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To loop one prerecorded video on YouTube Live, add it to an OBS scene as a Media Source, select the file, and enable Loop in its properties. OBS repeats the playback in the scene it sends to YouTube; the loop is not a YouTube setting. For a repeating sequence of several videos, use OBS’s VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist instead.
What “looping with an OBS scene collection” means
An OBS scene collection organizes scenes and their sources. The video file and its loop behavior are configured on a source inside the scene you plan to broadcast. OBS encodes that scene and sends it to YouTube Live. YouTube’s encoder workflow connects OBS to the Live Control Room using a stream URL and stream key. OBS’s Sources Guide explains scenes and sources; YouTube’s encoder instructions describe the connection.
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Choose the source for your video
| What you want to play | OBS source | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| One local video repeating | Media Source | Enable its Loop option. OBS documents common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. Loop is off by default. |
| Several local videos in sequence, repeating as a group | VLC Video | Add files to its playlist and enable Loop Playlist. This source uses VLC libraries, so VLC must be installed; match its architecture to OBS (for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC). |
OBS documents these source controls and requirements in its Media Sources guide. VLC Video is not required just to repeat a single file.
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Set up a single-video loop in OBS
- Open the intended scene collection and scene. Select the scene you will send to YouTube. In the Sources dock, click the add button and choose Media Source. OBS describes media sources as a way to add media files to scenes.
- Select the local file. In the Media Source properties, choose the video file you want to play. OBS supports common formats such as MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM, among others.
- Enable Loop. Turn on Loop in the source properties. Because the documented default is off, verify the box is checked before going live.
- Choose how the source behaves when hidden. If you may switch scenes or hide the source, review Restart playback when source becomes active and Close file when inactive. The latter unloads the file while the source is hidden and may cause a short reload delay when it appears again. Choose behavior that suits your scene switching; neither option is a promise of gapless transitions.
- Confirm the scene output. Play the source in OBS and check that the intended picture and audio appear in the scene. If the video should fill the canvas, adjust its placement and scale in the preview; ensure other sources are not covering it.
Loop restarts the file when playback completes. OBS documents that behavior, but does not promise a perfectly seamless visual or audio join between the end and beginning of a file.
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Loop a playlist instead
- In the scene’s Sources dock, add VLC Video.
- Add the video files to the source playlist in the order you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist in the source properties and check the playlist order and playback in the OBS preview.
Install VLC for the VLC Video source to work. If OBS is 64-bit, OBS’s documentation specifies 64-bit VLC. The source also offers options such as shuffle and visibility behavior; use those only if they match the intended broadcast.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live and start the broadcast
- Check channel eligibility first. YouTube says a channel must be eligible to stream; its general live-streaming guidance specifies channel verification and no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Check the current status in YouTube Studio. First-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube’s encoder guidance.
- Create or select a stream in YouTube Studio. Open the Live Control Room and create an event or choose the stream you intend to use. Copy its stream URL and stream key from YouTube’s encoder setup.
- Enter the connection details in OBS. Open Settings > Stream, select the YouTube service if offered, and enter the stream key and server/URL details as prompted. Interface wording may vary by OBS version; use the current OBS and YouTube screens if labels differ. Keep the key private: anyone who has it may be able to send a broadcast to your channel.
- Start the encoder and inspect the preview. Start streaming in OBS. In YouTube’s Live Control Room, wait for the incoming preview and verify the video and audio before taking the event live. YouTube recommends checking the preview and monitoring stream quality.
- End in the right order. When the event is over, stop/end the stream in YouTube, then stop sending content from the encoder. YouTube’s live-streaming tips recommend stopping the encoder after the event has stopped on YouTube.
Before going live: rights and content checks
- Use video and audio you have the rights or permissions to broadcast. A file playing successfully in OBS does not establish that you may stream it.
- Check YouTube’s current rules and your channel’s eligibility in YouTube Studio before scheduling or starting a live stream. Restrictions are channel-specific and platform policies can change.
- Watch the Live Control Room preview rather than assuming that a file playing in OBS guarantees a correct YouTube feed. Confirm the expected scene, picture, and sound.
- For a long-running or repeated broadcast, consider whether the content is suitable to replay and whether you can monitor it. This setup guidance does not establish a universal maximum stream duration or guarantee how YouTube will handle an archive.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The video stops at the end | Loop is off or was not saved on the Media Source. | Open the source properties and confirm Loop is enabled. It is off by default. |
| Only one file plays | A Media Source is set up for a single file. | For multiple files, use VLC Video, populate its playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. |
| VLC Video is unavailable or will not play | VLC may not be installed or may not match OBS architecture. | Install VLC; for 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC. |
| A hidden source takes time to reappear | Close file when inactive unloads the file when hidden. | Review that property and the source’s active/restart behavior. Unloading can create a short reload delay. |
| YouTube does not show an incoming preview | The encoder may not be connected with the selected stream’s URL/key, or the channel may not yet be enabled to stream. | Recheck the stream selected in YouTube Studio and the connection details in Settings > Stream. Check eligibility and allow for YouTube’s stated first-time enablement period where applicable. |
| The preview appears but picture or sound is wrong | The wrong OBS scene/source may be active, a source may be obscured, or the media’s audio/video may not be as expected. | Check OBS’s scene preview and the YouTube Live Control Room preview, including audio, before taking the stream live. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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