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How to Loop a YouTube Playlist Overnight on a Windows 11 PC

Turn on YouTube’s playlist Loop control and keep Windows 11 awake while plugged in. The display can turn off separately, but YouTube may still pause to check whether you’re watching.
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To keep a saved YouTube playlist playing overnight on a Windows 11 PC, start a video from the playlist, turn on the playlist’s Loop control, and prevent Windows from putting the plugged-in PC to sleep. You can set the screen to turn off separately. This is best-effort playback: YouTube may pause to ask whether you are still watching.

Loop the playlist, not just autoplay

  1. Open YouTube on your Windows 11 PC and start a video that belongs to the playlist you want to play.

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  2. Expand the playlist box beside the player.

  3. Select the playlist’s Loop control. YouTube’s desktop instructions say this repeats the selected playlist continuously. See YouTube’s playlist-loop instructions.

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Playlist Loop and Autoplay do different jobs. Loop repeats the playlist you selected; Autoplay chooses another related video after the current one ends. For a particular playlist, Loop is the more precise setting. Autoplay can be on for one device and off on another, according to YouTube Help.

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Keep Windows 11 awake while the display is off

  1. Open Start > Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts. These are Microsoft’s current directions; wording or available choices can vary with the device and Windows build. See Microsoft’s Windows 11 power settings guide.

  2. Under the plugged-in options, set Make my device sleep after to a duration longer than your session, or choose the available never-sleep option if you want the PC to remain awake.

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  3. If you want the room dark, set Turn my screen off after to a shorter duration. This turns off the display; it is separate from the sleep timeout that can stop playback.

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For an overnight laptop session, keep the laptop connected to its power adapter. The safest ordinary setup is to leave the lid open and let the display turn off. Many laptops sleep when the lid closes, so check the configured lid action before relying on a closed-lid setup.

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Test for YouTube’s unattended-playback prompt

Before relying on overnight playback, test the playlist for longer than one video. YouTube says its web “Continue watching?” prompt may appear after 60 minutes of uninterrupted watching with Autoplay turned on; the page does not state a publication year. YouTube explains that the prompt is intended to protect watch history and help avoid using data when someone may not be watching. A Windows power setting does not disable this YouTube prompt. See YouTube’s explanation of “Continue watching?”.

Use a saved playlist so it is easier to resume

If playback stops or the browser closes, a saved playlist is a better recovery point than a temporary desktop queue. YouTube says the desktop queue does not save after the browser is closed and recommends saving videos to a playlist to continue later. See YouTube’s desktop queue guidance.

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When “stream” means broadcasting to viewers

These steps play YouTube videos locally on your PC; they do not broadcast a live event. If you mean sending prerecorded material to viewers as a live stream, that is a separate setup. YouTube says encoder livestreaming requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Its guidance covers preparing the encoder, starting it before a scheduled event, previewing in Live Control Room, checking network capacity, and monitoring audio and video quality. For encoder streams, YouTube recommends leaving headroom in upload bandwidth. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips for computers and YouTube’s streaming tips.

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Or let it run in the cloud

If your goal is to broadcast uploaded videos continuously on YouTube rather than play a playlist locally on your PC, StreamNeo runs the stream from the cloud. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. Each slot streams what you uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.

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