Start by finding where the loop and the audio are being handled: YouTube in a browser, a media player such as VLC, or streaming software such as OBS. Then check whether the mismatch affects only that path, is present as soon as playback starts, or grows over time. Those clues narrow the troubleshooting; no single Windows setting is a guaranteed fix for every loop setup.
First, locate where the sync problem occurs
Work out which application is actually repeating the video. “Looped YouTube stream” might mean a YouTube video left playing in a browser, a file repeating in a media player, or a local or network-fed source looping in OBS. The fixes differ because the loop and playback controls are in different places.
- Only the YouTube browser tab is affected: investigate the browser and its playback path.
- Only the loop or rebroadcast application is affected: inspect the media source and loop configuration there.
- Other apps also have audio problems: check Windows’ selected output device and audio connections.
- The offset is there immediately or builds gradually: note which pattern you hear. It helps describe the fault, but does not by itself prove its cause.
Before changing settings, replay the same point in the video and listen for whether speech or other clear sounds lead or lag behind the picture. Keep track of what you changed so you can reverse a check that makes no difference.
If you are watching YouTube in a browser
Try the same stream in another browser. YouTube lists that as a check for a green video player with sound, alongside turning off Chrome hardware acceleration and updating graphics drivers. That guidance addresses the green-player symptom, not audio drift during looping, so treat these as reasonable playback checks rather than proven cures for sync problems.
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- Test another browser. Play the same stream and compare whether the audio still drifts.
- If you use Chrome, test with hardware acceleration off. Find the browser’s hardware-acceleration setting, turn it off, restart the browser if prompted, and test again. Restore the setting if it does not help.
- Check for a graphics-driver update. YouTube includes updating graphics drivers among its green-player troubleshooting checks. This is not a diagnosis that a driver caused your sync issue.
For the scope of YouTube’s guidance, see Green screen in video player.
If OBS is creating the loop
Check the source that contains the video, rather than assuming that YouTube or Windows controls the loop. OBS documents a loop option for its Media Source, which can play a local media file, and playlist looping for VLC Video.
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- Open the scene and identify the video source. In OBS, select the source in the Sources list and open its properties.
- For Media Source, inspect the Loop option. Confirm that the intended local file is selected and that its loop setting matches what you want.
- For VLC Video, inspect the playlist and its loop setting. OBS says VLC must be installed to use VLC Video. If OBS is 64-bit, the installed VLC architecture must match when applicable.
- For local video or audio files, consider the source type. OBS recommends Media Source or VLC Source for these files. It also cautions that many browser sources can significantly affect system resources; that warning alone does not establish the cause of an audio-sync problem.
OBS’s Media Sources documentation covers source and loop controls. Its Encoding Performance Troubleshooting page discusses media sources and resource use.
Check Windows audio output and connections
If sound is wrong in more than the browser or loop application, verify that Windows is sending audio to the output you actually use. A display, headset, speakers, or another connected device may be selected instead. Check that speakers or headphones are connected properly, too.
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- Check the selected output device in Windows sound settings and choose the intended speakers or headphones.
- Inspect the physical connection for the selected device, including any cable or headset connection that may have come loose.
- If general Windows audio still behaves incorrectly, run Microsoft’s Get Help audio troubleshooter.
These are general Windows audio checks, not a specific diagnosis of YouTube drift. Microsoft’s instructions for Windows 10 and Windows 11 are in Fix sound or audio problems in Windows.
If you are testing the file in VLC
VideoLAN’s FAQ suggests trying another audio output plugin and checking audio desynchronization compensation when the input file is the source of the problem. Do not enter an arbitrary compensation value: first establish whether audio leads or lags, and how much. The FAQ does not provide a universal offset for every file or playback setup.
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See VideoLAN’s VLC media player FAQ for its audio troubleshooting guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why sync can drift—and what that does not prove
Audio, system, and player clocks can differ, and those differences can result in drift. VideoLAN’s VLC 4.0 clock-architecture documentation explains the general role of clocks in synchronizing audio and video; it does not establish that clock differences are the cause in a particular YouTube, Windows, or OBS setup. As VideoLAN puts it, “The clock is the element that manages the synchronisation of all ES, notably audio and video (+subtitles) synchronization.”
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That is why the pattern matters: a fixed mismatch at playback start and a mismatch that grows during playback point to different observations to report, but neither alone identifies the failing component. See VideoLAN’s VLC 4.0 Clock Architecture.
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