To stream local videos on YouTube around the clock with OBS, put the files in an OBS Media Source or VLC Video Source, enable looping, then send OBS to YouTube Live using an encoder stream key. The playlist handles repeated playback—not continuous uptime: your computer, power, internet connection, OBS, files and YouTube ingest must all keep working.
Before you start: make sure YouTube Live is available
Your channel must be verified and have no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. If you are enabling live streaming for the first time, activation can take up to 24 hours, so do it well before your planned start. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips and encoder setup instructions.
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or manage an encoder stream. Copy the stream URL and key for OBS. Treat the key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your stream, so do not show it in screenshots or share it publicly.
Set up a local video or playlist in OBS
For one video that should repeat
- Open OBS and select or create the scene you want to stream.
- In the Sources panel, click + and choose Media Source.
- Create a source, select Local File, and browse to the video.
- Enable Loop, then click OK.
For a folder of videos
Use OBS’s VLC Video Source for a playlist. Install VLC first; if you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. In the scene’s Sources panel, click +, select VLC Video Source, add the files to its playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. Shuffle is off by default, so the playlist normally plays in its listed order. OBS documents common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM in its Media Sources guide.
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Position and size the source in the preview, check its crop, and verify that the audio meters move at an appropriate level. Play every item through to its end and watch the transition to the next file. Looping is supported, but gap-free transitions are not guaranteed for every file and codec combination. Keep source files in a stable location and do not move, rename or delete them while relying on the playlist.
Configure OBS to send the stream to YouTube
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream.
- Choose YouTube – RTMPS as the service if it is available in your OBS version. Otherwise select the YouTube service and enter the RTMPS server and stream key provided by YouTube’s Live Control Room.
- Set the output encoder and video settings appropriate to your resolution, frame rate, connection and hardware. YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the connection to its ingest.
- Under Settings > Output, use CBR rate control and set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds. YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds.
- Set bitrate using YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrate and resolution table, not a universal value. For H.264, YouTube recommends 5 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 6 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. For AV1 or H.265/HEVC, its recommendations are 10 Mbps at 1080p30 and 12 Mbps at 1080p60. These are codec- and format-specific recommendations, not guarantees of stable delivery.
- Click Apply and OK, then confirm that the scene, video and audio are correct before starting the encoder.
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 for RTMP/RTMPS, subject to encoder and system support. Use a bitrate that your tested upload connection can sustain, with headroom for normal variation. YouTube’s settings page contains the current ranges for other resolutions and frame rates.
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Test the full loop before leaving it unattended
- Start a private or unlisted test, then check the Live Control Room preview and watch the viewer page on another device.
- Confirm that the video is framed correctly, audio is present and balanced, and the playlist advances and returns to its beginning.
- Test the internet connection and stream with movement and audio similar to what you plan to broadcast; a speed-test result alone does not verify the complete setup.
- Check the local archive if you intend to keep one, and verify that the watch page works on mobile as well as desktop.
- For a scheduled event, YouTube recommends setting up the encoder stream at least two hours ahead and starting the encoder at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start. These are useful rehearsal timings, not a stated requirement for every continuous stream.
During the stream, monitor OBS and YouTube’s stream health, and keep an eye on audio and video quality. YouTube’s live-streaming tips cover testing and monitoring. The cited documentation does not specify a guaranteed maximum continuous runtime for OBS or YouTube.
What looping does—and does not—keep running
A loop repeats the selected media while the source and output remain active. It does not restart a crashed computer, restore lost internet, repair a failed file or OBS source, or guarantee recovery from a YouTube ingest interruption. Nor does it guarantee that YouTube will retain a live archive. For a local setup, keep the computer awake, use a reliable wired connection where practical, preserve the source files, monitor stream health and decide in advance who will respond to an interruption. These are operational precautions, not an uptime guarantee or a documented failover design.
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If your stream cannot tolerate an interruption, account for the local computer, power, network and encoder as dependencies. YouTube’s encoder guidance discusses backup-ingest concepts, but a playlist loop does not configure a backup encoder or automatic failover for you.
Common problems and fixes
- VLC Video Source is missing or does not play: Install VLC, then restart OBS. Match VLC’s architecture to OBS; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
- The playlist stops at the last file: Open the VLC Video Source properties and enable Loop Playlist. For one repeating video, use a Media Source with Loop enabled.
- A file is black, silent or skipped: Check that the file still exists at the selected path and plays locally. Confirm its format is supported by the source, then test that file by itself in OBS.
- The image is cropped or incorrectly sized: Select the source in the preview and adjust its transform to fit the canvas; verify the result in the viewer preview.
- Audio is missing or too loud: Check the source’s audio meter and OBS mixer, confirm the file has an audio track, and monitor the actual viewer playback before leaving the stream unattended.
- YouTube does not receive the stream: Confirm that live streaming is enabled on the channel, OBS is using the correct stream service/server and key, and the key has not been mistyped or replaced. Check the Live Control Room for ingest status.
- The stream drops or buffers: Check OBS and YouTube stream health, then test the upload connection and lower the output bitrate if it cannot sustain the selected setting. A loop cannot reconnect a broken network or encoder by itself.
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