For one repeating video in OBS, add a Media Source and enable Loop. For several local videos played in sequence, use VLC Video Source, install VLC, add the files to its playlist, and leave Loop Playlist enabled if playback should start over when the list ends. These settings repeat media; they do not by themselves keep OBS, your computer, your internet connection, or a YouTube broadcast running 24/7.
Choose the OBS source that matches your playlist
| What you want to play | OBS source | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| One local file that repeats | Media Source with Loop enabled | Designed for an individual local audio or video file, not a multi-item playlist. OBS documentation |
| Several local files in a fixed sequence | VLC Video Source with Loop Playlist enabled | VLC must be installed. A 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC. OBS documentation |
| Several files in a randomized sequence | VLC Video Source with Shuffle Playlist enabled | Shuffle is a separate control from looping; OBS documentation lists shuffle as off by default and Loop Playlist as on by default. OBS documentation |
OBS describes VLC Video Source as allowing a playlist of items, “similar to an Image Slideshow.” That is the practical distinction: Media Source is the straightforward choice for one file; VLC Video Source adds multi-item playlist playback.
Set up one repeating file with Media Source
- In OBS, choose the scene that should contain the gameplay background or other prerecorded content.
- In the Sources dock, select + and choose Media Source. Name the source and confirm.
- Choose the local media file in the source properties. OBS documents video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. Actual compatibility can depend on your system and installed components; use the OBS list as a documented baseline. OBS documentation
- Enable Loop in the Media Source properties, then confirm. Preview the scene and verify the video restarts after it reaches the end.
- Adjust the source’s position and size in the OBS canvas, and check that the video and any audio are behaving as intended before starting a broadcast.
Use this when the content is one file that can repeat as-is. If you want multiple files to play in an ordered rotation, a Media Source is not a substitute for a playlist.
Set up a multi-file playlist with VLC Video Source
- Install VLC before configuring the source. If your OBS installation is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC; OBS says VLC must be installed for the VLC Video Source type to appear. OBS documentation
- In OBS, select the target scene. In the Sources dock, choose + and select VLC Video Source. If it is missing, confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- Add the media files to the source’s playlist using the controls shown in your installed OBS version. Arrange them in the intended playback order.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled if you want the list to start over after its last item. Turn on Shuffle Playlist only if you want randomized playback rather than the listed sequence. OBS documentation says the former is enabled by default and the latter disabled by default; check the actual properties in your version. OBS documentation
- Review the VLC source’s visibility behavior options. Depending on the selected option, hiding the source can stop or restart playback, or playback can continue while hidden. These controls concern the source’s visibility within OBS; they do not start or stop YouTube broadcasting. Labels can vary by OBS version, so follow the options displayed in your installation.
- Preview the scene through a full playlist cycle if practical. Check file order, audio levels, visual framing, and what appears when a file ends before relying on the scene for a long broadcast.
Connect the scene to YouTube—and understand what looping does not do
A looping source only controls media playback inside OBS. You still need OBS to be running, an active internet connection, a configured encoder and YouTube stream, and a functioning computer for a local broadcast to stay online. Neither source type guarantees uptime, automatic recovery, or seamless transitions between files. OBS’s documentation describes the source controls but does not compare their reliability, CPU/GPU use, or transition smoothness.
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Configure the YouTube connection in OBS using the stream key and connection method shown for your channel and current OBS version. Keep the key private: anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your channel. Start with an unlisted test if you need to inspect picture, audio, and playlist behavior before making the stream public. Do not infer YouTube’s maximum continuous-stream duration, archive behavior, or reconnection policy from OBS’s Loop or Loop Playlist setting.
YouTube’s cited technical instructions here concern HLS ingestion, not every OBS-to-YouTube workflow. For HLS, YouTube specifies TS segments lasting 1–4 seconds, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, HTTPS POST/PUT, no byte-range requests, and limited encryption requirements; it also notes HLS has higher latency than RTMP. Those protocol-specific settings are not general requirements for a standard OBS stream and do not establish YouTube’s 24/7 duration or recovery rules. YouTube Help: HLS ingestion
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Keep the broadcast safe and operational
Review rights for every file
Using a prerecorded video as a live source does not change its copyright status. Before streaming, make sure you have the rights or permission needed for the video, music, images, and other material in every playlist item. A looping playlist can repeat a rights problem as readily as it repeats authorized content. Check YouTube’s current copyright and monetization policies for your channel and intended use; the HLS technical page is not a policy guide.
Plan for local failure points
- Computer sleep or shutdown: OBS cannot keep a local stream going after the computer stops running. Set the machine to remain awake during the planned broadcast and account for power loss.
- Network interruption: A local playlist does not prevent a home internet outage. Test the connection and have a recovery plan for an interruption.
- Playlist edits: The cited OBS documentation does not establish whether adding or removing a playlist item can be done without playback disruption. Test any live-edit workflow before depending on it.
- Hidden source: If the VLC source is hidden by a scene change or visibility control, its playback behavior depends on the selected visibility option. Confirm that option in your installed OBS version.
Troubleshoot common source problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video Source is absent from the source menu | VLC is not installed, or the VLC architecture does not match 64-bit OBS. | Install VLC and ensure 64-bit VLC is present for 64-bit OBS, then reopen or recheck OBS. OBS documentation |
| A single video stops at the end | Loop is not enabled on the Media Source. | Open the source properties and enable Loop. |
| A multi-file list ends instead of starting again | Loop Playlist is disabled. | Open VLC Video Source properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| Files play in an unexpected order | Shuffle is enabled or the playlist order differs from what you intended. | Disable Shuffle Playlist for fixed order and review the list sequence. |
| Playback changes when switching scenes or hiding the source | The source’s visibility behavior is set to stop, restart, or continue playback while hidden. | Review the VLC source visibility options and test the behavior in a non-public preview. |
| The YouTube stream ends even though the file or playlist is looping | Media playback is continuing locally, but the OBS process, computer, connection, encoder, or YouTube broadcast has stopped or encountered a problem. | Check OBS status and logs, the computer’s power and sleep state, network access, and YouTube’s live control room. Loop settings alone cannot recover a failed broadcast. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a prerecorded YouTube stream that continues without leaving a home computer on, StreamNeo is the cloud option to consider first: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so no computer, OBS, or home connection has to stay on. It supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the first day is free with no card. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. It is for prerecorded uploads to YouTube, not a camera-based live feed. Start a free day at StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
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