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OBS Studio on macOS: How to Keep a Loop Stream Running Overnight

Loop a local video or playlist in OBS on macOS, prevent sleep, and prepare for connection drops before leaving a stream unattended overnight.
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For a single video, add it to an OBS Media Source and turn on Loop. To keep the stream running overnight, also prevent your Mac from sleeping and enable OBS’s Automatic Reconnect for recoverable connection drops. These settings address different failure points; none guarantees uninterrupted streaming through every power, network, software, or platform problem. Test the complete setup before leaving it unattended.

Set up a single-video loop in OBS

  1. Add a Media Source: In your OBS scene, add a Media Source and select the local video file. OBS documents this source for macOS and lists formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
  2. Enable Loop: In the source properties, check Loop. This repeats the video after playback reaches its end.
  3. Check activation behavior: Restart playback when source becomes active is enabled by default according to OBS documentation. If the source is hidden when you switch scenes, verify that its behavior matches the way you expect playback to resume. Setting names and behavior can vary by OBS release.
  4. Start the stream and verify a full cycle: Confirm that the video begins, reaches its end, and starts again while the stream remains connected.

Use VLC Video for a playlist

If you need to rotate multiple files rather than loop one file, OBS’s VLC Video source supports playlists and has Loop Playlist enabled by default in the documented settings. VLC must be installed for the source type to appear; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS describes the source and its settings in the Media Sources guide.

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Check Visibility Behaviour if the playlist source appears in scenes that are not currently shown. The documented default stops playback while the source is hidden and restarts it when visible. Choose a behavior appropriate to your scene setup, then test switching away from and back to the scene.

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Keep the Mac awake overnight

Set macOS power and sleep options so the Mac does not go to sleep during the unattended stream, and connect reliable power. Turning off the display is not the same as putting the computer to sleep. Exact controls depend on the macOS version and Mac model, so confirm the behavior on your own system rather than assuming a display setting prevents system sleep.

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There is a documented, specific example of sleep-related trouble: an OBS GitHub report for macOS 13 and OBS 29.1.1 describes macOS Screen Capture freezing after the computer wakes from sleep. The issue author reported that restarting OBS or switching to another scene collection and back restored it. That report is limited to its stated configuration; it does not establish that every current OBS version or a local Media Source will fail after sleep. See the OBS issue report.

Enable reconnect for dropped connections

OBS lists Configure Automatic Reconnect among its Advanced settings. Enable it to help OBS recover from a connection drop. Reconnect is for the stream connection: it does not restart a video that stopped, keep a sleeping Mac awake, fix invalid stream credentials, restore power, or guarantee recovery from every service-side interruption. See the OBS Studio Overview Guide.

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Test the entire setup before leaving

  • Let the video or playlist reach its end and confirm playback repeats.
  • Test scene changes if the source can be hidden, especially with VLC Video.
  • Confirm the Mac stays awake for the intended unattended period and the stream remains connected.
  • Review the OBS log if something fails. Identify whether the issue is media playback, capture, encoding or rendering load, or the connection before changing settings.

OBS recommends testing settings, scenes, and stream smoothness in advance. A Mac meeting the listed system requirements does not by itself guarantee good streaming performance: load depends on factors including encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. Use OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point, then test the actual stream. See the OBS System Requirements and Overview Guide.

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Troubleshoot what stopped

What you see What to check What to do
The video reaches the end and stops Media Source’s Loop setting Enable Loop. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist.
A playlist pauses or restarts after a scene change VLC Video’s Visibility Behaviour Choose the behavior that fits the scene arrangement and test hiding and showing the source.
The Mac sleeps, or a capture source freezes after wake macOS sleep behavior; whether the source is a screen capture Prevent system sleep during unattended streaming. The reported screen-capture freeze concerns macOS 13 and OBS 29.1.1; do not assume it applies to all versions or local media sources.
OBS reports a dropped connection Automatic Reconnect and the network or streaming service Enable Automatic Reconnect for recoverable drops, then investigate the connection separately.
The stream degrades or OBS struggles Encoder, resolution, frame rate, scene complexity, and the OBS log Try the Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point and test the resulting configuration under the conditions you plan to use.
Behavior changes after an OBS update Compatibility for your macOS version and Mac architecture Check OBS’s macOS Versions compatibility table before updating. The table dated 2026-07-29 listed OBS 32.2.1 for macOS 13 through 26 on Apple Silicon and Intel, with older operating systems assigned older compatible builds; consult the current table because compatibility information changes.

Account for platform rules and failure limits

The streaming platform is not specified here, so its runtime caps, maintenance windows, stream-key behavior, authentication requirements, and disconnect policies cannot be determined. Check the platform’s current official guidance for the account and stream you use. OBS loop and reconnect settings cannot override a platform restriction or policy.

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A loop setting only repeats the media; it does not establish that you have permission to stream the content. Check rights for the video, music, and other included material, and review the platform’s current copyright and reused-content rules. Do not assume that repeatedly broadcasting a recording is automatically permitted.

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Or let it run in the cloud

With StreamNeo, upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It is for YouTube streams of uploaded videos, not live camera input.

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