To loop an MP4 in OBS on Linux, add it to a scene as a Media Source, select the file and enable Loop. To send it to YouTube Live in 4K at 60 fps, set OBS’s output to 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps, configure a supported encoder with constant bitrate and a two-second keyframe interval, then stream using the server URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. Test the complete setup before relying on it: 4K/60 can exceed a computer’s encoding capacity or internet upload stability even when the hardware meets OBS’s minimum requirements.
What you need before setting up the loop
- An MP4 file available on the Linux computer running OBS. If your goal is to preserve 4K/60, check that the file itself has that resolution and frame rate; an output setting cannot add detail or motion information that is absent from the source.
- OBS Studio installed on a Linux system with a working display environment. OBS lists Linux/Unix support with an OpenGL 3.3-compatible GPU and X window system or Wayland, but its system requirements caution: “Having a compatible system does not guarantee that it is capable of streaming or recording using OBS Studio.”
- A YouTube channel able to create a live stream, a connection with enough sustained upload capacity for the selected encoder bitrate, and access to YouTube Live Control Room to obtain the stream key.
OBS’s available video encoders depend on the graphics hardware, drivers and software environment installed on your Linux system. Check which encoders actually appear in your OBS build, rather than assuming every Linux installation offers the same choices.
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How to loop an MP4 in OBS on Linux
- Create or select a scene. In OBS, select an existing scene or create one in the Scenes panel.
- Add the video. In Sources, select + and choose Media Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
- Choose the MP4 and enable looping. In the Media Source properties, select the local MP4 file and check Loop. OBS’s Media Source supports MP4, and Loop replays the file after playback completes.
- Set playback behavior if needed. Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether the file starts again when the source becomes active. Use hardware decoding when available is optional; it requires a compatible GPU decoder and does not guarantee smoother streaming.
- Check the scene’s picture and sound. Confirm the video is visible and that the audio is what you intend to stream. If the MP4 is silent, check that the scene is not also capturing desktop or microphone audio.
To answer “Can OBS stream a video on loop?”: yes. A looping Media Source plays the selected file again when it reaches the end. The loop will not make the MP4’s content inherently live or change its resolution or frame rate.
Set OBS to 4K at 60 fps
In OBS’s video settings, set the base (canvas) resolution and output resolution to 3840 × 2160, and set the common frame rate to 60. The canvas describes the composition; the output resolution and frame rate determine the program OBS sends. Matching them avoids scaling between the two, but it increases the load on rendering and encoding.
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If the source is not 4K/60, OBS can still output a 4K/60 signal, but scaling or duplicated frames do not turn lower-resolution or lower-frame-rate footage into genuine 4K/60 material. For a faithful 4K/60 loop, use a source file recorded in that format.
Configure the YouTube stream and encoder
- Get the ingest details. In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the live stream and copy its server URL and stream key into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the key like a password: do not publish it or share it. Use RTMPS when available. YouTube says, “We recommend streaming to YouTube Live with RTMPS, a secure extension to the popular RTMP streaming video protocol.”
- Choose an available codec. YouTube’s RTMP/RTMPS guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 at up to 60 fps. Select a codec that your installed OBS encoder supports, and check that it exposes the bitrate and keyframe controls needed below. The listed bitrate difference does not prove a codec is available or preferable on your particular machine.
- Set rate control to CBR. YouTube specifies constant bitrate for the encoder configuration. For a 4K/60 stream, its recommended bitrate is 50 Mbps for H.264 or 35 Mbps for H.265/HEVC or AV1. Its listed minimums are 14 Mbps for H.264 and 10 Mbps for H.265/HEVC or AV1. Treat the recommendations as YouTube ingest targets, not a promise that your internet connection or encoder can sustain them.
- Set the keyframe interval to two seconds. YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds. Use the control in your selected OBS encoder; labels and available options can vary by encoder.
- Set audio deliberately. YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS and recommends 128 kbps stereo. If the MP4 has no audio, disable or remove unintended desktop and microphone audio sources before going live.
OBS documents NVIDIA NVENC, AMD AMF and Intel Quick Sync support on Linux, subject to hardware and software compatibility. Its hardware-encoding page lists NVENC on GeForce 750 Ti / 900-series (Maxwell) or newer, alongside separate compatibility requirements for AMF and Quick Sync. Those are compatibility notes, not a guarantee of stable 4K/60 encoding. Confirm an encoder appears in your OBS installation and test it with current drivers. YouTube’s settings guidance is at Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions; OBS explains its supported hardware encoders at Hardware Encoding.
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Test the full stream before relying on it
- Start a test stream using the same MP4, scene, encoder, resolution, frame rate and audio conditions you plan to use.
- Watch the YouTube Live Control Room’s stream health and messages while the video is moving. A static screen is not a useful test of the load created by real footage.
- Check OBS for rendering or encoding problems and confirm the connection can sustain the chosen bitrate over time. A bitrate figure from YouTube does not measure your actual connection.
- If the stream is unstable, change one setting at a time and test again. OBS recommends lowering resolution or frame rate when performance is insufficient; it specifically suggests dropping from 60 fps to 30 fps if 60 fps is not working.
Choose the fallback according to what matters most in the picture: keep 4K and reduce to 30 fps if resolution is more important, or keep 60 fps and lower the output resolution if smooth motion matters more. Use the test result, not the computer’s minimum compatibility specification, to decide.
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Common problems and fixes
- The MP4 plays once, then stops: Open the Media Source properties and verify Loop is enabled on the source used by the active scene.
- The output is not actually 4K/60: Check OBS’s output resolution and frame-rate settings, then check the source file’s own properties. An output set to 4K/60 cannot restore detail or motion missing from the MP4.
- YouTube reports stream health or bitrate problems: Confirm the stream key and server URL, CBR setting and codec-specific bitrate. Test whether the connection can sustain the selected bitrate; if it cannot, lower the output resolution or frame rate and test again.
- Frames are missed or encoding struggles: Rendering and encoding load depend on resolution, frame rate, encoder and scene complexity. Check that the selected hardware encoder is available and compatible; reduce output resolution or frame rate if the system cannot keep up.
- The stream has unexpected sound: Inspect the scene’s audio sources and OBS audio configuration. Remove or mute desktop or microphone capture if the loop should be silent.
- The stream key is rejected or the feed does not connect: Recheck that you copied the current key and server URL for the intended YouTube stream, and that OBS is configured for the expected destination. Do not share the key while troubleshooting.
Copyright, YouTube rules and unattended operation
Looping a file does not grant permission to stream its video, music, images or other included material. Before going live, confirm you have the rights or other necessary authorization for everything in the MP4, including music and third-party clips. YouTube’s stream setup and health guidance is not a substitute for checking the rights and policies that apply to your channel and content. For a practical pre-stream check, use the copyright safety checklist.
With OBS, the Linux computer, OBS process, network connection and power all need to remain available for the stream to continue. A power interruption or a stopped process can end the feed; a long test can reveal some stability problems, but it cannot guarantee uninterrupted operation.
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