Keep the playlist looping inside your encoder and leave that encoder connected to the same YouTube live event. In OBS, enable Loop for a single-file Media Source or Loop Playlist for a VLC Video source. That keeps the content cycling without restarting the event, but it cannot guarantee YouTube will save one unbroken archive: YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all.
Why a looping playlist and a split archive are different problems
The loop setting controls what the encoder plays. YouTube handles the live event and its archive separately. When the last playlist item ends, the encoder should move back to the first item while continuing to send the feed to the same live event. Do not end and restart the YouTube event just to restart playback.
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Even when playback loops correctly, that does not ensure a single archive file. YouTube’s guidance is duration-sensitive: streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived; streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. YouTube’s wording is explicit: “If your stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all.” YouTube Help: Archive live streams.
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- Create or schedule the YouTube live event. In YouTube Studio, create or schedule the stream and use the event’s stream URL and stream key in your encoder. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup guidance for connecting the feed.
- Add the right OBS source. For one video file, add a Media Source and enable Loop. For a playlist of multiple files, add a VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist. OBS documents these controls in its Media Sources guide.
- Check the cycle before going live. Confirm the file plays and returns to the beginning, or that the multi-file playlist proceeds through its items and starts again. This verifies media playback; it does not test YouTube’s archive behavior.
- Start the encoder feed and verify the event is live. Check YouTube Studio’s preview or live status. Let the encoder continue through playlist transitions; don’t stop and restart the event to make the content loop.
- Keep the session under 12 hours if an automatic YouTube archive matters. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived. For a stream that exceeds 12 hours, the guidance warns that it may not be captured at all; it does not promise that YouTube will divide it into usable parts.
- Record a local backup. Start a local recording and check that its file size continues to grow. After the live event has stopped on YouTube, stop the encoder. YouTube also recommends keeping a local archive; see its live streaming tips.
Single file or multi-file playlist?
| What you are looping | OBS source | Loop control |
|---|---|---|
| One video file | Media Source | Enable Loop |
| Several video files | VLC Video source | Enable Loop Playlist |
These are playback choices, not archive settings. Neither loop mode establishes that YouTube will produce one archive for streams of every duration.
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Use the 12-hour guidance and a local recording as safeguards
If you need YouTube’s automatic archive, plan the event to finish before it exceeds 12 hours. The guidance does not say that an archive is guaranteed, so keep a local recording when the material matters. Monitor the local file while recording: a growing file is a practical sign that recording is underway, and checking its integrity afterward helps catch an unusable backup.
An external SSD can provide extra room for local recordings if needed. It does not change YouTube’s archive behavior or guarantee that a recording is intact. The storage required depends on the recording’s bitrate, resolution, and duration.
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DVR does not prevent archive splitting
DVR lets viewers pause, rewind, and resume during a live stream. YouTube says DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. Turning DVR off stops viewers seeking backward during the live stream, but viewers can still watch the full recording after it becomes available. DVR is a viewer playback feature, not a way to merge or protect archive segments. See YouTube Help: Turn on DVR on live streams.
If the archive is split or missing
- Preserve the local recording first. Check whether the file exists, opens, and contains the expected duration before changing or deleting anything.
- Review whether the encoder or YouTube event was stopped and restarted. A restart is worth checking, but the available guidance does not establish one guaranteed cause of archive splitting.
- Check the event duration. If it exceeded 12 hours, YouTube warns that the stream may not be captured at all. Its guidance does not establish that a longer stream will reliably appear as several usable archives.
- Do not look for a loop or DVR switch that merges segments. OBS loop settings govern playback, and DVR governs live viewer controls; neither is documented as an archive-merging setting.
Or let it run in the cloud
For a YouTube channel that needs prerecorded videos to run continuously, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos in the cloud, so no computer, OBS, or home connection has to stay on. It supports any 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. StreamNeo is for YouTube streams from uploaded videos, not camera broadcasts. A cloud encoder does not guarantee that YouTube will save one archive, so keep a local backup and plan around YouTube’s archive-duration guidance. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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