If a prerecorded gaming video stops in OBS, enable Loop in the video source’s properties. Use Media Source for one local video, or VLC Video and Loop Playlist for a playlist. If you mean live gameplay captured from a game, there is no finished video file to loop: capture sources show the gameplay happening now.
Choose the source that matches what you want to play
| What you want to stream | OBS source and setting | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| One prerecorded gaming video saved on your computer | Media Source → Loop | Enable Loop, confirm the file is selected, and make sure the source is visible in the active scene. |
| Several prerecorded videos in a playlist | VLC Video → Loop Playlist | Install VLC, use the same architecture as OBS, and verify the playlist contains the intended files. |
| Gameplay being played live right now | Game Capture or another gameplay capture source | This captures live gameplay; it does not replay a completed media file. Add a media source if you want prerecorded gameplay to repeat. |
| OBS preview repeats, but the YouTube stream appears interrupted | Encoder and stream-delivery troubleshooting | Inspect the encoder output and stream health, then investigate the outbound connection if the encoder output looks healthy. |
The OBS Project documentation describes Media Source as a way to play local video or audio files. Its Media Sources guide, dated January 11, 2022, lists Windows, macOS, and Linux, and these video formats: .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif, and .webm. It lists .mp3, .aac, .ogg, and .wav for audio. The guide does not name an OBS release, so labels or layout may differ in other builds. OBS Project: Media Sources
Loop one local gaming video with Media Source
- Add or select the source: In the scene you are streaming, select the existing Media Source or use the + button in the Sources dock and choose Media Source. Give it a recognizable name if prompted.
- Choose the file: Open the source’s properties, select the local video file, and confirm. The source must be in the scene being sent to the stream and visible; a hidden source cannot appear in the preview.
- Enable the actual loop setting: In the Media Source properties, check Loop, then apply the change. The OBS Project documentation says this controls whether the file plays again after playback completes; its documented default is Off.
- Test the end of the video: Watch the OBS preview through the file’s end and confirm playback begins again. If it does not, reopen the same source’s properties and verify Loop is checked on the source that is actually in the active scene.
Loop a playlist with VLC Video
- Install VLC: OBS requires VLC for the VLC Video source to be available. Match the software architecture: 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- Add the playlist source: In the scene, add or select VLC Video, then open its properties and add the intended playlist items.
- Enable playlist looping: Check Loop Playlist. This is a separate control from Media Source’s Loop; confirm the playlist itself contains the videos you expect.
- Check visibility and playback: Make sure the VLC Video source is in the streamed scene and visible, then test whether the next playlist cycle begins after the last item.
The OBS Project’s Media Sources guide documents VLC Video and its Loop Playlist option, including the VLC installation and architecture requirements. Read the OBS Media Sources guide.
Do not confuse looping with playback activation or end behavior
Media Source has other playback controls that can make a file appear to stop, but they do not replace Loop:
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- Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether playback restarts when the source becomes active. OBS lists it as enabled by default in the cited guide.
- Show nothing when playback ends controls what appears after playback finishes. OBS lists it as enabled by default in that guide. If looping is off, the source may disappear at the end rather than remain on its final frame.
- Loop is the control that tells a single-file Media Source to play again after completion. For VLC Video, check Loop Playlist.
Find out whether playback or stream delivery is failing
Look at the OBS preview first. If the video stops there, troubleshoot the source, loop option, file or playlist, and source visibility. If the preview continues normally but YouTube viewers report a stop or interruption, check the stream path instead: YouTube recommends inspecting the encoder output and checking CPU load or a local archive when stream quality is poor. If the encoder output looks healthy, test the outbound connection. YouTube Help: Troubleshoot your live stream
YouTube Live receives a stream from an encoder, which may be software or hardware; YouTube’s encoder instructions include gameplay as a use case. Stream settings such as latency and DVR affect delivery or viewer interaction with the live playback. They do not control whether an OBS local media file repeats. YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions · YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings
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Fix choppy playback when a game is running
If the video does loop but looks choppy while you play, investigate performance rather than changing the loop setting. OBS explains that games and scene rendering compete for GPU resources. When GPU overload is causing rendering trouble, OBS recommends capping the game’s frame rate or enabling V-Sync to free resources. These steps address performance; they do not enable looping. OBS Project: Overview of Network Connection Issues
If OBS reports no dropped frames but viewers say the stream buffers, their network connections and devices may be involved. That symptom alone does not show that the local media source stopped. OBS Project: Overview of Network Connection Issues
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Common symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | Likely area to check | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| The video reaches the end and stops in the OBS preview | Media Source loop setting or wrong source | Confirm the source is Media Source and enable Loop in its properties. |
| The playlist ends instead of starting again | VLC Video playlist setting or contents | Enable Loop Playlist, verify the playlist items, and confirm VLC is installed with the architecture required by your OBS build. |
| The source plays only when first added or disappears when changing scenes | Source activation and end behavior | Check that the source is visible in the streamed scene. Review Restart playback when source becomes active and Show nothing when playback ends as separate options. |
| Preview loops, but YouTube viewers see an interruption | Encoder output or outbound connection | Inspect encoder output and stream health; if encoder output is healthy, investigate the outbound connection. |
| Playback stutters only while gaming | GPU pressure from the game and OBS rendering | Try limiting the game’s frame rate or enabling V-Sync if GPU overload is the cause. |
| Viewers buffer, but OBS reports no dropped frames | Viewer-side network or device conditions | Check stream delivery and viewer playback conditions rather than assuming the local source stopped. |
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