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How to Loop a Video on YouTube Live Without a Gap or Black Frame

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To loop a prerecorded video on YouTube Live, play it through a live encoder such as OBS Studio: add the file as a Media Source, enable Loop, and send OBS to YouTube using the stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room. That setting repeats the file, but it does not guarantee a gap-free boundary or prevent every black frame. Check the complete loop in your actual scene and playback setup before relying on it.

What “gapless” can—and cannot—mean

YouTube Live receives a live feed from an encoder; the encoder plays and repeats the prerecorded video. OBS Studio provides a documented Loop control for a Media Source. OBS describes it as: “Specifies whether the file play again once playback has completed.” The documentation does not promise that the transition between repetitions will be seamless, so no particular checkbox or export setting can be presented as a guaranteed fix for a pause, black frame, or audio break.

A loop can appear different at different points in the playback path: first in OBS’s preview, then in the encoded stream, and finally in the viewer’s playback. Verify the complete boundary in the path your audience will use.

Loop a video in OBS and send it to YouTube Live

  1. Prepare a YouTube live stream

    In YouTube Studio, create or select the live stream and open its encoder settings in Live Control Room. Copy the stream URL and stream key. The key lets the encoder send the feed YouTube accepts, so treat it as a credential and do not share it publicly.

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  2. Add the video as an OBS Media Source

    In OBS Studio, select the scene you want to broadcast. In the Sources panel, choose + → Media Source, create or select a source, and choose the local video file. OBS documents Media Source support on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with common containers including MP4, TS, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM.

  3. Enable Loop and check the source options

    Open the Media Source properties and turn on Loop. Check Show nothing when playback ends as well: if playback reaches its end with Loop off, that option can make the source disappear. Confirm the source remains visible in the scene and that the video is playing.

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  4. Connect OBS to YouTube

    In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service, and enter the stream URL and key from Live Control Room. Use YouTube’s current encoder settings for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send; YouTube recommends RTMPS for ingestion. Start streaming from OBS, then confirm the incoming feed and start the live stream in YouTube Studio if required by the selected workflow.

  5. Watch a complete repeat before publishing

    Let the file reach its end and play through the start again. Check the picture and audio at the boundary in OBS, then verify the viewer-facing result using a private or unlisted stream before sharing it publicly. This is a verification step, not a guarantee that the same boundary will be seamless in every setup.

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How to investigate a black frame, pause, or audio break

OBS’s documentation establishes that Loop repeats a file; it does not explain how to remove every interruption at the file boundary. The exact cause of a black frame in a particular setup is not established by the available documentation. Use these checks to narrow down where the visible interruption occurs rather than assuming a single setting fixes it.

  • The source vanishes at the end: Confirm Loop is enabled and inspect Show nothing when playback ends. Check that the intended Media Source is still present and visible in the active scene.
  • The interruption appears in the OBS preview: Replay the boundary in the selected scene and inspect both picture and sound. Check the exact source file and scene used for the broadcast.
  • The preview looks continuous but viewers see an interruption: Check the YouTube viewer playback path with a private or unlisted stream. The preview alone does not verify the delivered result.
  • You are considering an export, codec, or frame-rate change: Test the altered file and setup from end to end. The documented Loop property does not identify a particular export setting as a guaranteed cure.

RTMP or HLS: ingestion is separate from the loop boundary

YouTube recommends RTMPS for encoder ingestion. HLS is an alternative with its own documented requirements, not a documented fix for a gap at a file boundary. For YouTube HLS, use TS segments, segment durations of 1–4 seconds, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments. YouTube also documents higher latency for HLS than for continuous RTMP. See YouTube’s encoder settings and ingestion guidance and YouTube’s HLS ingestion requirements.

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Or let it run in the cloud

For a YouTube channel that should keep replaying uploaded videos without a home computer running, StreamNeo is the cloud option to try first: it loops uploads from the cloud, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers a free first day with no card. To start, upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, and the monthly option is $9.99 per month. It plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube only. See StreamNeo or start the free first day.

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