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To loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live from a Windows PC, create or schedule an encoder stream in YouTube Studio, send its stream URL and private key from OBS, and configure the video source to repeat. Check the Live Control Room preview before starting the event. Your channel must be verified and free of live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. The steps below work from India, but your actual upload capacity and feature availability depend on your connection and YouTube account.
Before you start
- A verified YouTube channel: YouTube requires verification and no live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. Check the live feature in your own account before planning a broadcast. YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.
- A Windows PC and encoder: YouTube lists OBS among compatible encoder options. An encoder sends your video and audio feed to YouTube; the PC and internet connection must remain available while you stream.
- A video you have rights to use: You are responsible for rights to the live and archived content, including music. YouTube scans live streams for third-party matches and may interrupt or terminate a stream if identified content remains.
- A tested upload connection: Plan around the encoder’s total stream bitrate, not just the video file’s resolution. Leave bandwidth headroom; actual available upload can vary on a shared network.
You do not need a webcam or microphone to play a prerecorded video. If you want narration or a live host, add those sources separately in OBS.
Create the YouTube Live event
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and select Create → Go Live.
- In Live Control Room, create a stream or select an existing scheduled or current stream. Set its title, description, visibility, audience and other metadata as appropriate. Check the account’s available settings and eligibility rather than assuming every channel has the same options.
- Choose the encoder workflow and copy the stream URL and stream key shown in the Live Control Room. YouTube uses the key to identify where to accept your feed. Keep it private; anyone who obtains it could send a feed to your stream. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio before going live.
For the standard encoder workflow, YouTube’s setup instructions are at Set up your encoder for live streaming.
Set up OBS to repeat the video
- Install and open OBS Studio. In Sources, select +, then add a Media Source. Choose the prerecorded file. Enable the source’s looping option so it returns to the beginning when playback ends. OBS labels and placement can change between versions; confirm the current Media Source controls in your installed version.
- Check that the video fits the canvas. In the preview, right-click the source and use Transform → Fit to Screen if needed. Inspect the image for cropping or black bars; do not stretch footage just to fill the canvas if that distorts it.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and enter the stream key. If the current OBS version offers account connection as an alternative, you can use that, but never share the key publicly.
- Open Settings → Output and select an encoder and bitrate suitable for your connection and chosen video settings. Under Settings → Video, choose a resolution and frame rate the source and PC can sustain. Under Settings → Output, use a keyframe interval of 2 seconds if the encoder exposes that setting for YouTube. The appropriate bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, codec and the available sustained upload; do not treat one bitrate as a universal India-specific minimum.
- In Settings → Stream or the encoder’s server controls, use the YouTube server URL copied from Live Control Room. Prefer RTMPS when your encoder supports it. YouTube also describes HLS for cases requiring codecs not supported by RTMP, but HLS has higher latency; a standard OBS loop can generally use the compatible RTMPS path.
- Check audio meters and playback. If the video has no audio, make sure OBS is not adding an unwanted desktop or microphone source. If it has audio, confirm it is audible and not clipping.
Settings names can vary by OBS release. YouTube’s guidance explains the server URL and stream-key workflow, but does not document OBS’s current loop-toggle interface; verify that control in your installed build before relying on an unattended run.
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Start the stream and verify it
- In OBS, select Start Streaming. Wait for the feed to appear in the YouTube Live Control Room preview.
- Check the picture, audio and stream-health indicators. Watch long enough to confirm that the video starts correctly and, if you can, that it returns to the beginning at the end of the file.
- When the preview is ready, select Go Live in Live Control Room to start the public event. Starting the encoder sends the feed; starting the event in Studio is a separate step in this workflow.
- Keep OBS, the PC, internet connection and power available while the broadcast is running. Monitor Live Control Room for dropped frames or an interrupted feed.
YouTube recommends testing before a broadcast and monitoring stream quality. Its streaming guidance says total bitrate must not exceed available upload bandwidth and recommends about 20% upload-bandwidth headroom for the primary stream plus backup. Test the actual connection at your chosen settings; no India-wide ISP speed figure is established by YouTube’s platform-level setup guidance. See YouTube streaming tips.
Plan the loop length and archive
A loop can keep the encoder sending the same video, but it does not guarantee that YouTube will retain the entire live session as an archive. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived; streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. If the recording matters, keep a local copy and make a local recording backup rather than relying on the live archive. Details: Archive live streams.
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If you need a long-running broadcast, consider how you will recover from a Windows restart, power loss, internet interruption or OBS crash. A local PC-based setup depends on the machine and home connection staying available; test recovery rather than assuming the loop will resume unattended.
Copyright, reused content and monetization
Get permission for every element
YouTube’s Livestream terms and conditions require the content provider to hold the necessary worldwide rights for live and archived content, including applicable music rights. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content; if a match is identified and remains unaddressed, the stream may be interrupted or terminated. A license does not always prevent an interruption: a rights holder may need to allowlist your channel through Content ID.
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A loop is not automatically monetizable
YouTube’s July 15, 2025 clarification renamed “repetitious content” as “inauthentic content” and says repetitive or mass-produced material remains ineligible for monetization. The policy applies to live streams. Reused-content review is separate from copyright: having permission to use a video does not by itself show that a channel adds enough original commentary, substantive modification, or educational or entertainment value. A repeated stream is a monetization risk, not an automatic blanket ban on every loop.
YouTube’s India-localized earning guidance lists ad-revenue eligibility thresholds of 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 qualified long-form watch hours in the past 365 days or 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days, alongside other account, policy and program requirements. Meeting thresholds does not guarantee acceptance or earnings from a loop stream, and monetization-feature availability can vary by country or region. Check YouTube Partner Program overview and eligibility.
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Troubleshooting
| What you see | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No preview in Live Control Room | OBS is not sending a feed, or the stream URL/key is wrong. | Confirm OBS says it is streaming, then recheck the server URL and key against the selected Live Control Room stream. Reset the key if it may have been exposed. |
| Video plays once and stops | The media source is not set to repeat, or the wrong source is being used. | Open the Media Source properties and enable looping. Test through the end of the file before going live. |
| Buffering, dropped frames or unstable stream health | The upload connection cannot sustain the configured total bitrate, or bandwidth is fluctuating. | Test the connection at the planned bitrate, reduce output bitrate or resolution if necessary, and preserve roughly 20% upload headroom as YouTube recommends. Prefer a stable connection and avoid competing uploads. |
| Picture appears cropped, stretched or black | The source dimensions and OBS canvas do not match, or the source transform is unsuitable. | Use Transform → Fit to Screen, then inspect the preview. Adjust the canvas or source settings without distorting the original image. |
| No sound or distorted sound | The file has no usable audio, the wrong audio source is active, or levels are too high. | Play the file locally, inspect OBS audio meters, mute unnecessary inputs and lower levels that clip. |
| Live event stops unexpectedly | Internet, power, Windows or OBS was interrupted; a copyright match may also cause an interruption. | Check OBS and Live Control Room status, restore the feed if needed, and review YouTube notifications for rights or policy issues. Use only content you are authorized to stream. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a Windows PC and home connection running throughout the broadcast, StreamNeo is a YouTube-only cloud service for keeping a channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the upload from the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot; there are no quality tiers or re-encoding. StreamNeo also automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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