To show a holding slide between prerecorded church services without ending a YouTube Live broadcast, keep one encoder stream running and switch between scenes in OBS Studio. Put the first service, the slide and the next service in separate scenes, then use OBS Studio Mode to prepare each change and take it live. YouTube’s scheduled-stream trailer is different: it plays before the live stream begins, not between services.
What the holding slide does
A holding slide is a scene in the continuous live feed, not a separate YouTube broadcast. OBS sends the feed to the scheduled YouTube event; when the first service ends, you transition to a slide scene, then transition to the next service while keeping the encoder connected.
YouTube describes encoder streaming as a way to send a feed from streaming software or hardware for more advanced productions. The event’s stream URL and stream key tell the encoder where to send that feed. YouTube Help cautions that “Stream keys are like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” Keep the key private and use the key for the intended event. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
Prepare the YouTube event and OBS scenes
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Create or select the scheduled event
In YouTube Studio, create the scheduled live event or open the one you will use. Find its stream URL and stream key in the event’s stream settings. Do not confuse the scheduled event’s trailer with the holding slide workflow.
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Connect OBS to the event
In OBS, configure the stream destination for YouTube and enter the event’s stream key, following the connection method available in your installed OBS version. The URL and key route the encoder’s feed to the event. Treat the key like a password; do not show or share it publicly. YouTube’s encoder overview explains that an encoder sends the stream and that OBS is open-source software available at no charge: YouTube Help: Live streaming with an encoder.
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Build one scene for each segment
Prepare separate OBS scenes for the first prerecorded service, the holding slide, and the next service. Add the appropriate media or image sources using the controls in your installed OBS version. The available official guidance establishes scene switching, but does not specify exact source setup or still-image duration controls for every version. Confirm that the selected video and image sources behave as intended in rehearsal.
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Set up a transition
OBS provides Fade and Cut transitions, with additional options including Swipe, Slide, Fade to color, and Luma Wipe. You can adjust transition duration. Choose a transition and duration that suit the change—for example, a brief fade to the holding slide—and check the result before the service.
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Switch between services without ending the livestream
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Start the encoder feed
Start streaming from OBS to the scheduled YouTube event and confirm in YouTube Studio that the event is receiving the feed. Keep OBS streaming during all scene changes.
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Put the first service live
Select the scene containing the first prerecorded service and transition it to the live output. Confirm that its video and audio are reaching YouTube as expected.
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Prepare the holding slide in Studio Mode
Enable Studio Mode in OBS. It separates the current Live Scene from the scene being edited: you can select the holding-slide scene in the edit area while viewers continue seeing the service.
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Take the slide live
When the first service finishes, press Transition to make the prepared holding-slide scene live. OBS’s Overview Guide explains that Studio Mode lets you change scenes in the background without viewers seeing those changes: OBS Studio Overview Guide.
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Prepare and transition to the next service
While the holding slide is live, select the next service scene in the edit area. Check that the correct video and audio are ready, then press Transition. Repeat for further services, leaving the encoder feed running throughout.
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Rehearse the handoff before the service
Use a private or unlisted rehearsal to check the entire sequence, including the stream connection, scene changes, image display, service playback, audio and chosen transitions. Confirm that the slide stays visible for the interval you intend and that the next service starts at the right point. OBS’s exact media-source and still-image behavior can depend on the installed version and source configuration, so validate those details locally rather than assuming a particular duration or playlist setting.
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Holding slide versus YouTube trailer
A YouTube trailer appears on a scheduled live stream’s watch page before the live stream starts. It is not a scene inserted into an ongoing feed and cannot replace the OBS transition between services. YouTube publishes trailer eligibility and length requirements in its live-stream settings guidance: Manage live stream settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you use OBS or a hardware encoder?
For a basic volunteer workflow, OBS is a practical software option: YouTube lists it as open-source software at no charge, and OBS supports scene transitions for switching among prerecorded media and graphics. A hardware encoder may make sense if the church already has a production system or particular reliability constraints, but YouTube’s general support for hardware encoders does not establish that a specific model is necessary for this workflow. Consider familiarity, existing equipment, scene-switching needs and whether a separate computer must run the encoder.
A Stream Deck is an optional controller for mapped shortcuts; it is not required to switch scenes in OBS. YouTube’s encoder guidance describes it as a shortcut controller, while OBS Studio Mode provides the transition workflow itself: YouTube Help: Live streaming with an encoder.
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Copyright and prerecorded services
Before streaming recorded services, confirm that the church has the rights needed for the video, music, performances and other material in the recording. A public live broadcast is not automatically cleared merely because the material was used during an in-person service. Review YouTube’s current copyright and live-stream rules and address any permissions or platform notices before the broadcast. Do not rely on the holding slide or scene transitions to change the rights status of the content.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want prerecorded videos to keep looping as a YouTube live stream without leaving a computer running at church, StreamNeo runs the stream in the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It plays uploaded videos, not a live camera feed.
- Nothing has to stay on at home or at church to keep the cloud stream running.
- Videos stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot rather than quality tiers.
- StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required (one free day per account).
The monthly option is $9.99 per month. For this workflow, upload the service recording or playlist, add the YouTube stream key, and go live. Start your free StreamNeo day.
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