To stream your own local video files as a continuous YouTube Live broadcast, add them to OBS Studio’s VLC Video source, enable Loop Playlist, then send OBS’s output to YouTube Live using the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio. This repeats the playlist, but it does not keep a broadcast online if the computer, OBS, or internet connection fails. A YouTube-hosted playlist is a different case: OBS’s documented VLC source is for local media files, not for importing a YouTube playlist.
What this method does—and does not do
OBS plays media files on your computer and sends the resulting audio and video to YouTube Live. The VLC Video source can hold multiple local files in a playlist; OBS describes it as working much like an image slideshow. See the OBS Media Sources documentation.
This guide is for files you have the right to broadcast. It does not describe importing a playlist hosted on YouTube and rebroadcasting those videos. A video being public or playable on YouTube does not, by itself, grant permission to rebroadcast it.
What you need before you start
- OBS Studio and VLC installed on the same computer. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC; OBS notes that the matching VLC installation is needed for VLC Video to appear and work.
- Local video or audio files arranged in the order you want to play them.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming available, and access to YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
- A stable upload connection sized for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send.
- Broadcast rights for every file, including music and other third-party material.
Add and configure the playlist in OBS
- Open OBS Studio and select or create the scene that will carry the broadcast.
- In the Sources panel, select + and add VLC Video. If that source is missing, check that VLC is installed and matches the architecture of OBS (for example, 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS).
- Open the VLC Video source properties and add the local media files to its playlist. Arrange them in the intended playback order.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled to restart the sequence after the final item. Keep Shuffle Playlist disabled if the order matters. OBS documents loop as on and shuffle as off by default; confirm the controls in your source properties rather than assuming they were not changed.
- Check the OBS preview. Confirm the picture fits the canvas, the audio meters move when audio should be playing, and the first item starts as expected.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live. Create or select a stream in Live Control Room. YouTube’s current encoder workflow is described in its guide to creating a live stream with an encoder.
- In Live Control Room, locate the stream URL and stream key. Treat the key as a password: anyone who has it may be able to send a feed to your stream. Do not show it in a recording or share it publicly.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose YouTube as the service if available, and enter or connect the stream details. If configuring a custom destination, use the stream URL and key provided by YouTube, not a URL copied from another stream.
- Select Apply and OK. Start streaming in OBS. Wait for the incoming feed and preview to appear in Live Control Room, then complete YouTube’s go-live flow there.
- Watch the preview and stream health after going live. Verify both picture and sound, including a transition between playlist items.
Choose encoder settings for your connection
There is no single bitrate that is right for every channel or connection. Match resolution and frame rate to your source, then select an appropriate bitrate using YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guidance. Your upload connection needs enough consistent capacity for the chosen stream; test under conditions similar to the actual broadcast rather than relying on a peak speed reading.
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- Bitrate: Use YouTube’s recommendation for the selected resolution and frame rate, and avoid setting a rate your upload connection cannot sustain.
- Rate control: YouTube’s encoder guidance specifies CBR (constant bitrate).
- Keyframes: YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval.
- Resolution and frame rate: Choose settings that suit the footage and the available upload bandwidth; consult YouTube’s current table rather than applying one bitrate to every setup.
These are platform recommendations, not a guarantee of uninterrupted service. YouTube recommends testing, checking the preview, and monitoring audio and video quality; see its live streaming tips.
Test the entire loop before a public broadcast
- Run the playlist long enough to observe at least one transition and, if practical, the point where it wraps to the first item.
- Listen for missing or unexpectedly loud audio and watch for black frames, mismatched aspect ratios, or files that fail to load.
- Check YouTube’s Live Control Room preview and stream health while OBS is sending the feed.
- If the stream is intended to run unattended, test the actual computer, power, network, and playlist setup. Disable sleep if appropriate and keep the computer powered and connected. This is practical reliability advice, not an OBS guarantee: the VLC playlist loop does not promise recovery from a computer sleeping, OBS closing, a network outage, or a damaged source file.
Copyright and YouTube Live rules
YouTube’s livestream terms require the broadcaster to have the necessary rights for live content worldwide, including music licensing rights. Read the Livestream terms and conditions before broadcasting. YouTube also scans live streams for third-party matches; its copyright guidance for live streams says a match can lead to a placeholder, interruption, or termination.
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The standard YouTube license is the default license, and YouTube cannot grant permission to use another person’s work. A Creative Commons Attribution license may allow reuse under its terms, but confirm that the license covers your proposed live use and meet its attribution requirements. See YouTube’s license types. When in doubt, use material you created or have explicitly licensed for this broadcast.
Stop the stream cleanly
End the event in YouTube Live Control Room and stop the outgoing feed in OBS. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; this should not be treated as a guarantee that every longer broadcast will be saved. Check the finished stream in YouTube Studio.
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Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| VLC Video is missing from the OBS source list | VLC is absent or its architecture does not match OBS. | Install VLC, matching 64-bit OBS with 64-bit VLC, then reopen OBS. |
| The playlist plays once and stops | Loop Playlist is off. | Open VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist. |
| Files play in an unexpected order | Shuffle is enabled or the playlist order is wrong. | Disable Shuffle Playlist and arrange the files again in source properties. |
| YouTube receives no feed | The OBS stream configuration may not match the current YouTube stream, or OBS may not be sending. | Confirm the stream URL and key in Live Control Room, review Settings → Stream in OBS, then start streaming and wait for the preview. |
| Video stutters or stream health is poor | The selected output may exceed what the upload connection can sustain, or the connection may be unstable. | Check YouTube’s stream health, test the connection, and select encoder settings using YouTube’s current recommendations. |
| Audio is absent or a file transition is rough | The source file, audio track, or transition behavior may not be working as expected. | Test the full sequence in OBS and Live Control Room, inspect the audio meters, and listen at transitions before broadcasting publicly. |
| The stream is interrupted or replaced by a placeholder | YouTube may have detected third-party content. | Review your rights and YouTube’s live copyright notice; remove or replace material you are not authorized to broadcast. |
| The stream stops when unattended | OBS, the computer, power, or network may have stopped; looping only controls playlist playback. | Check sleep and power settings, internet stability, OBS status, and source files. Test the complete unattended setup; the playlist setting alone does not provide automatic recovery. |
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