To loop prerecorded videos on YouTube Live, create a playlist in OBS Studio, send it to a YouTube live stream as an encoder feed, and enable the playlist’s loop setting. The loop control belongs to OBS—not to a YouTube channel playlist. This is the practical answer to “How do I loop a playlist on YouTube Live?” and “How do I stream videos continuously on YouTube?”
Before you prepare the stream
Enable live streaming on your channel
Your channel must be verified, live streaming must be enabled, and the channel must not have live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance, so enable it well before your planned broadcast.
Check the rights to every file
Make sure you have the rights to use each video and audio track in a live stream. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content, including other broadcasts. A match can lead to a warning, placeholder, interruption, or termination. If you have a license for third-party material, YouTube says to ask the rights owner to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist; a license by itself may not prevent an interruption. See YouTube’s guidance on copyright issues with live streams.
Choose files and playback order
Keep the videos as local media files on the computer that will run OBS. Decide the intended order before adding them. For a fixed sequence, leave shuffle off; to repeat the sequence, enable Loop Playlist. OBS documents those controls for its VLC Video source. Its Media Source is a simpler option for looping one file.
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Build a multi-video playlist in OBS
- Add the playlist source. In OBS, select the scene that will carry the stream. In the Sources panel, choose + → VLC Video. Name the source, then add the local video files in the order you want them to play.
- Set playback behavior. In the VLC Video source properties, confirm Loop Playlist is enabled and Shuffle Playlist is disabled if you need the same sequence every time. OBS documents Loop Playlist as the control that determines whether the source restarts after it runs out of media files. The documented defaults are loop on and shuffle off; verify the controls in your installed version before relying on defaults.
- Check the scene output. Confirm the video is visible in the OBS preview, fits the canvas as intended, and has audio. Play through enough of the beginning to catch missing files, unwanted black frames, or an incorrect order before connecting the broadcast.
For one video rather than a multi-file sequence, add a Media Source, select the file, and enable its separate Loop option. OBS documents that single-file loop control as off by default. See OBS Project’s Media Sources guide.
Create the YouTube Live destination
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live.
- Create or schedule a stream. Enter the title, visibility, and other metadata for the broadcast.
- In Live Control Room, locate the stream URL and stream key. YouTube describes the stream key as the encoder’s password and address; keep it private and do not share it with anyone who should not be able to send a feed to your channel. See YouTube’s live-stream settings guidance.
Connect OBS, test the feed, and go live
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream. Choose YouTube as the service and enter the stream key, or select a custom service and enter YouTube’s server URL and key if your setup requires that option.
- Start streaming from OBS. Keep Live Control Room open and wait for YouTube to show the incoming preview.
- Check the preview for picture, audio, and playback. For a test, use an unlisted or private broadcast where appropriate. Only after the preview looks and sounds right, select Go live in Live Control Room for a scheduled broadcast.
- Monitor the stream during the broadcast. YouTube recommends checking audio and video quality and confirming access from the channel, watch page, and a mobile device. When you are finished, stop the encoder and end the stream in Live Control Room.
YouTube’s live-streaming tips recommend setting up an encoder at least 2 hours before an event and starting it at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start, leaving time to check the preview and resolve problems.
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Plan for a long or unattended broadcast
A looping playlist is not a reliability guarantee
OBS can repeat the playlist, but an uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast is not guaranteed by the loop setting. The computer and encoder, file playback, power, network connection, and YouTube service all affect whether the feed continues. YouTube recommends monitoring the stream and testing encoder failover if you use a backup encoder or connection.
Know the archive limit
YouTube says it automatically archives live streams under 12 hours. Its cited guidance does not promise an archive for a longer continuous broadcast. If keeping a complete recording matters, plan a separate recording and account for the stream’s duration rather than assuming YouTube will archive a broadcast that runs beyond that threshold.
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Use the ordinary ingestion path unless you need an alternative
For a standard OBS playlist stream, use the normal YouTube encoder setup. YouTube also documents HLS ingestion for cases such as HDR or codecs that RTMP does not support. HLS has higher latency than RTMP, requires an encoder that supports it, and comes with additional segment and playlist constraints; it is not required for an ordinary OBS playlist broadcast. See YouTube’s HLS setup guidance.
Fix common playlist-stream problems
- YouTube does not show an incoming preview: Check that OBS is streaming, the selected YouTube destination is correct, and the stream key and server URL match the stream in Live Control Room. Treat the key as a password and replace it if it has been exposed.
- The playlist stops after the last file: Open the VLC Video source properties and turn on Loop Playlist. If you are using a single-file Media Source, enable its separate Loop option.
- Videos play in an unexpected order: Turn off Shuffle Playlist and verify the order of files in the source’s playlist.
- There is no picture or sound: Confirm the files are available at their local paths, that the correct scene and source are active, and that the OBS preview includes the expected video and audio before going live.
- The live stream is interrupted after a copyright match: A live Content ID match can interrupt a stream even when you have permission. Ask the rights owner to allowlist your channel through Content ID and resolve any rights issue before restarting.
- The stream is not enabled on the channel: Verify the channel and check eligibility and restrictions. If this is the first activation, allow up to 24 hours for it to become available.
- A long stream has no YouTube archive: YouTube’s automatic archive guidance covers streams under 12 hours. For longer broadcasts, arrange a separate recording if you need a retained copy.
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