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To loop several local videos in a YouTube live stream, use OBS Studio with VLC installed: add an OBS VLC Video source, load the files, enable Loop Playlist, then connect OBS to a stream created in YouTube Studio. This repeats the playlist, but it does not guarantee an uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast: your computer, software, power and internet connection must keep working.
Before you set up the stream
- Make sure the channel can go live. YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours, so enable it well before your planned start. See YouTube’s live-stream eligibility guidance.
- Install OBS Studio and VLC. OBS’s VLC Video source depends on VLC being installed. If OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Check your files and connection. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. Confirm your files play correctly and that your upload connection can sustain the bitrate you plan to use.
Set up a looping playlist in OBS
- Create a scene. In OBS, add a scene for the stream. In its Sources panel, select + and choose VLC Video. If VLC Video is unavailable, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- Add the video files. In the VLC Video source’s playlist controls, add the local files in the order you want them to play. Arrange the list before going live; the playlist order determines playback order when shuffle is off.
- Set looping and shuffle. Turn on Loop Playlist so the source restarts when it reaches the end. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for the listed order; enable it only if you want playback randomized. OBS documents the loop option as restarting the source after it runs out of media files.
- Check the picture and sound. Preview the scene and listen to representative sections of every file. Check framing, audio levels and whether the next clip follows as expected. The documented loop setting establishes playlist repetition, not seamless transitions between different files, so test the actual sequence.
For details on adding and arranging sources, see the OBS Sources Guide.
Connect OBS to YouTube
- Create or schedule an encoder stream. Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room. Create a new stream or schedule one, then locate its stream URL and stream key. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain the process.
- Enter the connection details in OBS. Open OBS Settings and select Stream. Choose YouTube as the service if available, then enter the stream URL and key from Live Control Room. YouTube recommends RTMPS where supported; use the ingest details provided for your stream.
- Protect the stream key. Treat it like a password: anyone with access may be able to send video to your broadcast. Do not publish or share it. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio and update OBS with the replacement.
- Start with a private test. Start the OBS encoder and check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages before making the broadcast public. Verify the watch page on another device, including a phone, and confirm both video and audio.
Choose resolution, frame rate and bitrate
Match OBS output to the material and choose an upload bitrate that your connection can sustain consistently, rather than aiming for the highest number it can reach briefly. YouTube recommends RTMPS and publishes encoder settings by resolution, frame rate and codec in its live encoder settings guidance.
For H.264 at 1080p and 30 fps, YouTube’s guidance lists 5 Mbps as the minimum and 14 Mbps as the recommended bitrate. These are encoder recommendations, not a promise that a particular internet connection will maintain the rate reliably. Use the row matching your actual resolution, frame rate and codec, and test during the conditions in which you expect to stream.
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Before the public broadcast, follow YouTube’s advice to test the stream. Watch stream health during the test and lower the bitrate or output settings if the connection cannot keep up; unstable ingest can cause buffering or interruptions for viewers.
What “continuous” means—and what it does not
Loop Playlist repeats the files inside OBS. It does not keep the broadcast alive if the computer sleeps, OBS or VLC stops, power fails, or the network drops. A local setup therefore needs a computer and connection that remain available, plus someone or a recovery plan to handle failures. OBS and YouTube documentation do not establish guaranteed 24/7 uptime or automatic recovery for this local workflow.
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Plan the YouTube archive separately for long broadcasts: YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume that a longer stream will be archived in the same way; consult the current encoder setup guidance and make a separate recording or archive plan if you need a copy.
Copyright and channel-policy checks
Only stream video and audio you have the rights or permissions to use. A playlist can repeat content, but looping does not grant permission to broadcast it. Review YouTube’s current live-stream policies and the rights for music, footage, images and other material in every file before starting.
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Also consider whether a repetitive or reused-video format fits YouTube’s channel and monetization policies. A successful encoder connection does not itself establish policy compliance or monetization eligibility. Check the applicable YouTube rules for your channel and content before building a schedule around the stream.
Troubleshooting common problems
- VLC Video is missing from OBS: Install VLC, restart OBS, and check that 64-bit OBS is paired with 64-bit VLC.
- The playlist stops after the final file: Open the VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist. Confirm the source is playing the intended list.
- Files play in an unexpected order: Turn off Shuffle Playlist and reorder the files in the source playlist. Test the sequence before going live.
- YouTube shows no incoming video: Check that OBS is streaming, the correct stream URL and key are entered, and the stream selected in Live Control Room is the one you configured. If the key may have been exposed, reset it and update OBS.
- Stream health reports connection trouble: Check upload stability and reduce the OBS bitrate or output settings to a level the connection can sustain. Prefer RTMPS when supported by the ingest setup.
- Picture or audio is wrong: Preview the scene, inspect the source and audio meters, and test every file—not just the first one. Correct the source or output settings before making the broadcast public.
- The broadcast ends when you expected it to continue: A looping playlist does not restart a stopped encoder or recover from a failed computer, power supply or internet connection. Check OBS, VLC, power and network, then restart the encoder and verify the feed in Live Control Room.
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