In OBS, add the video as a Media Source, select the file, and enable Loop in its properties. Keep the source visible in the scene that is being sent to YouTube. Then test the end-to-start transition and check both OBS’s preview and YouTube Live Control Room’s incoming preview before going public. Looping makes OBS replay the file when it ends; it cannot guarantee that every setup will be free of black frames.
Loop one video in OBS
- Choose the scene you will stream. In OBS, select the scene intended for YouTube, or create one for this broadcast.
- Add the video. In the Sources dock, select the add control, choose Media Source, give it a recognizable name, and select the local file. OBS lists common formats including
.mp4,.ts,.mov,.flv,.mkv,.avi,.gifand.webm. See the OBS Media Sources documentation. - Turn on Loop. Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. OBS documents this option as replaying the file when playback completes; it is off by default. Restart playback when source becomes active is a separate control: it determines whether playback starts over when the source enters the current scene and becomes visible. Enable it only if that restart behavior is what you want.
- Make the source visible and unobstructed. Check that its eye icon is on. In the Sources list, items higher in the list appear above lower items, so an opaque source above the video can cover it. Fit and position the video in the canvas, then check the OBS preview. OBS explains source visibility and stacking in its Sources guide.
- Test a complete repetition. Let playback reach the end and watch the transition back to the beginning. Confirm the image and audio behave as intended before relying on the scene for a public broadcast.
- Connect OBS to YouTube. In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, use the stream URL and stream key in the encoder setup. Keep the key private; if it is compromised, reset it in Live Control Room. Follow YouTube’s current encoder setup instructions.
- Check YouTube’s incoming preview before starting. Confirm that the Live Control Room receives the picture and audio, then start the stream when ready. YouTube recommends testing and monitoring stream quality and messages during a broadcast; see its live streaming tips.
Choose the right loop method
| Method | Best for | What repeats | Requirement or limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source with Loop | One local video | The same file restarts after it completes. | Use the scene containing the visible Media Source. |
| OBS VLC Video source with Loop Playlist | Several files played in sequence | The playlist repeats. | VLC must be installed. OBS states that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. See the OBS Media Sources documentation. |
| YouTube player’s Repeat/Loop control | A viewer who wants to replay a video | Playback for that viewer in the YouTube player. | It does not set up a loop in the encoder’s live output. See YouTube’s video loop instructions. |
For a single file, Media Source’s Loop option is the direct broadcast method. Use VLC Video when you need a playlist rather than a repeat of just one file.
Why the stream may show a black screen
Find the first place the picture disappears: OBS’s scene/output, YouTube’s incoming preview, or the viewer’s watch page. This comparison narrows down which stage to inspect; it does not establish a universal cause or guaranteed fix.
OBS preview is black
- Confirm the Media Source points to the intended local file and is in the scene being previewed.
- Check that the source’s eye icon is on and that another opaque source is not stacked above it.
- Check the canvas fit and position. If the source has a hardware-decoding option and the media type and GPU support it, toggling that option can be a troubleshooting experiment—not a general black-screen remedy.
OBS preview works, but YouTube’s incoming preview is black
- Make sure OBS is sending the scene with the visible video, rather than a different scene or output.
- Verify the stream URL and current stream key entered in the encoder.
- Check Live Control Room messages and stream health. Use its incoming preview before starting publicly.
These are isolation checks based on YouTube’s encoder workflow, not a diagnosis of every setup. YouTube’s encoder setup guide and streaming tips describe connecting the encoder, checking the preview and monitoring stream health.
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YouTube’s incoming preview works, but viewers report black video
Check the actual watch page on another device or network and confirm the stream is still live. The official guidance cited here does not establish a single fix for viewer-specific playback problems; the device, network and playback details matter.
The picture goes black only between repetitions
Watch the file’s end-to-start transition in OBS before broadcasting. The Loop setting restarts playback after completion, but OBS’s documentation does not promise a frame-perfect transition for every file or system.
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Check the encoder before going live
YouTube recommends testing with movement and audio similar to the planned stream, checking the Live Control Room preview before starting, and monitoring stream health and messages during the event. For encoder-based RTMP/RTMPS streaming, its guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1, recommends CBR encoding, and recommends a two-second keyframe interval without exceeding four seconds. Bitrate recommendations depend on codec, resolution and frame rate; use YouTube’s current encoder settings table for your intended configuration rather than applying one bitrate to every stream. The stream key identifies the stream and should be treated like a password; reset it in Live Control Room if compromised. These instructions concern encoder-based streaming and should not be assumed to describe every third-party service.
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