which repeats a video only for an individual viewer.
Before you start
- YouTube live access: YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Create or schedule an encoder stream in YouTube Live Control Room and keep its settings available. See YouTube’s live-streaming getting-started guidance.
- A local video file: This method loops a file on the computer running OBS; it does not fetch or rebroadcast a video from a YouTube watch page.
- OBS and Restream access: The computer must run OBS and maintain an internet connection for the duration of the broadcast. Do not assume a particular Restream plan permits continuous looping; check the current plan terms for your intended stream length.
- A YouTube event: Have the intended event ready so you can verify its title, destination, and preview before broadcasting.
1. Create a looping source in OBS
- Open OBS and select an existing scene or create one in the Scenes panel.
- In Sources, select + and choose Media Source. Name it, then select OK.
- In the Media Source properties, enable Local File if needed, browse to the video, and enable Loop. OBS defines this option as replaying the file when playback completes. Its listed supported formats include
.mp4,.ts,.mov,.flv,.mkv,.avi,.gif, and.webm. See the OBS Media Sources documentation. - Use Restart playback when source becomes active only if you want playback to restart when the source becomes active. Show nothing when playback ends controls what appears after the file ends; it is not a substitute for Loop.
- Select OK, then check the OBS preview and audio meters. Confirm the picture fits the canvas and the file’s audio is present at a sensible level.
For one local file, use Media Source. OBS also documents a VLC Video Source, but that requires VLC to be installed and is not needed for this basic workflow.
2. Connect OBS to Restream
You can connect through OBS’s Restream account integration or configure RTMP credentials manually. Restream’s menu wording may change over time.
Option A: Connect your Restream account
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream.
- Select Restream.io as the service and choose the account connection option.
- Sign in and authorize the connection. Restream says this links OBS to the stream card marked Default RTMP.
Option B: Enter RTMP details manually
- In Restream, create or open an encoder stream; Restream’s setup flow labels this Encoder | RTMP.
- Copy the server and stream key shown for that stream.
- In OBS, go to Settings > Stream, choose the custom service option, and enter the server and stream key. Restream says the server can use Autodetect or a manually selected region.
The account connection is the simpler route when the default RTMP stream card suits your setup. Manual RTMP entry gives you explicit control over which Restream server and key OBS uses. A stream key is a credential for sending your feed: keep it private, do not show it on screen, and reset it if exposed. YouTube explains stream keys in its live-stream settings help.
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3. Enable YouTube and set the event details
- In Restream, open the encoder stream you connected to OBS and enable the connected YouTube channel as a destination.
- Set the title, description, and thumbnail as appropriate. If Restream offers destination-specific metadata, check the YouTube-specific details rather than assuming every destination uses the same text.
- In YouTube Live Control Room, make sure the intended event is selected and that its visibility and other event settings are right for your audience.
Restream’s encoder workflow uses connected destinations; a separate Restream RTMP Source workflow brings a feed into Restream Studio and is not required here. Restream describes that Studio feature as paid and plan-limited, so do not add it to this setup unless you specifically need that different architecture.
4. Set output and start the broadcast
Restream’s OBS setup guidance recommends CBR rate control and a 2-second keyframe interval. Treat those as Restream’s recommendations, not universal settings for every video or destination; confirm the requirements for your YouTube event and the output your connection can sustain. Restream also provides color-format and profile recommendations in its OBS setup guidance.
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- In OBS, open Settings > Output and configure the streaming encoder settings. Use CBR and a 2-second keyframe interval as Restream recommends, then choose an output resolution and bitrate suitable for the source, computer, connection, and YouTube event.
- Open Settings > Video to check the base canvas and output resolution. Avoid selecting an output the computer or upload connection cannot maintain.
- Start the stream in OBS. Watch the Restream stream page for its performance status, then open the YouTube Live Control Room preview or watch page.
- Confirm that the intended event receives the video and audio, the image is correct, and the source begins again at the expected point when the file ends. Monitor the stream rather than treating an OBS connection alone as proof that the public YouTube event is correct.
YouTube advises monitoring audio and video quality while streaming. Its live-streaming tips also note that expensive equipment is not required to get started.
Looping the broadcast is not the same as looping a YouTube video
The OBS Loop setting repeats the local file in the outgoing live feed. YouTube’s viewer-side Loop command repeats playback of an already published video for that viewer; it does not create a live broadcast. Viewers may also be able to pause, rewind, or resume a live stream using DVR, depending on the stream and YouTube’s availability. YouTube says DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours; see YouTube’s DVR guidance.
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Copyright, reused content, and long broadcasts
Looping a file does not grant permission to broadcast it. Before going live, make sure you have the necessary rights to the footage, music, narration, and other material in the recording. YouTube’s policies and copyright systems can affect a live stream or channel; review the rules that apply to your content and use YouTube’s event settings appropriately. Repeating footage also does not make it original: if you plan to monetize a channel, assess whether the channel’s overall material meets YouTube’s monetization policies rather than assuming a loop qualifies.
A long broadcast also depends on the computer, OBS, source file, network, stream key, event configuration, Restream connection, and YouTube’s systems continuing to work. The documented workflow does not guarantee uninterrupted service. Check the stream during operation and make a recovery plan for a stopped encoder or dropped connection.
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Troubleshooting
- The video stops after one play: Open the Media Source properties and verify Loop is enabled. “Restart playback when source becomes active” and “Show nothing when playback ends” do not turn looping on.
- OBS is live but YouTube shows no feed: Confirm that YouTube is enabled as a Restream destination, OBS is connected to the intended Restream stream card, and the correct event is open in Live Control Room. Check the server and key if you configured RTMP manually.
- YouTube receives the wrong event or metadata: Verify the event selected in Live Control Room and review the YouTube destination’s title, description, thumbnail, and visibility settings in Restream.
- There is no audio: Check that the source file has an audio track, inspect OBS audio meters, and confirm the source is not muted. Listen to the YouTube preview when available.
- The picture is blank or does not fit: Confirm the file path is valid and the source is visible in the active scene. Check the base canvas and output resolution, then resize or fit the source in the OBS preview as needed.
- The stream key may have been exposed: Reset or replace it in the relevant service and update OBS. Do not publish screenshots or recordings that reveal it.
- The feed drops during a long stream: Check OBS, the local network, computer load, Restream status, and YouTube Live Control Room. A local-file setup still relies on the computer and connection staying available.
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