To loop one video in OBS, add a Media Source, select the file, and enable Loop. To repeat several videos, use VLC Video and its Loop Playlist option. OBS Replay Buffer does something different: it saves recent output when you trigger its hotkey; it does not loop media or keep a stream running by itself.
You can send the looping scene to YouTube through OBS, but a long-running broadcast still depends on your computer, encoder, internet connection, and monitoring. The steps below cover the OBS setup, stream settings, testing, and archive risks.
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Choose the OBS feature that matches your goal
| Feature | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Media Source | Plays a selected local media file; its Loop option restarts playback when it ends. OBS Media Sources | Repeating one video or audio/video file. |
| VLC Video | Plays a playlist using VLC; its Loop Playlist option repeats the playlist and it can also shuffle. VLC must be installed. OBS Media Sources | Repeating several files, with optional shuffle. |
| Replay Buffer | Keeps recent OBS output available to save when you press an assigned hotkey. OBS Studio Overview | Saving a recent moment from an output—not looping a file or guaranteeing an unattended stream. |
Loop one video with Media Source
- In OBS, select the scene that should contain the video. In the Sources panel, select + and choose Media Source.
- Name the source, then select OK.
- In the source properties, enable Local File if needed, browse to the media file, and select it. OBS documents support for video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. OBS Media Sources
- Enable Loop, then select OK. Play the source in the preview and confirm that it restarts when the file ends.
- Arrange the source in the scene. Check that it is visible, sized and positioned as intended, and layered correctly relative to any background, text, overlays, or other audio sources. OBS scenes and sources are the building blocks of the broadcast output. OBS Studio Overview
Loop a playlist with VLC Video
- Install VLC before configuring the source. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well; OBS documents this dependency for VLC Video. OBS Media Sources
- In OBS, select the scene, then in Sources choose + and VLC Video.
- Name the source and select OK. In its properties, add the files to the playlist in the order you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist so playback returns to the beginning after the final item. Use shuffle only if you want playback order to vary. Check the source in the preview, including transitions between files and audio levels. OBS Media Sources
Set up OBS to send the scene to YouTube
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the live event and obtain its stream URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings > Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and enter the connection details as appropriate for the selected service setup. YouTube describes the stream key as the credential used by the encoder to send an accepted feed; treat it like a password and do not publish or share it. YouTube: Create a live stream with an encoder
- Open Settings > Output and select the encoder and output settings your computer can handle. Under Settings > Video, choose the resolution and frame rate you intend to send. Available performance depends on encoder, resolution, FPS, and scene complexity; OBS does not prescribe one universal configuration for all computers. OBS System Requirements
- Set bitrate using YouTube’s current recommendations for the codec, resolution, and frame rate you selected, and make sure your upload connection can sustain it reliably. For H.264, YouTube’s guidance accessed in 2026 lists recommended bitrates of 8 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps, 17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps, and 34 Mbps for 1440p at 60 fps. These are platform recommendations, not a guarantee your computer or internet connection can maintain them. YouTube: Encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions
- Use a two-second keyframe interval; YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds. Confirm the current recommendation for your selected codec and output settings on YouTube’s encoder guidance page. YouTube: Encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions
- Start with a test broadcast. Preview it in Live Control Room and check the picture, sound, stream health, and looping behavior—including the transition at the end of the video or playlist. Use representative motion and audio rather than relying on a static preview. YouTube advises testing and monitoring live streams. YouTube: Live streaming tips
Configure Replay Buffer separately
Replay Buffer is a recent-output capture feature, not a playback control. In OBS, enable it in Settings > Output (the precise controls can depend on output mode and OBS version), then assign a save-buffer hotkey under Settings > Hotkeys. When triggered, the hotkey saves the recent portion held in the buffer. See the OBS Studio Overview for its role in OBS.
OBS documents startup parameters including --startreplaybuffer and --startstreaming. Those options start the named functions; they do not, on their own, provide recovery after a crash, restart, power loss, network outage, or YouTube interruption. OBS Launch Parameters
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Plan for long-running streams and archives
Test the entire setup before leaving it unattended. Confirm the source repeats correctly, the real audio is audible, Live Control Room reports a healthy feed, and OBS is not showing rendering or encoding problems. Monitor stream health during the broadcast where possible; a loop in the scene does not resolve computer, encoder, connection, or platform failures. YouTube: Live streaming tips
Do not rely on YouTube’s automatic archive as the only copy of a continuous broadcast. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. It recommends keeping a local archive backup. If you record locally, check that the recording is being written and that the finished file plays correctly; ensure the destination has enough available storage for the intended duration. YouTube: Archive live streams YouTube: Live streaming tips
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Check rights and YouTube live-stream rules
Looping a file in OBS does not grant permission to broadcast it. Use material you own or are authorized to stream, including music, video, images, and any third-party content in overlays. YouTube may restrict or interrupt a live stream if it detects content that violates its policies or rights. Review YouTube’s current Community Guidelines and copyright requirements, and check the copyright safety checklist before broadcasting. A technically successful loop is not a guarantee of YouTube policy compliance or monetization eligibility.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The video stops at the end. | Loop is off or the wrong source property was changed. | Open Media Source properties, enable Loop, and test the end-to-start transition. |
| A playlist will not load. | VLC is missing, the OBS/VLC architectures do not match, or a playlist file path is unavailable. | Install VLC matching OBS bitness (64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC), verify file paths, then reopen VLC Video properties. OBS Media Sources |
| The stream has no audio or the wrong audio. | The source or scene audio is muted, hidden, routed unexpectedly, or the file itself lacks the expected sound. | Check the OBS audio mixer while the source plays; listen to the test in Live Control Room before starting a long run. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health or dropped frames. | The chosen bitrate may exceed reliable upload capacity, or the computer may not sustain the encoder workload. | Use YouTube’s codec- and resolution-specific bitrate guidance, test on the actual connection, and reduce output demands if needed. OBS notes that encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity affect system requirements. YouTube encoder guidance OBS System Requirements |
| The broadcast stops after an OBS or computer failure. | A local OBS stream depends on the machine and connection running it; Replay Buffer is not a recovery service. | Restart and reconnect manually or arrange a separate recovery plan, then verify the feed again in Live Control Room. |
| The YouTube archive is missing or incomplete. | The stream exceeded YouTube’s 12-hour archive threshold, or the archive did not complete. | Keep and inspect a local recording rather than treating YouTube’s archive as the sole backup. YouTube: Archive live streams |
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is a YouTube channel that keeps playing uploaded videos while your computer is off, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative to running OBS on a local machine. The setup is: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud; it does not broadcast a camera feed.
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