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To keep a pre-recorded playlist on a YouTube Live stream overnight with OBS on a Mac, set the repeat control in the place that actually plays the videos, keep the Mac plugged in and awake, and confirm the YouTube Live destination and rights before you leave it running. A YouTube-hosted playlist loops in YouTube’s player; local video files loop in OBS using Media Source or VLC Video. Those are separate playback routes.
Choose where the playlist plays
“YouTube playlist” can mean either a playlist already hosted on YouTube or a list of video files on your Mac that you want to broadcast as a live stream. Pick the matching route; enabling a loop in one does not control the other.
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| Playback route | Use it when | Repeat setting | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube player playlist | The playlist is hosted and played on YouTube. | Turn on Loop in the playlist box. | OBS captures browser or app playback; playback and capture depend on the player and local session. |
| OBS Media Source | You want one local media file as the feed. | Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. | Repeats one local file; it is not a YouTube-hosted playlist. |
| OBS VLC Video | You want several local files in a playlist. | Enable Loop Playlist in VLC Video properties. | Requires VLC installed; order and shuffle are configurable. |
OBS documents Media Source and VLC Video for macOS. Its VLC Video source requires VLC to be installed. If capturing a browser or application, OBS documents macOS Screen Capture for macOS 13 or later; check the permissions and audio capture behavior on your own macOS and OBS versions.
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Open a video from the playlist in YouTube and expand the playlist box.
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Turn on the playlist’s Loop control. YouTube documents this as repeating the playlist continuously.
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In OBS, add a source that captures the playback window or display. On macOS 13 or later, OBS documents macOS Screen Capture for displays, windows, or applications, including desktop audio. Select the specific window or display you intend to broadcast and verify that the picture and sound appear in the OBS preview.
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Start playback and check that it advances to the next playlist item and repeats as intended before starting the live stream.
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This route captures playback from the local player; it does not make a separate OBS playlist. Keep the browser or app session available while streaming and verify the capture after any scene changes.
Loop local video files in OBS
Repeat one file with Media Source
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In OBS, select the scene for the stream and use Sources → + → Media Source. Create or select the source.
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Choose the local video file in the source properties and enable Loop.
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Confirm the video appears and plays in the preview. Let it reach the end once to check that it starts again.
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Make a multi-file playlist with VLC Video
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Install VLC on the Mac if it is not already installed. OBS’s VLC Video source depends on VLC being present.
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In OBS, select Sources → + → VLC Video. Add the local files to the source’s playlist and arrange them in the intended order.
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Enable Loop Playlist. OBS documents this option as on by default; confirm the setting rather than assuming it has not changed.
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Leave Shuffle Playlist off if the files must play in a fixed order. OBS documents Shuffle Playlist as off by default.
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Check the source’s visibility behavior if scenes hide and show it. OBS documents “Stop when not visible, restart when visible” as the default behavior; a scene change can therefore affect playback.
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Preview the playlist through the transition from one file to the next and through a complete repeat before going live.
OBS documents 400 ms as the VLC Video source’s default network-caching value. That is a documented default, not a universal recommendation; the files’ location and the computer’s behavior may call for a different setup.
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Keep the Mac awake overnight
Sleep prevention and display-off behavior are separate controls. Apple’s settings differ between laptops and desktops, and options can vary by Mac model. Use mains power and verify the settings on the Mac that will run the stream.
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Mac laptop: Open System Settings → Battery → Options, then enable “Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off” if that option is available.
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Mac desktop: Open System Settings → Energy and check the corresponding sleep-prevention option, if available.
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Display: Set when the display turns off separately. The display can turn off while the Mac remains awake, provided the sleep-prevention setting is active.
Apple notes that delaying or preventing sleep may increase power consumption. “Wake for network access” alone is not the setting that keeps OBS awake during an overnight broadcast.
Set up and verify YouTube Live
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In YouTube Live Control Room, open the scheduled or active stream you intend to use. Confirm its privacy and stream settings.
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In OBS’s streaming configuration, use the stream URL and stream key for that destination. YouTube’s encoder setup uses these details to receive the feed. Keep the key private; do not publish or share it.
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Review the stream’s latency, DVR, and optional auto-start or auto-stop settings in Live Control Room. These are stream- and account-specific.
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Start the encoder and check the stream status in Live Control Room before leaving the Mac unattended. OBS continuing to run does not guarantee YouTube will keep the stream available.
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Check rights and long-stream playback expectations
Only broadcast media you have the rights to use. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. If it identifies material that remains in the stream, YouTube may interrupt or terminate the broadcast; a copyright or Community Guidelines strike can also end it.
YouTube DVR lets viewers pause, rewind, and resume in supported circumstances, but its help guidance says DVR capability may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. Check the stream’s DVR setting and do not promise viewers they will be able to rewind an overnight broadcast that approaches or exceeds that duration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot before leaving the stream unattended
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The same clip does not repeat: Check that Loop is enabled on the Media Source, or Loop Playlist on VLC Video. For YouTube-hosted playback, check the Loop control in the playlist box instead.
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The playlist order changes: Turn off Shuffle Playlist in VLC Video if order matters.
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A source stops or restarts after changing scenes: Check its visibility behavior. OBS documents that VLC Video may stop when hidden and restart when visible by default.
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The Mac sleeps or the stream stops when the display turns off: Confirm the Mac is plugged into power and that the applicable sleep-prevention option is enabled. Menu availability varies by model.
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The OBS preview has no picture or sound: Confirm the selected file or capture target, source visibility, and macOS capture permissions. For browser or app capture, check the chosen window or display and audio in the preview before going live.
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YouTube interrupts or ends the live stream: Check Live Control Room status and resolve any copyright or Community Guidelines issue. A running OBS process alone cannot ensure that YouTube continues to show the broadcast.
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Viewers cannot rewind far back: Check DVR availability and settings. Very long streams over 12 hours may have limited or unavailable DVR.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is an always-on YouTube stream without leaving OBS and a Mac running at home, StreamNeo runs uploaded videos or playlists from the cloud. The setup is three steps: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live.
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Nothing has to stay on at home; the stream continues from the cloud.
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Videos stream as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot with no quality tiers.
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StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream.
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The first day is free with no card required; one free day is available per account.
Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube streams of uploaded videos, not camera broadcasts. See StreamNeo or start the free day.
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