To loop a portrait video on YouTube Live, add the local file to OBS Studio as a Media Source, enable Loop, compose it on a vertical canvas, connect OBS to your YouTube stream key, then test the preview and stream health before going public. If you want YouTube to create a vertical version from a horizontal stream instead, its Live Control Room offers vertical layouts—but the default is a center crop.
Choose how to make the portrait stream
There are three practical approaches, depending on whether you want to repeat a local file or create a vertical version alongside a horizontal one.
| Approach | Best for | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source loop | Repeating a local portrait video with control over the composed scene. | You arrange and check the canvas, and the computer running OBS must stay on. The documented workflow does not promise uninterrupted 24/7 operation. |
| YouTube Live Control Room vertical layout | Creating a YouTube-managed vertical version alongside a horizontal stream. | The default center crop can cut off content near the sides; check the other layouts before going live. |
| Separate encoder feeds | Sending independent horizontal and portrait compositions. | Requires a second stream key and matching each composition to its corresponding output. |
Loop a local portrait video with OBS
1. Add the video and enable Loop
- In OBS, create or select a scene. In the Sources panel, select + and add a Media Source.
- Choose the local video file. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM.
- In the Media Source properties, enable Loop. The file restarts when playback completes.
To repeat a playlist rather than one file, add a VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist. VLC must be installed for that OBS source type to be available.
2. Set a portrait canvas and frame the source
In OBS, open Settings → Video. The Base (Canvas) Resolution is the space where you arrange sources; Output (Scaled) Resolution is the size sent to the stream or recording. Set the canvas and output to the intended portrait format, then resize, crop, or position the video to fit. Check the OBS preview for unwanted borders, cut-off text, faces, or action.
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Changing the base canvas later can require sources to be realigned or resized. Decide on the portrait composition before fine-tuning the scene, and preview the result at the output size.
3. Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio, open Create → Go live and create or select a stream in Live Control Room.
- In OBS stream settings, select YouTube if it is available, or enter the server URL and stream key shown in YouTube Studio.
- Keep the stream key private. YouTube describes it as functioning like the stream’s password and address.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, the secure extension of RTMP. If OBS offers a choice, use RTMPS.
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4. Test before the public stream
- Start with a test or unlisted stream and confirm the video is portrait in the YouTube preview.
- Check that the loop restarts as expected and that audio is present, correctly routed, and in sync.
- Check YouTube’s stream health and test the upload connection before relying on the setup publicly. YouTube recommends pre-stream testing and monitoring stream health during the event.
For content you plan to leave running, make sure you have the necessary rights to the video and audio. A looping file does not change YouTube’s copyright rules or guarantee that a stream will remain available.
Use YouTube’s vertical layout tools
YouTube’s Live Control Room can create horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) outputs together by default. YouTube says the vertical version starts as a center crop of the horizontal stream. The vertical preview’s editing canvas offers Center crop, Fit to phone width, and Stacked, with controls to adjust zoom and position. Check the result before going live, especially if the horizontal frame has text, faces, or action near its edges.
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- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go live and open the scheduled or created stream in Live Control Room.
- Inspect the vertical preview and select the layout that best preserves the content. Adjust zoom and position as needed.
- Set up the vertical format before starting. You can adjust its layout while live, but YouTube says you cannot add the vertical format after the stream has started.
For streams created through Live Control Room, YouTube says viewers in the Shorts feed on mobile see the vertical version, while other viewers see the horizontal version. Both versions share the live chat, go-live notification, and stream URL.
Send separate horizontal and portrait encoder feeds
If your encoder can provide two outputs, YouTube’s documented third-party dual-stream method uses RTMP(S) and a second stream key for the vertical feed.
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- In Live Control Room’s Stream tab, open the vertical preview’s Auto menu and select Encoder.
- Choose RTMP(S) and select the second stream key for the vertical output.
- Configure the encoder so the horizontal composition goes to the horizontal key and the portrait composition goes to the vertical key. Check that the content and layouts match their intended outputs.
- Start the stream from YouTube Studio after both feeds and previews are configured.
Set up both formats before going live; YouTube says the vertical version cannot be added once the stream has started.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Encoder settings to check
Use settings your encoder and upload connection can sustain. YouTube’s published guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video; up to 60 fps; CBR encoding; AAC or MP3 audio; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval, which should not exceed four seconds. YouTube recommends testing upload bitrate and stream conditions before the event.
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| H.264 example from YouTube’s encoder guidance | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
These are YouTube-published encoder recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular computer or connection can sustain the stream. For a portrait output, check the dimensions and framing in the preview as well as the encoder’s bitrate and stream health.
What viewers see—and where
YouTube says vertical live streams can appear as viewers browse live streams or Shorts in the YouTube app. Viewers can watch full-screen, chat or interact when enabled, and swipe to other vertical live streams. The vertical live feed is currently available in the YouTube app, not on tablets; scheduled live streams and Premieres do not appear in that feed.
Common problems and fixes
- The portrait video has black bars or is cut off: Check the OBS canvas and output resolutions, then resize or reposition the source and inspect the preview. In YouTube’s layout editor, try Fit to phone width or Stacked instead of the default center crop.
- The video stops after one play: Reopen the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist, use a VLC Video source with Loop Playlist and confirm VLC is installed.
- YouTube receives the wrong layout: With separate encoder feeds, verify that each aspect ratio is sent to its corresponding stream key. If using YouTube’s vertical layout, configure it before starting the stream.
- The stream is unstable or unhealthy: Test the upload connection and bitrate, use YouTube’s recommended RTMPS connection, and monitor stream health. Reduce settings if the connection or encoder cannot sustain them.
- The stream does not appear in the vertical live feed: Confirm you are viewing in the YouTube app; YouTube says the vertical live feed is not available on tablets, and scheduled streams and Premieres do not appear in it.
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