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How to Loop Videos in OBS Without a Gap on YouTube Live

OBS can repeat a single video or a VLC playlist, but its loop setting does not guarantee a gap-free join. Here is how to configure and test playback before streaming.
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To loop one video in OBS, add a Media Source, select the file, and turn on Loop in its properties. For a playlist, use VLC Video and enable Loop Playlist. Those settings repeat playback, but they do not guarantee a frame- or audio-perfect transition on every file and system. Test the actual loop point before going live.

Loop a single video in OBS

  1. In the scene where the video should appear, add a Media Source and choose the local video file.
  2. Open the source properties and enable Loop. OBS documents this as replaying the file after playback completes; the default is Off. OBS Media Sources documentation
  3. Apply the settings and check that the source is visible in the scene. If it is hidden and then shown again, decide separately whether to enable Restart playback when source becomes active. That setting restarts playback when the source becomes visible; it is not the end-of-file loop control.

Loop a playlist of videos

  1. Install VLC, then add a VLC Video source in OBS and create or select the playlist.
  2. Enable Loop Playlist in the source properties.
  3. Match the VLC installation to OBS: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS documents VLC Video as the playlist option; Media Source is the built-in choice for a single file. Neither option is documented as universally more seamless than the other. OBS Media Sources documentation

Why a loop can still show or sound like a gap

The Loop checkbox controls repeat behavior, not what is encoded at the end and beginning of a file. A pause, black frame, audio tail, or mismatch at the file boundary can remain noticeable, and the transition can vary with the media file, frame rate, system, and source settings. OBS documents replay behavior but does not promise gap-free playback for every combination.

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Check source visibility settings

Restart playback when source becomes active resets the file when the source enters the visible scene. It does not make the end-to-start transition seamless. Also review Close file when inactive: OBS warns that when the source is shown again after being hidden, there may be a short period with nothing displayed while the file reloads. OBS Media Sources documentation

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Keep YouTube delivery settings separate

Encoder settings govern how OBS sends the live feed; they do not enable or repair the source loop. YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval (not over 4 seconds), and RTMPS. Its stereo audio bitrate recommendation is 128 Kbps. Choose bitrate and resolution for your output and upload connection rather than treating these recommendations as a fix for a media-file boundary. YouTube: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions

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Test the join before you go live

  1. Run the media through at least one complete playback and capture or observe the end-to-start join in a local recording or private test stream.
  2. Listen as well as watch: check for a silent pause, clipped audio, a pop, black frames, or a visible pause at the boundary.
  3. Test representative motion and audio similar to the planned stream. YouTube recommends testing before the event, checking stream health, and reviewing any messages shown in the live control room. It also recommends running a speed test to assess upload bitrate. YouTube encoder guidance
  4. If the join is still noticeable, inspect the media itself and the source’s visibility/reload behavior. Do not assume changing YouTube latency will fix it: YouTube defines latency as the delay from capture to playback and notes that lower latency may involve more buffering. YouTube: Manage live stream settings
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Or let it run in the cloud

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  • Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
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