To loop a prerecorded video through OBS to YouTube, set the video source to loop, add your YouTube stream URL and stream key in OBS, then start streaming and—if the broadcast is scheduled—click Go live in YouTube Studio. The loop repeats the video; it does not keep OBS, your computer, or your internet connection running. The steps below cover both a single file and a multi-video playlist, along with the encoder settings that matter.
1. Set up the video loop in OBS
Loop one prerecorded file
- In OBS, add a Media Source and select the video file on your computer.
- In the source properties, enable Loop. OBS describes this as replaying the file after playback completes; the setting is off by default.
- Use Restart playback when source becomes active if you want playback to start from the beginning whenever the source becomes active. Close file when inactive controls whether the file is closed while the source is inactive. These are playback and resource options, not controls for keeping the YouTube connection alive.
Loop a playlist
- Install VLC if it is not already installed; OBS requires it for the VLC Video source to appear.
- Add a VLC Video source, then add the video files to its playlist.
- Enable Loop Playlist to repeat the playlist. Use the separate shuffle option only if you want the clips played in a changing order.
Use Media Source for one file. Use VLC Video when you need several clips in a playlist; decide whether a fixed order or shuffle suits the program. VLC installation is a prerequisite for the playlist method.
2. Find the YouTube stream URL and key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room. Select an existing live stream or create one.
- Copy the stream key and server URL shown for that stream.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube or the appropriate YouTube ingest option, and enter the copied key and URL. If OBS offers a connected-account workflow, use the manual stream-key setup when you need to enter the specific URL and key from Live Control Room.
- Keep the key private. YouTube treats it as a credential for sending a feed to your channel. Custom stream keys can be reused. If a key is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace the saved key in OBS; YouTube says only channel owners and managers can reset a key.
Prefer the RTMPS server URL when your encoder supports it. RTMPS encrypts RTMP traffic using TLS/SSL. Copy the secure URL from Live Control Room rather than assuming the default RTMP address is the RTMPS endpoint.
3. Choose OBS output settings for YouTube
There is no single bitrate that fits every stream. Match the encoder codec, resolution and frame rate to YouTube’s current settings table, and make sure your stable upload capacity can sustain the chosen bitrate. YouTube’s published figures below are recommendations, not guarantees of uninterrupted delivery.
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| H.264 video format | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
These figures are from YouTube’s published RTMP/RTMPS settings table; other codecs, resolutions and frame rates have different ranges. Check the current table for your exact combination rather than applying these H.264 examples universally.
- Rate control: CBR (constant bitrate) is YouTube’s recommended bitrate encoding setting.
- Keyframes: Set a two-second interval; YouTube says not to exceed four seconds.
- Frame rate: YouTube’s guidance supports rates up to 60 fps. Use a rate your source and connection can sustain.
- Video codec: YouTube lists H.264, H.265 (HEVC) and AV1. Choose a codec supported by your OBS encoder and confirm its matching bitrate recommendations.
- Audio: YouTube lists AAC or MP3; its advanced recommendations specify 128 Kbps for stereo audio.
Test with representative motion and audio before the broadcast. Watch stream health and messages in Live Control Room while sending the feed. If viewers are not interacting with the program, low latency may matter less; YouTube notes that lower latency can increase playback buffering.
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4. Start the stream and confirm it is live
- In OBS, confirm the correct scene and looping source are active, then select Start Streaming.
- For a scheduled stream, wait until the preview appears in Live Control Room, then click Go live.
- YouTube’s Auto-start & auto-stop controls can let the encoder start or stop the stream. They do not restart OBS if the application or computer crashes.
- Check the preview, stream health and audio before leaving the broadcast unattended.
5. What “always-on” means with a local OBS loop
OBS’s loop setting restarts playback after a file ends. The encoder must still send that playback to YouTube, so the computer must stay powered, OBS must remain running, and the network connection must stay available. A loop alone does not recover from a computer shutdown, application crash or lost connection.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived after they end. That guidance does not establish that a longer continuous stream will be archived in full. If a complete archive matters, plan around YouTube’s documented duration limit and check its current rules.
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6. Troubleshoot common setup problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| The video ends instead of repeating | Loop is off, or the wrong source type is being used. | Open Media Source properties and enable Loop. For multiple clips, use VLC Video and enable Loop Playlist. |
| VLC Video is not available in OBS | VLC is not installed. | Install VLC, then check the source list again. |
| YouTube does not receive the OBS feed | The stream key or server URL may be missing, incorrect or out of date. | Compare OBS’s Settings → Stream values with Live Control Room. If the key was reset, update OBS with the new key. |
| The stream key may have been exposed | Someone else may be able to use the credential. | Reset the key in Live Control Room, then replace it in OBS. A channel owner or manager must perform the reset. |
| Playback buffers or stream health is poor | The chosen bitrate may exceed stable upload capacity, or the settings may not match the selected codec, resolution and frame rate. | Check YouTube’s current table for that exact combination, verify upload capacity, and test while monitoring stream health. |
| The stream stops after OBS or the computer fails | The local encoder is no longer sending video; loop settings do not restart a crashed application or system. | Restore the computer and connection, reopen OBS and start the encoder again. YouTube auto-start does not restart OBS after a crash. |
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