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To repeat one local gaming video in an OBS broadcast, add it as a Media Source and enable Loop. To repeat a playlist, add an OBS VLC Video source and leave Loop Playlist enabled. Then configure OBS with your YouTube Live stream details, preview the feed, and check stream health before broadcasting.
What looping means in this setup
Here, looping means OBS repeats a video file or playlist as a source in the scene it sends to YouTube Live. It is different from YouTube’s viewer-side Loop control, which repeats an already published video on its watch page; that control does not make an OBS broadcast repeat its source. YouTube explains viewer looping on computers and mobile devices, as well as TVs and game consoles: Loop videos or playlists.
Choose the right OBS source
| What you want to loop | OBS source | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| One local video file | Media Source | Built into OBS; enable its Loop property. No VLC source is needed. |
| Several files in a playlist | VLC Video | Requires VLC to be installed. Enable Loop Playlist to restart playback after the final item. |
OBS documents common video formats such as MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats such as MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. A listed format is not a guarantee that a particular file will decode correctly on every computer. See OBS Media Sources.
Loop one gaming video with Media Source
- Open the OBS scene you intend to broadcast. In the Sources dock, select + and choose Media Source.
- Create a source or select an existing one, then browse to the local video file in its properties.
- Enable Loop. OBS lists this option as off by default; when enabled, the file starts again after playback completes.
- Confirm the source is visible in the scene and check the OBS preview for both picture and audio. Adjust its size and position in the scene if needed.
Loop a playlist with VLC Video
- Install VLC media player if it is not already installed. OBS says VLC Video is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux when VLC is installed. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
- In the broadcast scene’s Sources dock, select + and choose VLC Video.
- Add the desired media files to the source’s playlist.
- Leave Loop Playlist enabled so playback restarts after the last item. OBS lists it as enabled by default.
- Enable Shuffle Playlist only if you want items to play in randomized order; OBS lists shuffle as off by default.
- Check the source’s visibility behavior. OBS lists Stop when not visible, restart when visible as the default. If scene changes can hide the source, account for the resulting stop and restart rather than assuming playback continues unseen.
- Watch the OBS preview and verify that the playlist plays, repeats, and includes the intended audio.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
Check channel eligibility and enable live streaming
YouTube’s encoder setup requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. YouTube says first-time live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours, so enable it ahead of the planned broadcast. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup guide.
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Create or select a stream and configure OBS
- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select the stream you want OBS to feed. YouTube’s live stream settings guide covers stream destinations, keys, and options.
- Copy the stream destination and stream key into OBS’s streaming configuration. YouTube describes a stream key as the password/address that tells an encoder where to send its feed. Treat it as secret: someone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to the configured stream.
- Use RTMPS where available, as YouTube recommends. Set resolution, frame rate, and bitrate based on the output you want and the upload capacity available to the computer running OBS. YouTube’s encoder settings guide provides its setting guidance; there is no single bitrate that is right for every resolution, frame rate, and connection.
Preflight the broadcast and monitor it
- Confirm the intended OBS scene is active and the looping source is visible and playing.
- Check the preview in YouTube Live Control Room before starting a public broadcast.
- Test with motion and audio similar to what the actual stream will contain.
- Make sure upload capacity has headroom above the chosen stream bitrate; YouTube’s live streaming tips advise leaving bandwidth headroom.
- After starting, monitor OBS audio/video and YouTube’s stream health. Stop the encoder after the YouTube event has ended.
Source looping is not viewer rewind
The OBS Loop and Loop Playlist controls repeat the media sent in the broadcast. YouTube’s DVR setting instead lets viewers pause, resume, or rewind within a live stream. YouTube says DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours; DVR does not repeat the source video. See YouTube’s DVR guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
If you want an uploaded gaming video or playlist to keep a YouTube channel live without leaving OBS or a home computer running, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It plays uploaded videos on YouTube, not a live camera feed.
Quick Recap
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