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To loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live from Windows, add it to OBS Studio as a Media Source, enable Loop, connect OBS to a YouTube stream with its server URL and stream key, and prevent Windows from putting the PC to sleep. Test the stream before relying on it: the loop only continues while the computer, encoder, power, and internet connection keep working.
Before you start: check channel and video readiness
- Live access: YouTube says the channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Check the channel in YouTube Studio before configuring OBS. YouTube’s encoder live-streaming checklist
- Video rights: Use video and audio that you have permission to stream. Whether a particular video or track is authorized depends on its rights and applicable YouTube rules; a technical setup cannot establish that permission.
- PC and network: Use a reliable power source and a sustained upload connection suitable for the output you choose. YouTube’s bitrate recommendations are encoder settings, not a guarantee that a particular PC or internet plan will sustain a stream.
How to loop a video on YouTube Live with OBS
1. Add the video as a looping Media Source
- Open OBS Studio and select the scene you want to use. In the Sources panel, select + and choose Media Source.
- Name the source, then select the local video file. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. If your file does not load or play correctly, try a supported format.
- Enable Loop in the Media Source properties, then select OK. Loop is off by default; when enabled, the file starts again after playback completes. OBS’s documentation describes the option as: “Loop Specifies whether the file play again once playback has completed.” OBS Project: Media Sources
- Check the OBS preview and audio meters. Confirm that the picture fits the canvas and that the audio is present at a suitable level.
2. Create or schedule a YouTube Live stream
- Open YouTube Studio, select Create, then Go Live.
- Create a stream or schedule an event. For a scheduled event, viewers may see it as upcoming and request a reminder.
- Choose the privacy setting that fits your use: Public, Unlisted, or Private. Confirm the title and other event details before broadcasting.
- In the Live Control Room, find the stream’s server URL and stream key. YouTube describes a stream key as the credential that tells the encoder where to send the feed. Keep it private; if it is exposed, use YouTube’s reset process. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings
3. Connect OBS to YouTube
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream. Select YouTube as the service and enter the stream key, or choose the manual server option if you need to enter YouTube’s server URL as well. Labels may differ by OBS version.
- Copy the server URL and stream key from YouTube’s Live Control Room into the corresponding OBS fields. Do not share a screenshot or recording that reveals the key.
- Select Apply and OK. Start with OBS preview and confirm YouTube receives the feed before starting the event in the Live Control Room, if that is part of the selected workflow.
4. Choose output settings that fit your connection
In OBS, open Settings > Output and Settings > Video to review encoder, bitrate, resolution, and frame rate. YouTube’s recommendations vary by codec and output mode. For H.264, YouTube recommends the following bitrates for these specific modes:
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| H.264 output mode | YouTube-recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps |
These are YouTube recommendations, not a prediction of your achievable quality. Choose a setting your PC can encode and your upload connection can sustain. YouTube recommends CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval (not over 4 seconds), and RTMPS for an encrypted connection. Match the encoder and output mode to YouTube’s current guidance for the codec you use. YouTube Help: Encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions
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5. Keep Windows awake while the stream runs
- On Windows, open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep.
- Review the plugged-in sleep timeout and set it so the PC does not enter sleep during your planned broadcast. The display can turn off while the PC remains awake; you do not need to keep the monitor on just to prevent system sleep.
- If you are using a laptop, check what happens when you close its lid. The lid-close action can put the system to sleep even if the screen timeout is configured separately.
- Windows power options vary by version, device capability, and manufacturer utilities. If the path or labels differ, look for the plugged-in sleep and lid-close settings in Windows power controls or the device maker’s power utility.
Optional: use Microsoft PowerToys Awake
PowerToys Awake can keep a PC awake indefinitely or for a timed session while the utility is enabled and you are signed in. It does not work at the Windows lock screen. If the PC must stay awake while locked, Microsoft advises configuring the power plan directly instead. Awake is an option, not a requirement. Microsoft PowerToys Awake
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6. Test, start, and monitor the broadcast
- Run a test with representative video motion and audio. Confirm the OBS preview, YouTube preview, audio, and stream health before depending on a long session.
- Check the YouTube watch page on the devices your audience is likely to use. YouTube’s encoder checklist also recommends starting early enough to validate the stream and checking local archive behavior.
- While live, monitor OBS and YouTube for dropped connection or stream-health warnings. A test cannot guarantee that a later power, internet, Windows, or encoder interruption will not occur.
- When finished, end the stream in YouTube and stop the OBS encoder. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that archive behavior is not a guarantee of uninterrupted streaming for 12 hours or longer. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings
How to troubleshoot a YouTube loop from Windows
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The video plays once and stops | Loop is not enabled on the Media Source. | Open the source properties in OBS and turn on Loop. |
| The PC stops sending video after a while | Windows entered sleep, the laptop lid action suspended it, or the system lost power. | Review the plugged-in sleep timeout and lid-close action. If using PowerToys Awake, remember it does not work at the lock screen. |
| YouTube receives no feed | The stream key or server URL may be missing, incorrect, or no longer current; the channel may not be eligible to stream. | Compare OBS settings with the Live Control Room and check channel live access. Reset a compromised key in YouTube. |
| Video or audio quality is poor, or the stream health is unstable | The chosen output may exceed the PC’s encoder capacity or sustained upload bandwidth. | Test a lower resolution or frame rate and an appropriate bitrate; verify encoder settings against YouTube’s recommendations for the selected codec. |
| The wrong image, black picture, or missing sound appears | The selected file, scene, source visibility, or audio routing may be incorrect. | Check the Media Source file path, OBS preview, source visibility, and audio meters before going live. |
What a Windows PC loop can—and cannot—keep running
OBS repeats the local file while the source and encoder are active, but the stream still depends on the Windows computer and its power and internet connection. Windows settings can prevent planned sleep; they cannot prevent a power failure, network outage, system update, crash, or YouTube interruption. The documented PC workflow does not promise indefinite operation or automatic recovery after those failures.
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