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To stream a pre-recorded video to YouTube Live in 1080p, add the video to an OBS scene as a Media Source, set OBS’s output and encoder to match your video and connection, then connect OBS to the YouTube event with its stream URL and key. Test the preview and audio before going live. You do not need a camera, but you do need the rights to broadcast the video.
Before you start
- A video file: OBS Media Source supports formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
- OBS and a stable upload connection: Your connection must sustain the selected video bitrate, with headroom for fluctuations and other network use.
- YouTube live-streaming access: Enable live streaming for your channel and create or schedule an encoder stream in YouTube Studio. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube’s encoder setup guide.
- Broadcast rights: Use only content you are entitled to transmit. Possessing or having downloaded a video does not by itself establish permission to broadcast it live.
Menu wording and placement can differ between OBS versions and operating systems. The controls below refer to the OBS scene, source, video, output, and stream settings; consult the linked OBS guides if your layout differs.
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1. Create a YouTube Live event and get its connection details
- Open YouTube Studio and go to the live-streaming area. Create or schedule a stream using an encoder.
- Set the event’s privacy. An unlisted event is useful for a private test, but it is still a live broadcast—do not use material you lack rights to show.
- In the event’s Live Control Room, locate the stream server URL and stream key. YouTube’s instructions are in its encoder setup guide.
- Keep the key private: treat it like a password. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send video to your event. Do not include it in screenshots, recordings, or public posts.
2. Put the video in an OBS scene
- In OBS, select an existing scene or create one.
- In the Sources dock, select + and add a Media Source. OBS’s Quick Start Guide explains that sources are added from this dock.
- Choose the local video file. Check the OBS preview and adjust the source’s size and position so the picture fills the canvas as intended. For a conventional 16:9 1080p stream, frame the image within a 1920 × 1080 canvas; avoid stretching footage with a different aspect ratio.
- Decide whether playback should repeat. Media Source’s Loop option is off by default. If you want a single play-through, leave it off; if you want continuous repetition during the broadcast, enable it.
- Check the source’s end-of-playback behavior. Show nothing when playback ends is on by default, so OBS does not leave the final frame displayed when the video finishes.
OBS lists supported formats and these playback controls in its Media Sources guide. Test the complete scene, including any audio, rather than relying on a file preview alone.
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3. Set 1080p video and output settings
In OBS, open Settings → Video. Set the output resolution to 1920 × 1080 for 1080p. Choose a frame rate that suits the source: use 30 fps for a 30 fps video or modest-motion material; choose 60 fps when the source has 60 fps motion and your computer and connection can sustain it. Matching the source frame rate where practical avoids unnecessary conversion.
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YouTube generally detects resolution and frame rate automatically. Its current encoder guidance says a custom stream key can be used for manual selection; the exact controls available depend on how the event and key are configured. For a normal OBS workflow, make the output settings deliberate and confirm YouTube’s incoming preview reports the expected picture.
In Settings → Output, choose the streaming encoder available on your system and configure its bitrate and rate control. Select a bitrate no higher than your reliable upload capacity allows. YouTube’s current published recommendations, accessed in 2026, vary by codec and frame rate:
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| Output | Codec | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p30 | H.264 | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | H.264 | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | AV1 or HEVC (H.265) | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | AV1 or HEVC (H.265) | 4 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s encoder recommendations, not a promise of delivered quality. Results also depend on the source, encoder performance, and network stability. See YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for the current table and supported codec guidance.
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Use CBR and a two-second keyframe interval
YouTube specifies constant bitrate (CBR) and recommends a keyframe interval of two seconds; do not exceed four seconds. Set these in the streaming encoder’s available controls. YouTube accepts H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 in its encoder guidance and recommends RTMPS, the encrypted extension to RTMP. OBS exposes different encoder options depending on the selected hardware or software encoder, so check that the chosen encoder supports the codec and settings you intend to send.
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4. Connect OBS to the event and test it
- Open Settings → Stream in OBS. Select YouTube if the available integration matches your event, or select the custom server option if you need to enter the connection details manually.
- Enter the server URL and stream key shown for the correct YouTube event. Verify the event before starting; a key from another event can send the stream to the wrong destination.
- Apply the settings, then start streaming from OBS. Open the event’s Live Control Room and wait for the incoming preview. Confirm the video is 1080p as intended and check that the audio is present and at a sensible level.
- Run a short test before the actual broadcast. OBS’s Quick Start Guide encourages a test to catch issues; YouTube also recommends checking the preview and stream health before starting.
- When the preview and event are ready, start the event using its configured auto-start behavior or the Live Control Room controls. Keep OBS’s audio meters and YouTube’s stream-health information visible while it runs.
YouTube’s encoder settings guide recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport. Prefer it when the YouTube/OBS connection option provides it. For a pre-recorded presentation that does not depend on real-time audience interaction, normal latency is often a sensible choice: YouTube notes that lower latency can increase playback buffering.
Troubleshooting common problems
YouTube does not receive a signal
- Check that OBS is streaming and that the stream URL and key belong to the event currently open in Live Control Room.
- Re-enter the key carefully if needed, and keep it private. If you suspect it was exposed, replace or reset it through YouTube Studio.
- If live streaming was only just enabled for the channel, activation may take up to 24 hours.
The picture is not 1080p or looks stretched
- Confirm OBS’s output resolution is 1920 × 1080 and inspect the incoming preview in YouTube.
- Check the source’s aspect ratio and its placement in the OBS canvas. Fit or crop it rather than stretching it unnaturally.
- Make sure the video itself has enough detail for 1080p. A 1080p output setting cannot restore detail absent from a lower-resolution source.
The stream stutters or drops frames
- Compare the selected bitrate with the connection’s stable upload capacity. If the connection cannot sustain it, reduce bitrate or use a more reliable network.
- Check whether the computer can encode the selected resolution, frame rate, and codec without falling behind. If not, try 30 fps, a simpler encoder workload, or a supported hardware encoder.
- Check OBS and YouTube stream-health indicators during the test. Do not treat the bitrate recommendation as proof that your particular network or computer can sustain the stream.
There is no sound, or playback stops unexpectedly
- Check the OBS audio meters while the Media Source plays, then listen to the YouTube preview. Confirm that the source audio is routed to the stream and not muted.
- Check whether the file reached its end. Enable Loop if the stream should continue repeating, or leave looping off for a single play-through.
- If the final frame should not remain on screen, retain the default Show nothing when playback ends behavior.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is unattended YouTube playback rather than keeping OBS open on a computer, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos and playlists from the cloud. The setup is: upload your recording, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos, not a live camera feed, and sends to YouTube.
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- Nothing at home needs to stay on: the stream runs from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to remain active.
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Monthly: $9.99 per month
Start your free StreamNeo day.
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