To loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live using OBS on Windows 11, add the file as a Media Source and turn on Loop in its properties. Then connect OBS to a YouTube stream, check the preview in YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, and start the event. The loop setting repeats playback in OBS; it does not use YouTube’s viewer-side Loop control.
Before you start
Check that your channel can livestream
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. If this is your first time enabling live streaming, activation may take up to 24 hours. Check eligibility before preparing an event: YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.
Prepare the video and connection
- Have the video file available locally on the Windows 11 PC running OBS. OBS Media Source supports formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM; see OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.
- Use content you have the rights to broadcast, including the video’s music and other included material. Repeating a file does not create a copyright or YouTube-policy exemption.
- Use a stable internet connection with enough upload capacity for the stream. YouTube recommends keeping 20% upload-bandwidth headroom; this is a recommendation, not a guarantee under every network condition. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips.
Set up a single-video loop in OBS
- Open or create a scene. In OBS, select an existing scene or create one for the livestream.
- Add the video source. In the Sources box, select + and choose Media Source. Give it a recognizable name and confirm.
- Select the local file. In the Media Source properties, enable the local-file option, browse to the video, and select it.
- Enable the repeat control. Check Loop, then confirm the properties. OBS documents that this control is off by default and determines whether the file plays again after playback completes.
- Check the scene. Make sure the video is visible in the OBS preview and that its audio is present if expected. Play representative sections and verify the framing, picture, and sound before broadcasting.
Do not confuse these controls: Loop repeats the file. Show nothing when playback ends is a separate Media Source property; it controls what appears after playback ends. With Loop enabled, the source should ordinarily restart instead of reaching its end state, but OBS documentation does not establish that every file and computer will transition seamlessly or without a gap. Test the actual file and setup.
Connect OBS to YouTube and go live
- Create or select a stream. In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create an event or select the stream you intend to use. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup workflow.
- Connect OBS. If OBS offers YouTube as a service, use the available YouTube connection workflow. Otherwise, copy the stream URL and stream key shown for the event in YouTube Studio and enter them in OBS’s stream settings. The stream key authorizes an encoder to send video to that stream; treat it like a password and do not share it.
- Use the recommended connection settings. Choose RTMPS when available. YouTube’s encoder recommendations include CBR and a two-second keyframe interval. Set the available OBS options to match the current guidance for your chosen resolution and frame rate; do not assume one bitrate fits every output. Consult YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrate, and resolution recommendations.
- Start OBS streaming. Start the stream from OBS and wait for the feed to appear in the Live Control Room preview.
- Inspect, then start the event. Check the preview for the correct video and audio, and review stream health. When YouTube indicates the feed is ready, start the event in the Live Control Room if prompted. Keep an eye on picture, sound, and stream health while it runs.
The OBS encoder feed and the YouTube event are distinct parts of the workflow: sending a feed from OBS does not replace checking the YouTube preview and starting the event when the Live Control Room asks you to.
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Looping one file versus a playlist
| What you want to play | OBS source | Loop control | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| One local video file | Media Source | Loop | Built-in local-file source |
| A set of local video files | VLC Video source | Loop Playlist | VLC must be installed for this source to appear in OBS |
For a playlist, add a VLC Video source, configure its playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. OBS documents this as a separate option from Media Source; you do not need it to repeat one file. See the OBS source documentation.
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Stop the stream and understand the archive
When you are ready to end the broadcast, stop the event through the OBS and YouTube workflow shown for your stream. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That guidance does not promise automatic archiving for streams longer than 12 hours, nor does it guarantee indefinite availability of an archive. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
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Troubleshooting
The video plays once and stops
Open the Media Source properties and check that Loop is enabled on the source that contains the selected file. Looping is an OBS playback setting, not a YouTube setting.
The VLC playlist source is missing
OBS requires VLC to be installed for its VLC Video source to appear. If you only need one file to repeat, use Media Source instead.
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YouTube does not show a preview
Confirm OBS is connected to the intended YouTube stream using that event’s stream URL and key, then check that OBS is actively streaming. Verify the key has not been mistyped or replaced and that the channel is eligible to livestream. Protect the key as a credential.
The video or audio looks or sounds wrong
Check the OBS preview before starting the event, test representative motion and audio, and confirm the source is visible in the scene. Revisit OBS’s available output settings against YouTube’s current encoder recommendations for the resolution and frame rate you selected.
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The stream drops or looks unstable
Check OBS and YouTube stream-health indicators and the network connection. YouTube recommends upload-bandwidth headroom of 20%; a connection with less headroom may be more vulnerable to competing traffic or changing network conditions. This recommendation is not a guarantee that a given connection will remain stable.
Quick Recap
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