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Short answer: Custom RTMP settings let a service send a stream to YouTube, but they do not necessarily make prerecorded video loop. The documented DIY option here is OBS: set a Media Source to loop a file, or use its VLC Video source to restart a playlist, then enter YouTube’s ingest URL and stream key. Restream and StreamYard accept custom RTMP destinations on paid plans, but their cited documentation does not establish that they loop prerecorded media themselves. For a cloud option designed to keep uploaded videos playing on YouTube, StreamNeo is always on, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers the first day free.
Separate the loop from the RTMP destination
A loop is playback behavior: the source must start again when a file or playlist ends. Custom RTMP is delivery configuration: it tells an encoder or service where to send the stream and which key to use. A service can support custom RTMP without providing a looping player.
For the documented setup, put repetition in OBS and send its output to YouTube. Add Restream or StreamYard only if you need their relay or production features; the cited help pages establish custom destinations, not a built-in prerecorded-video loop. These are the named services verified here, not an exhaustive survey of every RTMP-compatible product.
Which options support the setup?
| Option | Loop behavior established | Custom RTMP / YouTube setup established | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| StreamNeo | Streams uploaded videos in a continuous 24/7 loop or playlist from the cloud. | Uses your YouTube stream key; upload, add the key, and go live. | YouTube only. One flat price per slot for uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps; the first day is free with no card. |
| OBS Studio | Media Source can loop a local file; VLC Video can restart a playlist. Media Source is documented for Windows, macOS, and Linux. | Send encoder output to YouTube’s ingest settings. | OBS is a local encoder, not a hosted relay. VLC must be installed to use the VLC source. |
| Restream | Looping is not established by the cited help pages. | Accepts a manually entered RTMP URL and stream key; can target an existing YouTube event through its YouTube integration or custom RTMP channel. | Custom RTMP requires a paid Restream plan. |
| StreamYard | Looping is not established by the cited help page. | Accepts an RTMP server URL and stream key for a custom destination. | Custom RTMP requires a paid plan, and custom destinations have limitations. |
| YouTube Live | A native prerecorded-file loop is not established by the cited YouTube guidance. | Live Control Room provides ingest details, including the RTMPS server URL for encoders without a YouTube preset. | YouTube supplies destination settings; the cited page does not describe it as the looping source. |
Loop a file or playlist with OBS
This is the documented do-it-yourself route: the computer runs OBS, OBS repeats the media, and its output goes to YouTube. Exact menu wording can vary by OBS version and operating system; the cited OBS documentation describes the source options, not a version-specific full walkthrough.
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1. Get the YouTube ingest details
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and select or create the live event you intend to use.
- Copy the server URL and stream key shown for the event. Treat the key like a password: do not publish it or share it with anyone who should not be able to stream to your channel.
- When configuring an encoder without a YouTube preset, YouTube’s guidance points to the RTMPS server URL in Live Control Room. Prefer RTMPS when supported: it is RTMP over TLS/SSL and encrypts the connection.
2. Add a file that repeats
- In OBS, add a Media Source and choose the local prerecorded video file.
- Enable the source’s Loop option so playback starts again after the file ends.
- Check the preview and audio before going live. If the source is hidden, muted, or otherwise not active in the scene, OBS will not send the intended program output.
3. Or repeat a playlist
- Install VLC if it is not already installed; OBS requires VLC for its VLC Video source.
- Add a VLC Video source and populate its playlist with the media files you want to play.
- Enable the option to restart the playlist after its items have played. Confirm the final item returns to the first item as expected.
4. Connect OBS to YouTube and go live
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream, select a custom service if needed, and enter the YouTube server URL and stream key from Live Control Room. If OBS offers a YouTube preset for the workflow, follow its prompts and use the event’s key.
- Apply the settings, verify the correct scene and looping source, then start streaming in OBS.
- Check Live Control Room for the incoming stream and complete the event’s go-live action there if YouTube presents one. Watch the opening playback and confirm the loop continues at the end of the file or playlist.
