To keep a local video looping in OBS Studio overnight on a Mac, add it as a Media Source and turn on Loop. Also keep the Mac awake, enable OBS Automatic Reconnect for recoverable connection drops, and test the complete setup before leaving it unattended. These steps address different failure points; none guarantees an uninterrupted stream through every computer, network, software, or streaming-service failure.
Set up a single-video loop in OBS
- In OBS, open the scene you will stream and add a Media Source.
- Select the local video file you want to play. OBS documents MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM among the supported formats.
- In the Media Source properties, enable Loop. OBS repeats the file when playback reaches its end.
- Leave Restart playback when source becomes active enabled if you want playback to restart when the source becomes active; OBS documents this option as on by default.
- Start a test stream and watch for the file to reach its end and begin again.
These setting names come from OBS’s Media Sources documentation, dated 2022-01-11. Labels or behavior may differ in other OBS releases, so check the properties in your installed version.
Loop a playlist instead of one file
For a playlist, use OBS’s VLC Video source. VLC must be installed for this source type to appear, and a 64-bit OBS installation requires 64-bit VLC.
- Add a VLC Video source and create or select the playlist you want to play.
- Check Loop Playlist. OBS’s documentation lists it as enabled by default.
- Review Visibility Behaviour. The documented default stops playback when the source is not visible and restarts it when visible. If the source is hidden when you switch scenes, choose a behavior that fits your scene setup.
- Test the playlist across its end, including while switching between the scenes you plan to use.
For one local video, the built-in Media Source is a direct fit and does not require a VLC installation. VLC Video is the documented choice when you need playlist playback. See the OBS Media Sources documentation for the source properties.
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Keep the Mac awake while streaming
Prevent the Mac from going to sleep during an unattended stream, and connect it to reliable power. Turning off the display is not the same as putting the computer to sleep. Because macOS power-management controls can vary by version and Mac, check the settings available on your machine and verify that the computer stays awake during a test.
There is a specific, version-bound warning: an OBS GitHub issue opened on 2023-05-19 reports macOS Screen Capture freezing after sleep on macOS 13 with OBS 29.1.1. The issue’s author said restarting OBS or switching to another scene collection and back restored capture. This report concerns that configuration and capture source; it does not establish that all current OBS versions or local Media Sources fail in the same way. See the OBS issue report.
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Enable automatic reconnect for connection drops
In OBS, open Settings, select Advanced, and find Configure Automatic Reconnect. Enable it and review the available reconnect options in your installed version. OBS describes automatic reconnect in its Overview Guide.
Reconnect is for recoverable streaming-connection interruptions. It does not restart a video that has stopped, keep a sleeping Mac awake, restore power, fix invalid stream credentials, or guarantee recovery from every platform-side interruption.
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Test the whole setup before leaving it unattended
OBS recommends testing settings, scenes, and stream smoothness in advance. Run the actual scene and source you intend to use, confirm that media loops correctly, and check that the stream remains connected. If something fails, save or review the OBS log and identify whether the problem is playback, capture, encoding or rendering load, or the connection. OBS’s Overview Guide explains testing and logs.
Compatible hardware alone does not guarantee that a Mac can stream smoothly under every workload. OBS notes that performance depends on factors including encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. Use OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point, then test the setup you will actually stream. See the OBS System Requirements.
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Troubleshoot the failure by symptom
| What you see | What to check | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| The video reaches its end and stops. | Media Source’s Loop setting. | Enable Loop and test the file through the end. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist. |
| Playlist playback stops after switching scenes. | VLC Video’s Visibility Behaviour and whether the source is hidden. | Choose a visibility behavior that suits the scene arrangement, then test scene changes. |
| The Mac sleeps, or capture freezes after waking. | Whether the Mac slept; if using macOS Screen Capture, note the specific older configuration reported in OBS issue #8928. | Keep the Mac awake during the stream. For the reported configuration, the issue author said restarting OBS or switching away from and back to the scene collection restored capture; this is not a universal fix. |
| OBS reports a dropped connection. | Connection status and the Automatic Reconnect setting. | Enable Automatic Reconnect and investigate the network or streaming service separately. |
| The stream stutters or OBS struggles. | OBS log, encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. | Try the Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point, then test adjusted settings with the actual scene. |
| Behavior changes after an OBS update. | Whether the installed build supports your macOS version and Mac architecture. | Check OBS’s current macOS compatibility table before updating or choosing a build. |
The OBS compatibility page is dated 2026-07-29 and listed OBS 32.2.1 for macOS 13 through 26 on both Apple Silicon and Intel, with older operating systems assigned older compatible builds. Compatibility information changes; confirm the table for your macOS version and processor when you install or update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Account for the streaming platform’s own rules
OBS settings cannot resolve every platform-side limit. Runtime caps, maintenance, stream-key or authentication requirements, and disconnect policies depend on the service and account. Check the current official guidance for the platform you are streaming to; the OBS settings above do not establish that platform’s overnight-stream rules.
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For a YouTube loop, also make sure you have the rights needed to stream the video and that the content complies with YouTube’s current policies, including its rules on copyright and reused content. Do not assume that looping a file or reconnecting makes material permissible. Review YouTube’s current official guidance for your content and channel before going live.
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