To run a prerecorded video continuously through OBS Studio 30, create a scene, add the video as a Media Source, turn on Loop, then connect OBS to a YouTube live stream with the stream URL and key. Match the encoder settings to YouTube’s recommendations and your computer’s sustained upload capacity. OBS plays and encodes locally, so the computer and internet connection must stay available for the broadcast to continue.
Before you start
- Install OBS Studio 30 and have the prerecorded video file available on the computer that will run the stream.
- Be able to create or select a YouTube live stream in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder workflow uses a stream URL and stream key; keep the key private. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the workflow.
- Use a stable upload connection and a computer capable of running the selected output settings continuously. A short successful test does not establish unattended reliability.
OBS’s Media Source documentation lists video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. See OBS Media Sources for supported media and source properties.
Build the looping scene in OBS Studio 30
- Open OBS and create a scene for the stream. Give it a clear name so it is easy to identify if you later add other scenes.
- In the Sources panel, select + and choose Media Source. Create a new source and name it.
- In the Media Source properties, select the prerecorded video file. Confirm that the correct file is loaded and that its picture and audio appear in the OBS preview.
- Enable Loop. This makes the file replay after playback completes. If the source is switched out and back in during operation, the source properties also include Restart playback when source becomes active.
- Check the audio meters while the video plays. If the video has no usable audio, make sure the intended audio source is present in the scene before going live.
- Decide what should happen if playback ends unexpectedly: Media Source properties include an option to show nothing when playback ends. For a normally looping file, Loop should prevent the ordinary end-of-file blank screen.
Do not assume that a file merely appearing in the preview proves the whole broadcast is ready. Let it play long enough to check picture, sound, and transitions at the point where the file loops.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the live stream you intend to use.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube into OBS’s stream configuration. In OBS Studio 30, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service where available, and enter or connect the stream key using the offered workflow.
- Do not reveal or publish the stream key. Anyone with access to it may be able to send a broadcast to the associated stream.
- Start streaming from OBS. For a scheduled broadcast, YouTube’s workflow calls for checking the preview in Live Control Room and using its Go live action when ready.
- Watch the YouTube stream preview and stream health before treating the broadcast as live and stable.
Labels and available connection flows can vary with YouTube’s interface and OBS’s service configuration. Follow the current prompts in Live Control Room if they differ from this general encoder workflow. YouTube: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Set output and encoder settings for a sustained stream
Use YouTube’s current encoder guide for the selected codec, resolution, and frame rate rather than copying a bitrate from a different format. Its guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1, with CBR and frame rates up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. These are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular computer or connection can sustain a stream. See YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrate tables.
Example H.264 targets listed by YouTube
| Output | YouTube-recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps |
The 720p figures illustrate why bitrate should be selected for the exact configuration: the 60-fps recommendation is not simply interchangeable with the 30-fps value. YouTube publishes separate guidance for AV1 and H.265 as well; consult its live table for your chosen codec and output instead of inferring a target from these H.264 examples.
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Choose settings your setup can maintain
- Set OBS output resolution and frame rate to match the stream you actually want to send and the content you have. Higher settings can require more encoder capacity and upload bandwidth.
- Set rate control to CBR and set the keyframe interval to two seconds, following YouTube’s published recommendations.
- Choose the bitrate from YouTube’s table for that codec, resolution, and frame rate. The bitrate is not a measure of the connection’s available headroom; the upload must be able to sustain it reliably.
- Use a conservative configuration if the computer or upload connection struggles. OBS notes that 60-fps streaming can demand more from a system than 30-fps streaming; see the OBS Studio Overview Guide.
Test before leaving the stream unattended
- Run a test with representative sections of the video, including its audio and motion, rather than checking only a static opening frame.
- Confirm OBS remains responsive and the Media Source loops as expected.
- Check YouTube’s preview and stream health while the test runs. YouTube advises testing with representative content and choosing a quality the upload connection can sustain.
- Observe the system under the intended output settings long enough to catch problems that appear after initial startup. A brief test cannot prove that a local setup will run unattended indefinitely.
Neither the cited OBS nor YouTube setup documentation promises 24/7 uptime or establishes a tested automatic-recovery procedure for a local OBS stream. Plan to monitor the machine, connection, playback, and YouTube stream health.
Copyright, reused content, and the archive limit
Make sure you have rights to everything you broadcast
A looping file does not gain permission to use its contents by being sent through OBS. Before streaming, check that you have the necessary rights to the video, music, and other material, and review YouTube’s applicable policies. Repeating prerecorded material also does not itself establish that a channel qualifies for monetization; eligibility and policy decisions belong to YouTube. For a practical pre-stream review, use the copyright safety checklist.
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Do not assume a multi-day stream becomes one complete archive
YouTube’s encoder setup page says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That statement does not establish how a stream that remains live beyond 12 hours is handled or whether a 24/7 broadcast will be preserved as one complete archive. If a complete recording matters, make a separate recording or confirm current archive behavior with YouTube before relying on it. YouTube’s encoder setup guide.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The video stops at the end | Loop is not enabled on the Media Source. | Open the source properties, enable Loop, and test through the end of the file. |
| The preview is blank or the wrong clip appears | The Media Source points to the wrong file, or its display behavior is not what you expect. | Recheck the selected file and the source properties, then confirm the preview before streaming. |
| OBS connects but YouTube reports poor stream health | The bitrate may not match the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate, or the upload cannot sustain the selected target. | Match OBS settings to YouTube’s table for the exact configuration and test at a lower sustainable quality if needed. |
| The stream cannot connect or the wrong broadcast appears | The stream URL or key may be incorrect, stale, or associated with another YouTube stream. | Check the selected Live Control Room stream and copy its current URL and key into OBS. Keep the key private. |
| Video plays but audio is missing | The media file may lack an audio track or OBS may not be receiving the intended audio. | Check the OBS audio meters during playback and verify the file and scene audio sources. |
| Performance degrades over time | The computer, encoder, playback, or network may not sustain the chosen settings. | Test at the intended settings, review OBS and YouTube health indicators, and reduce resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to a configuration the setup can maintain. |
Or let it run in the cloud
With a local OBS setup, the computer running OBS and its internet connection must remain available. StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera and it streams to YouTube only. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. The cloud loops the video, so your computer can be off.
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