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How to Make OBS Loop a Prerecorded Video Playlist Continuously on YouTube

Use Media Source to repeat one file or VLC Video to loop a playlist, then connect OBS to YouTube Live and test before broadcasting.
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To loop one prerecorded file in OBS, add it as a Media Source and enable Loop. To repeat several files in sequence, add a VLC Video source, load the files into its playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. Then connect OBS to a YouTube encoder stream using the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio, and check the preview before starting the broadcast.

Choose the right OBS source

What you want to play OBS source Repeat setting Requirement or caveat
One local video file Media Source Loop Loop is a property of the source.
Several local files in order VLC Video Loop Playlist VLC must be installed, with an architecture matching OBS; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.

OBS documents both source types and their repeat controls in its Media Sources guide. The playlist source is the appropriate choice when you want a sequence to play through and begin again.

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Prepare YouTube Live

  1. Check eligibility. YouTube says a channel needs to be verified and have no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. If this is your first time streaming, enable live streaming ahead of time; activation can take up to 24 hours. See YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.
  2. Create or schedule an encoder stream. In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live, then create or schedule an encoder stream in Live Control Room.
  3. Copy the encoder details. Get the stream URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. The key authorizes the encoder to send video to your stream; keep it private and do not publish it.

Build a looping playlist scene in OBS

  1. Install VLC if it is not already installed. Match its architecture to OBS—for example, pair 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS.
  2. In OBS, select or create the scene for the broadcast.
  3. In Sources, select +, choose VLC Video, and create the source.
  4. Add your local video files to the source playlist and arrange them in the order you want viewers to see them.
  5. Leave Loop Playlist enabled. Turn off shuffle if the files should play in a fixed order.

For a single repeating clip instead, choose Sources → + → Media Source, browse to the local file, and enable Loop in the source properties. A Media Source is suited to repeating one file; use VLC Video for an ordered list of multiple files.

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Connect OBS and test the broadcast

  1. In OBS stream settings, select YouTube if the integration is available. Otherwise, enter YouTube’s server URL and stream key in the encoder settings.
  2. Start the encoder and wait for the video and audio to appear in the Live Control Room preview.
  3. Before a public broadcast, run a test using an unlisted or otherwise controlled stream where appropriate. Confirm that the playlist advances, returns to its beginning, and has audible sound.
  4. When the preview is ready, start the scheduled event in Live Control Room. YouTube recommends testing the stream and checking its preview before going live; its encoder instructions cover the connection and preview.

Troubleshoot common problems

  • VLC Video is missing from OBS Sources: Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. The OBS VLC Video source depends on VLC.
  • The YouTube preview does not appear: Check that OBS is using the stream URL and key for the intended event, and confirm the channel is enabled to stream. Keep the YouTube connection separate from local playback checks.
  • The video plays in OBS but not on YouTube: The local source and the encoder connection are separate parts of the workflow. Check the OBS stream settings, URL, and key, then look again at the Live Control Room preview.
  • The playlist does not repeat as expected: Recheck that Loop Playlist is enabled on the VLC Video source. For one file, verify Loop in the Media Source properties instead.
  • Playback or streaming stops during an unattended broadcast: A local playlist relies on accessible media files, and the playback and encoder computer and its internet connection must continue operating. Test the whole setup and monitor stream audio and video quality; source looping alone is not a guarantee of uninterrupted transmission.

Copyright, live-stream rules, and archive limits

YouTube says live streaming requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days. Streams must also follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service; YouTube may remove or age-restrict content that violates its policies. Make sure you have the rights needed to broadcast every video and soundtrack. OBS’s loop setting does not establish whether a file is licensed.

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YouTube’s encoder guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume the same automatic archiving for a stream lasting 12 hours or longer. YouTube also instructs creators to stop the encoder after ending the event.

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