To loop one video in OBS, add it to your scene as a Media Source, select the file, and enable Loop in the source properties. OBS will replay the file when it reaches the end. Then configure OBS with your YouTube stream URL and key, check the Live Control Room preview, and start the stream.
A 24/7 broadcast has two important limits: your computer and internet connection must stay available, and YouTube says streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured as an archive. The steps below cover the OBS setup, stream settings, monitoring, and archive precautions.
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Loop one video in OBS
- Add a Media Source: In the OBS scene you intend to broadcast, use the Sources panel to add a Media Source. Give it a recognizable name if prompted.
- Select the video: In the source properties, choose the local video file you want to repeat. OBS documents Media Source support for MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. If your file does not play, confirm that its format is supported and that the file is accessible from this computer. OBS Media Sources documentation (dated January 11, 2022) describes these formats and options.
- Enable Loop: Turn on Loop in the Media Source properties and confirm the source. Loop is off by default; when enabled, it repeats the file when playback completes.
- Keep the source visible: Make sure the Media Source is visible in the scene that OBS will stream. If you hide it or switch to a scene without it, viewers will not see that video.
- Check the scene: Confirm the video appears in the preview and that its audio is appropriate. If you need to resize or reposition it, do so in the OBS preview before going live.
Loop is not restart-on-activation
Restart playback when source becomes active is a separate option. OBS describes it as restarting the file when the source is in the current scene and visible. It does not make a file repeat after it ends; use Loop for that.
When to use a VLC Video source instead
For a single local file, Media Source is the direct option. OBS’s VLC Video source is useful when you want playlist capability and offers a Loop Playlist setting, but it requires VLC to be installed. OBS notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. See OBS’s source documentation for the supported source options.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Set up a stream in YouTube: Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the stream you intend to broadcast.
- Copy the connection details: Copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube into OBS’s streaming settings. The stream key is the credential YouTube uses to accept the encoder feed, so treat it like a password: do not publish it or share it with people who should not control your stream. YouTube’s live-stream setup guidance explains the connection.
- Configure the output: In OBS’s streaming settings, select the appropriate service/server options and enter the YouTube stream URL and key. OBS labels can vary by version; use the URL and key provided for the selected YouTube stream.
- Start the encoder and check the preview: Start streaming from OBS, then verify that video and audio appear in Live Control Room and review its stream-health messages before making the stream public or otherwise going live.
Choose video, audio, and upload settings
YouTube’s current encoder guidance for RTMP/RTMPS lists H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, constant bitrate (CBR), frame rates up to 60 fps, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. YouTube recommends RTMPS, the secure version of RTMP. Follow the settings for your chosen codec and resolution rather than treating one bitrate as suitable for every stream. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance was accessed in 2026; its Help page does not state a publication date in the available material.
| Setting | YouTube guidance | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| Video codec | H.264, H.265, or AV1 | Choose a codec supported by your OBS setup and use YouTube’s guidance for that codec. |
| Rate control | CBR | Use constant bitrate for the encoder stream. |
| Frame rate | Up to 60 fps | Choose a frame rate your source and upload connection can sustain reliably. |
| Keyframe interval | Recommended: 2 seconds; maximum: 4 seconds | Set the encoder’s keyframe interval accordingly. |
| H.264 video bitrate | 10 Mbps at 1080p30; 12 Mbps at 1080p60 | These are YouTube’s recommendations for the stated H.264 resolution and frame rate, not universal targets for other codecs or modes. |
| Audio | AAC or MP3; 44.1 kHz stereo; 128 Kbps stereo | Use the audio codec and values listed in YouTube’s encoder guidance. |
Before committing to a resolution and bitrate, test the stream and monitor stream health. YouTube’s Streaming tips recommend keeping 20% headroom above the combined outgoing stream bitrate. For example, a 10 Mbps outgoing stream calls for at least 12 Mbps of available upload capacity under that guidance; leave additional margin if the connection fluctuates or other devices use it. Encoder settings and YouTube Streaming tips provide the platform’s recommendations; the 20% guidance was accessed in 2026.
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What a 24/7 YouTube stream means for replays and DVR
A continuous broadcast does not guarantee a complete YouTube replay. YouTube says streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but YouTube recommends keeping a local archive as a backup. If a replay matters, plan for a local recording and verify it rather than assuming the entire continuous stream will be available afterward. YouTube’s live archive guidance was accessed in 2026.
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Live DVR rewind can also be limited or unavailable on very long streams, including streams longer than 12 hours. Do not promise viewers they can rewind to any point in a continuous broadcast. YouTube’s DVR guidance was accessed in 2026.
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Reliability checklist for a long-running stream
- Run a test first: Check representative video motion and audio, not just a static frame, and confirm the YouTube preview works.
- Watch stream health: Keep Live Control Room open during setup and respond to warnings about the incoming feed.
- Leave upload headroom: Apply YouTube’s recommendation of 20% above the combined outgoing bitrate; avoid saturating the connection with other uploads. YouTube Streaming tips.
- Protect the local recording: If you need a backup, enable a local archive in OBS and check that the recording exists, plays, and grows in file size during the broadcast.
- Plan for the computer to remain available: In this setup, OBS is running on your machine, so the computer, OBS, the video file, and the internet connection need to remain available for the stream to continue.
Troubleshooting
The video plays once and stops
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. Restart playback when source becomes active is not a substitute; it only restarts playback when the source becomes active under OBS’s stated conditions. OBS Media Sources documentation.
The video is missing from the stream
Check that the Media Source is visible in the scene currently being broadcast, the correct file is selected, and the preview displays the video. A source hidden in the Sources panel or absent from the active scene will not appear for viewers.
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YouTube does not receive the OBS feed
Confirm that the selected YouTube stream’s URL and key are entered correctly in OBS. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages. If the key may have been exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube rather than continuing to use a compromised credential. YouTube’s setup guidance.
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The stream is choppy or OBS reports encoding overload
Reduce output resolution or frame rate, and simplify resource-heavy scenes. Choose a bitrate your connection can sustain with the recommended upload headroom. OBS’s performance guidance recommends reducing output resolution or frame rate and simplifying scenes when performance is insufficient. OBS performance troubleshooting (dated June 12, 2021); YouTube Streaming tips.
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The VLC playlist source does not work
Install VLC and ensure its architecture matches OBS: OBS says 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. For one local video, you can avoid that dependency by using Media Source instead. OBS Media Sources documentation.
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