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To run a YouTube playlist through OBS, copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio into OBS > Settings > Stream, then add your media to a looping source. Use a VLC Video Source for multiple files or a regular Media Source for one file. OBS can repeat the content, but that alone does not restart OBS or your computer after a crash or power loss.
Before you start
- Install OBS Studio and prepare the video files you want to play.
- For a multi-file playlist, install VLC as well. OBS’s VLC Video Source depends on VLC; on 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
- Make sure your channel can live stream and that its YouTube Live Control Room is available.
- Use a reliable upload connection that can sustain the bitrate you choose. YouTube recommends testing before relying on a broadcast.
YouTube’s interface labels can change. If a label differs in your account, follow the current Live Control Room workflow.
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Get the YouTube stream URL and key
Start an immediate stream
- In YouTube Studio, select Create > Go live.
- In Live Control Room, open the Stream tab.
- Copy the displayed Stream URL and Stream key. YouTube’s encoder instructions say to enter both in your encoder: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Schedule a broadcast
- In Live Control Room, choose Manage > Schedule stream and configure the broadcast.
- Copy its stream URL and key for OBS.
- After OBS connects, wait for the preview in Live Control Room. Unless auto-start is configured, select Go live there to begin the public broadcast.
Enter the key in OBS
- Open OBS and choose Settings > Stream.
- If the service list offers YouTube, select it and enter the stream key in the key field. If it does not, choose a custom service, paste YouTube’s stream URL into the server field, and paste the key into Stream Key.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- When ready, select Start Streaming in OBS. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health; for a scheduled broadcast, take the separate Go live step if required.
A stream key works like a password and address for your stream. Keep it private. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and replace the key in OBS. YouTube says a channel owner or manager can reset it: Manage live stream settings.
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Make the video or playlist repeat
Loop one file with Media Source
- In the OBS scene, use Sources > + > Media Source.
- Add or select the video file.
- Enable the source’s Loop property.
This is the simpler choice when you only need one video repeated.
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Loop multiple files with VLC Video Source
- Install VLC. If your OBS installation is 64-bit, use 64-bit VLC.
- In the OBS scene, choose Sources > + > VLC Video Source.
- Add the media files to the source’s playlist and enable Loop Playlist.
- Check that the source is visible in the active scene. OBS documents the VLC source’s default visibility behavior as Stop when not visible, restart when visible; hiding it during a scene change can affect playback.
OBS documents these source options in Media Sources. Playlist looping repeats playback when it reaches the end; it is not an automatic OBS or computer recovery system.
Choose output settings and test the broadcast
In OBS, open Settings > Output for encoder output options and Settings > Video for canvas and output resolution and frame rate. Select settings your connection and hardware can sustain, then check the result in YouTube’s preview. YouTube’s encoder guidance is the authority for its current recommended bitrate by resolution and frame rate; do not treat one bitrate as universal: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
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- For RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube lists H.264, CBR, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval; do not exceed four seconds.
- YouTube lists AAC or MP3 among supported audio codecs. Confirm that the preview has audible, correctly routed audio.
- YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the feed to and through Google’s servers.
- Check the preview, picture, sound, and stream health before depending on the broadcast. YouTube’s Streaming tips cover connection reliability and monitoring.
- Choose latency based on the broadcast: lower latency can increase playback buffering, while audience interaction may make responsiveness more important.
Understand the limits of an always-on OBS setup
OBS will repeat the selected file or playlist while the source and broadcast keep running. This does not establish that OBS will relaunch after a crash, the computer will restart after power loss, or the stream will recover unattended if YouTube disconnects it. If continuous availability matters, plan for those failure cases rather than equating a looping playlist with automatic recovery.
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YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; its guidance does not promise an archive for longer uninterrupted streams. If keeping an archive matters, plan and test a way to end or segment a long broadcast: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Common problems and fixes
- OBS connects, but the scheduled stream is not public: Check the Live Control Room preview and select Go live unless auto-start is configured.
- YouTube does not receive the stream: Verify the stream URL and key in Settings > Stream. If the key was reset, update OBS with the replacement.
- VLC Video Source is missing or unavailable: Install VLC, matching OBS’s architecture; OBS documentation calls for 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS.
- The playlist stops when changing scenes: Check whether the VLC source is hidden and review its visibility behavior. Keep it visible in the active scene if it needs to continue playing.
- The stream buffers or drops frames: Check YouTube’s stream health and choose a bitrate the upload connection can sustain. Consult YouTube’s current settings guidance for the selected resolution and frame rate rather than raising bitrate blindly.
- The preview has no sound or the wrong picture: Verify the active scene and media source, then check the preview before going live.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a YouTube playlist to keep running without leaving OBS and a computer on at home, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos from the cloud. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It is YouTube-only and plays uploaded video; it does not broadcast a camera feed.
- Nothing has to stay on at home; the stream runs from the cloud.
- Each slot is one flat price for any quality up to 4K 60fps, streamed as uploaded without re-encoding or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required; it is one free day per account.
Monthly: $9.99 per month. Start the free day at StreamNeo registration.
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