You can keep a pre-recorded playlist on a YouTube Live stream overnight with OBS on a Mac, but the right loop setting depends on where the videos play: turn on YouTube’s playlist loop for a playlist hosted on YouTube, use OBS Media Source for one local video, or use OBS VLC Video for several local files. Then keep the Mac plugged in and prevent sleep, configure the YouTube Live destination, and check that you have the rights to broadcast every item.
Choose where the playlist plays
A YouTube playlist playing in a browser is not the same thing as a local playlist loaded into OBS. Set the repeat control in the app that actually plays the videos.
| Playback route | Use it when | Loop control | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube player playlist | The playlist is hosted and played on YouTube. | Turn on Loop in the playlist box. | OBS captures browser or app playback; playback and capture depend on the player and local session. |
| OBS Media Source | You want one local video file as the feed. | Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. | It repeats a local file, not a YouTube-hosted playlist. |
| OBS VLC Video | You want several local video files in a playlist. | Enable Loop Playlist in the VLC Video source. | Requires VLC installed on the Mac. |
OBS documents Media Source and VLC Video for macOS. The controls below describe documented settings; exact labels and availability can vary with macOS and OBS versions.
Set up the loop in OBS or YouTube
For one local recording: Media Source
- In OBS, select the scene for your broadcast and add a Media Source from the Sources panel.
- Choose the local video file in the source properties.
- Enable Loop so the file starts again after playback ends. OBS defines this option as repeating the file after it has completed.
- Check the preview and audio before starting the live stream. Keep the source visible in the active scene while it plays.
For multiple local recordings: VLC Video
- Install VLC on the Mac if it is not already installed. OBS’s VLC Video source requires VLC.
- Add a VLC Video source in the OBS scene and populate its playlist with the local files you want to broadcast.
- Enable Loop Playlist to restart the source when it reaches the end of its media files. OBS documents this option as on by default; confirm it in your source properties.
- Leave Shuffle Playlist off if the order matters. OBS documents Shuffle Playlist as off by default.
- Review the source’s visibility behavior if your production switches scenes. The documented default is “Stop when not visible, restart when visible,” which can affect playback when the source is hidden.
OBS documents 400 ms as the VLC Video source’s default network caching value. That is a documented default, not a recommendation for every network or a guarantee of smooth playback.
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For a playlist hosted on YouTube
- Open a video from the playlist in YouTube and expand the playlist box.
- Turn on the playlist’s Loop control; YouTube says this repeats the playlist continuously.
- Capture the browser or application playback in OBS if that is the production you intend to send to YouTube Live. On macOS 13 or later, OBS documents macOS Screen Capture for a display, window, or application, including desktop audio. Check OBS/macOS permissions and confirm audio in the preview rather than assuming capture is enabled.
Do not expect YouTube’s player loop to control a separate playlist loaded into OBS. For capture instructions and source details, see the OBS Project’s Media Sources guide and YouTube’s playlist loop instructions.
Keep the Mac awake overnight
Sleep prevention and display-off behavior are separate controls. Connect the Mac to power, then check the sleep setting for the type of Mac you use. Apple notes that settings vary by Mac model and that preventing or delaying sleep may increase power consumption.
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Mac laptop
- Open System Settings → Battery → Options.
- Enable Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off, if that option is available.
- Set when the display turns off separately if you want a dark screen while OBS continues running.
- Verify the setting on the actual Mac before leaving the stream unattended.
Mac desktop
- Open System Settings → Energy.
- Enable the similar option to prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off, if available.
- Set display-off timing separately and check the Mac remains awake during a supervised test.
“Wake for network access” alone is not a substitute for keeping OBS awake. Consult Apple’s sleep and wake settings guide for the controls available on your Mac.
Configure the YouTube Live destination
OBS sends its output to YouTube using the stream URL and stream key provided for the broadcast. A running OBS process does not by itself confirm that YouTube has the correct stream or that it remains available.
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- Open YouTube Live Control Room and choose the intended scheduled or active stream.
- Confirm the stream’s privacy and destination settings and use its stream key and stream URL in the encoder setup. Do not publish or expose the stream key; anyone with access to it may be able to send video to your stream.
- Check the stream status in Live Control Room after OBS begins sending. Review latency, DVR, and optional auto-start or auto-stop settings for that specific stream.
- Before leaving the Mac, confirm the preview, audio, and stream status in both OBS and Live Control Room.
For YouTube’s encoder setup and stream controls, see Set up your encoder for live streaming. These settings and account options can be stream-specific.
Check broadcast rights and long-stream playback
Use content you are entitled to broadcast
Only include recordings, music, images, and other material that your channel has permission to stream. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content; if identified material remains, the stream may be interrupted or terminated. A copyright or Community Guidelines strike can also end it. See YouTube’s live-streaming copyright guidance before using material that is not yours.
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Do not promise viewers a full rewind
YouTube DVR lets viewers pause, rewind, and resume a live stream, but its help guidance says DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. Check the stream’s DVR setting and avoid promising full rewind if an overnight broadcast may pass that duration. See YouTube’s DVR guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot an overnight stream
- The video plays once and stops: Check the loop control on the playback source: Media Source → Loop, VLC Video → Loop Playlist, or the Loop control in YouTube’s playlist box.
- The playlist order changes: In VLC Video, turn off Shuffle Playlist if you need a fixed order.
- Playback stops after a scene change: Check whether the VLC Video source is hidden and review its visibility behavior. A source configured to stop when not visible may stop or restart as scenes change.
- The Mac sleeps or OBS is no longer streaming: Check that the Mac is on mains power and review the sleep-prevention option under Battery or Energy. Display-off timing is separate; confirm the settings for your model.
- OBS is running but YouTube no longer shows the stream: Check Live Control Room and OBS status, verify the selected stream and stream key, and look for YouTube notices. YouTube enforcement or a lost connection can interrupt a stream even while the application remains open.
- Viewers cannot rewind the whole broadcast: For streams longer than 12 hours, YouTube DVR may be limited or unavailable. Check the stream’s DVR setting and set viewer expectations accordingly.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want the YouTube channel to keep playing uploaded recordings without leaving a Mac on at home, StreamNeo runs the loop in the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It does not stream from a camera or to platforms other than YouTube.
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- Videos stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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