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To keep a local video looping in OBS Studio overnight on a Mac, add it to a Media Source and enable Loop. Also prevent the Mac from sleeping and enable OBS’s Automatic Reconnect for recoverable connection drops. These settings address different problems; none guarantees an uninterrupted stream through every power, network, software, or streaming-service failure. Test the full setup before leaving it unattended.
Set up a single video to repeat
- In OBS, select the scene that should carry the stream.
- Add a Media Source to that scene and select the local video file.
- In the source properties, enable Loop. OBS documents support for common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM; check the OBS Media Sources documentation for the current details.
- Leave Restart playback when source becomes active enabled if you want playback to start from the beginning whenever the source becomes active. OBS documents this option as on by default.
- Start the stream and watch through the end of the file to verify it starts again. A still frame at the end usually points to the source’s loop or activation behavior, not the connection-recovery setting.
Setting names can vary by OBS release, so compare them with the version installed on your Mac.
Use VLC Video for a playlist
For a playlist of files, use OBS’s VLC Video source. VLC must be installed for the source type to appear; if OBS is 64-bit, OBS’s documentation says 64-bit VLC is required. The source has a Loop Playlist option, enabled by default in the documentation. See OBS’s Media Sources guide.
Check what happens when the source is hidden
VLC Video’s documented default Visibility Behaviour stops playback when the source is not visible and restarts it when it becomes visible. If the playlist is in a scene that may be hidden during the broadcast, choose a visibility behavior that matches your scene setup. Otherwise, hiding and showing the source can affect playback even though the playlist loop is enabled.
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Keep the Mac awake while streaming
Set macOS power and sleep behavior so the Mac does not go to sleep while the stream is unattended, and connect reliable power. Turning off the display is not the same as putting the computer to sleep. The available documentation does not establish the exact current power-setting labels for every macOS release, or how every Media Source behaves under every sleep condition.
There is a specific warning about capture after sleep: an OBS issue report opened May 19, 2023 describes macOS Screen Capture freezing after wake on macOS 13 with OBS 29.1.1. The report’s author said restarting OBS or switching to another scene collection and back restored capture. This is a version-specific report, not proof that current versions or local Media Sources will fail in the same way. See the OBS issue report.
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Enable reconnect for dropped connections
In OBS, open Settings → Advanced and find Configure Automatic Reconnect. OBS’s Overview Guide documents this option. It can help OBS recover from some connection drops, but it does not restart a stopped media source, wake a sleeping Mac, restore power, fix invalid credentials, or guarantee recovery from a streaming-service interruption.
Test before leaving the stream unattended
- Run the intended scene and source for long enough to confirm the file or playlist reaches its end and begins again.
- Confirm the broadcast remains connected while playback continues. Check OBS’s stream status separately from whether the video is moving.
- Test the actual Mac, scene complexity, resolution, frame rate, and encoder you plan to use. OBS recommends testing settings and stream smoothness in advance; its System Requirements page cautions that compatible hardware alone does not guarantee streaming capability.
- Use OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard as a starting point if needed, then verify the setup under the load you expect. Encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity all affect performance.
- If a problem occurs, capture an OBS log and determine whether the failure was playback, capture, rendering or encoding load, or connection loss before changing settings.
Diagnose why the stream stopped
| What you see | What to check |
|---|---|
| The video reaches the end and stops. | For a Media Source, check Loop. For a playlist, check Loop Playlist and whether the source’s visibility behavior is stopping playback. |
| The Mac slept, or capture froze after waking. | Keep the computer awake during unattended streaming. If the issue is specifically macOS Screen Capture freezing after sleep, the OBS report for macOS 13 and OBS 29.1.1 describes restarting OBS or switching away from and back to the scene collection as a recovery. That report does not establish behavior for every version or source type. |
| OBS reports a dropped connection. | Use Automatic Reconnect for recoverable drops and investigate the network or streaming service separately. A looping source does not fix a connection failure. |
| The stream degrades or OBS struggles. | Test with the intended encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity; compatible hardware by itself is not a performance guarantee. |
| The behavior changed after an OBS or macOS update. | Check the official OBS macOS compatibility table for your macOS release and Mac architecture. The table, dated July 29, 2026, listed OBS 32.2.1 for macOS 13 through 26 on Apple Silicon and Intel, with older operating systems assigned older compatible builds. Compatibility information can change, so check the table again before updating. |
Choose the playback source that fits
| Need | Media Source | VLC Video |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat one local video | Direct fit: local-file playback with a Loop property. | Can play video, but playlist support may be unnecessary. |
| Repeat a playlist | The documentation covers local-file playback, not playlist management for this source. | Designed for playlists and includes Loop Playlist. |
| Extra software | No VLC installation is specified for this built-in source. | VLC must be installed; 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. |
| Source hidden in another scene | Check the restart-on-activation option against your scene behavior. | Check Visibility Behaviour; the documented default stops when hidden and restarts when visible. |
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Platform-specific limits still matter
The streaming platform is not specified here, and platform rules differ. Runtime caps, scheduled maintenance, stream-key and authentication behavior, and service-side disconnect policies depend on the platform and account. Check that platform’s current official guidance before relying on an overnight broadcast.
Quick Recap
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