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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To loop a local video in OBS without changing its intended 4K/60 format, add it as a Media Source and enable Loop, then set OBS to output at 3840Ă—2160 and 60 fps. Choose a codec and bitrate that match YouTube’s current ingest guidance: at 4K/60, YouTube recommends 35 Mbps for AV1 or H.265 and 50 Mbps for H.264. The source file, encoder, computer, and upload connection all need to sustain that format; an OBS setting cannot restore detail or frames absent from the file.
Set up a looping video in OBS
- Add the file: In your scene’s Sources list, select +, choose Media Source, give it a name if prompted, select Local File, and browse to the video. Turn on Loop in the source properties. OBS’s Media Source repeats the file when playback ends. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- Set canvas and output: Open Settings → Video. Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to 3840×2160 and Output (Scaled) Resolution to 3840×2160, then select 60 fps under Common FPS Values. The canvas is the workspace for arranging sources; output resolution is what OBS sends to the stream. If output is lower, the stream will not be 4K even when the source is 4K. OBS explains these controls in its Overview Guide.
- Keep the source in mind: Check that the file itself is 3840Ă—2160 and 60 fps if that is the quality you need. Upscaling a smaller video or setting OBS to 60 fps cannot recreate missing image detail or genuine frames.
- Configure the stream encoder: YouTube’s live encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1, up to 60 fps. It recommends RTMPS, CBR rate control, and a two-second keyframe interval; do not exceed four seconds. Set the available encoder options in Settings → Output (switch Output Mode to Advanced if needed), and use the appropriate codec and bitrate below. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
- Connect OBS to YouTube: In YouTube Studio, open the live control room for the stream, copy its stream key, and enter it in OBS under Settings → Stream, selecting YouTube as the service. Treat the key like a password: do not share it or include it in a public recording. YouTube’s live streaming tips recommend testing ahead of time and previewing the stream in Live Control Room.
- Start with a test: Start streaming from OBS, check the YouTube preview and stream health, and verify picture, motion, and audio before relying on the loop. Use a representative section of the video, not only a static frame.
Choose the 4K/60 bitrate by codec
YouTube’s live encoder settings page, accessed in 2026, gives these recommended and minimum bitrates for 2160p at 60 fps. They are ingest settings, not guarantees that every viewer will receive a 4K/60 playback rendition.
| Codec | YouTube-recommended bitrate at 2160p/60 | Minimum shown by YouTube |
|---|---|---|
| AV1 | 35 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| H.265 (HEVC) | 35 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| H.264 | 50 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
Use the recommendation for the codec you actually select. A lower bitrate may still ingest, but it is below YouTube’s listed recommendation and can reduce quality, especially in detailed or fast-moving footage. The cited guidance is YouTube’s current live encoder settings page; confirm it when configuring a future stream because platform recommendations and encoder labels can change. YouTube transcodes live input into multiple output formats, so ingesting 4K/60 does not mean every viewer’s device, connection, or playback selection will show 4K/60.
Make sure the full pipeline can sustain 4K/60
Upload capacity
The connection needs reliable headroom above the selected video bitrate for audio and normal network variation. A speed-test peak alone does not prove a sustained stream will be stable. YouTube advises checking upload capacity and testing the actual setup before going live. If the connection cannot hold the chosen rate, stream health may deteriorate even when OBS is configured correctly.
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Encoding and rendering load
Codec support and available hardware encoding vary by computer; the official guidance cited here does not establish a universal minimum CPU or GPU. Watch OBS’s status indicators and the YouTube stream-health feedback during a test. If frames are missed or the output stutters, OBS recommends reducing output resolution or frame rate rather than assuming every system can sustain 4K/60. Its Encoding Performance Troubleshooting guide covers performance problems.
Latency behavior at 4K
YouTube says the low-latency option is unavailable for 2160p streams; 4K streams use normal latency. Account for that if you expect real-time interaction while the video loops.
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Use a playlist instead of one repeated file
For several clips, OBS offers a VLC Video source with a Loop Playlist property. Add the source, select the playlist files, and enable that property to repeat the playlist. This source requires VLC to be installed, and the OBS and VLC architectures should match—for example, 64-bit OBS with 64-bit VLC. The same output resolution, frame rate, encoding, and upload checks still apply; a playlist does not by itself preserve 4K/60 quality.
Troubleshoot quality loss, stutter, or a stream that will not loop
- The YouTube stream is not 4K: In OBS, verify both Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution are 3840Ă—2160. A 4K source on a lower output canvas is sent at that lower output resolution.
- The image looks soft or motion is not smooth: Check the original file’s resolution and frame rate. OBS cannot add genuine detail or source frames through upscaling or a higher FPS setting.
- Quality degrades in motion: Verify the selected encoder and bitrate against YouTube’s codec-specific 2160p/60 recommendation. Then check upload stability and stream health; a configured bitrate is not proof the connection can sustain it.
- Playback stutters or frames are missed: Determine whether OBS reports encoding or rendering strain. Test a lower output resolution or frame rate, as recommended in OBS’s performance troubleshooting guidance, and compare the result before the live session.
- The video stops at the end: Reopen Media Source properties and confirm Loop is enabled. For a VLC playlist, confirm Loop Playlist is enabled and VLC is installed with the same architecture as OBS.
- YouTube does not receive a stream: Check the YouTube service selection and stream key in OBS. If the key was replaced in YouTube Studio, update it in OBS; never expose it publicly.
Protect the channel and the video’s rights
Looping a file does not grant permission to broadcast it. Use footage, music, and other material you own or are licensed to stream, and check the applicable YouTube rules before scheduling a long-running broadcast. Repeating a video also does not guarantee that YouTube will treat a channel or its content as eligible for monetization; live ingest settings are separate from copyright and channel-policy decisions. Review YouTube’s current policies in Studio before relying on a stream for a documentary, music, or archival program.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a computer and home connection running continuously, StreamNeo keeps an uploaded video or playlist live on YouTube from the cloud. The setup is: upload the recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. Your computer can be off; the service loops the upload and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
- Each slot is one always-on YouTube stream, with 10 GB storage per slot pooled across active slots, looping and playlists, and support from the StreamNeo team.
- Videos stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode and no quality tiers; the price is the same per slot regardless of quality.
- The first day is free, with no card required (one free day per account). Billing options are a day, week, month, six months, or year, and you can cancel any time. UPI and cards are available in India; card checkout is available worldwide. For five or more slots, contact support.
The monthly option is $9.99 per month. To start the free day, create a StreamNeo account.
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