Bitrate, resolution, frame rate, and keyframe interval should be set to values your upload connection and the current YouTube encoder guidance can support. The cited configuration sources do not establish universal values for those settings, so do not treat one fixed profile as right for every connection, video, and event.
When a relay service is useful
Restream
Restream’s custom-channel workflow takes the platform’s RTMP URL and stream key. Its help documentation also describes streaming to an existing YouTube event either through the YouTube integration or by adding the event as a custom RTMP channel. The custom RTMP feature requires a paid Restream plan. Neither cited page establishes that Restream itself repeats prerecorded media, so arrange looping at the source unless the service documents a separate loop feature for your plan.
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StreamYard
StreamYard documents a custom destination configured with an RTMP server URL and stream key. Custom RTMP requires a paid plan, and the help page lists limitations for custom destinations. The cited documentation does not establish a StreamYard loop feature for prerecorded media. Confirm that the destination limitations fit your workflow before relying on it.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping uploaded videos live on YouTube. You upload a recording or playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live; StreamNeo loops it from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. It plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting from a camera.
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- Any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps streams as made, at one flat price per slot with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card; one free day is available per account.
- Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. UPI and cards are available in India; card checkout is available worldwide.
See StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
Copyright and YouTube channel rules still apply
Looping does not give you rights to the video, music, or other material in the broadcast. Use media you own or are licensed to stream, and check that the license covers a public live broadcast and repeated playback. YouTube may apply its copyright systems to live content; a match or rights-holder action can interrupt a stream or affect the channel.
Repeated playback also does not guarantee monetization. YouTube channel monetization policies assess the channel and its content, including whether content is original and adds value; a technically continuous stream is not a substitute for meeting those requirements. Review YouTube’s current copyright and monetization policies for your channel and location before planning a long-running broadcast.
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Troubleshoot the common failure points
| What happens | Likely check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The file stops at the end. | The Media Source loop option may be off, or the source may not be the active scene source. | Enable Loop, confirm the source is visible and active, and test through the end of the file. |
| The playlist ends and stays stopped. | The VLC Video source may lack VLC or its restart-after-playback option may be off. | Install VLC, verify the playlist entries, enable restart, and test the transition from last item to first. |
| YouTube does not receive the encoder feed. | The stream key or server URL may not match the selected event, or the encoder may be using an incorrect destination setting. | Copy the current event’s ingest details from Live Control Room and re-enter them in OBS. Keep the key private. |
| A custom destination cannot be added. | The required Restream or StreamYard plan may not include custom RTMP. | Check the service’s current plan and custom-destination limitations before building the workflow around it. |
| The video is interrupted despite correct looping. | Playback looping does not prevent copyright claims, network interruptions, or YouTube-side stream drops. | Check Live Control Room and the encoder connection, verify media rights, and review any channel or copyright notices. |
Compare the options by the job they do
For a purely local setup, OBS is the option in this comparison with explicitly documented file and playlist looping. For a relay or production workflow, Restream and StreamYard document custom RTMP entry, subject to their paid-plan requirements and, for StreamYard, custom-destination limitations. For a YouTube loop that should continue without a home computer, StreamNeo is the cloud option to try first: it runs uploaded media continuously, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and provides a free first day.
Before choosing, decide whether you need file looping, playlist looping, relay/production features, a scheduled YouTube event target, and whether you want a local machine or cloud service to run the broadcast. The comparison above reflects documented capabilities, not a performance test.
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Sources
- OBS Project, “Media Sources” (published January 11, 2022; page checked October 3, 2026).
- Restream Help Center, “Stream to a Custom RTMP channel” (published March 10, 2026; checked October 3, 2026).
- Restream Help Center, “Stream to an existing YouTube Event” (published March 9, 2026; checked October 3, 2026).
- StreamYard Help Center, “Connect a custom RTMP destination” (publication date not shown; checked October 3, 2026).
- YouTube Help, “Encrypt your stream using RTMPS” (publication date not shown; checked October 3, 2026).
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