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Restream can automatically start a scheduled pre-recorded YouTube event, but its documented replay features do not provide an endlessly repeating, guaranteed gapless 24/7 stream. A single video can loop up to 10 times, with a 40-hour maximum, while a playlist can run for up to 24 hours and does not loop as a unit. You can schedule successive events as a workaround, but test the handoff on your channel rather than assuming it will be continuous.
What Restream can—and cannot—do for a 24/7 stream
Restream’s pre-recorded livestream feature lets you upload or select videos, schedule an event, and have it begin automatically. Restream says, “You don’t need to do anything – your event will automatically air at the scheduled time.” That covers the start of a scheduled event; it is not a promise that one event will run forever or that successive events will join without a gap. See Restream’s pre-recorded event guide.
| Format | What it supports | What that means for 24/7 use |
|---|---|---|
| One video | Looping is available on Marathon and Media add-on plans. Restream documents up to 10 loops and a maximum 40-hour looped stream. | Finite replay, not perpetual streaming. The limits are from Restream Help Center documentation published in 2026; see Loop the video of your pre-recorded stream. |
| Playlist | A playlist can run for up to 24 hours. Playlists do not loop as a unit. Restream says duplicated items can be used up to the 40-video playlist limit. | Useful for sequencing different videos, but not an endlessly repeating channel. See the 2026 playlist guide and the looping guide. |
| Successive scheduled events | You can create separate scheduled events. | The cited documentation does not establish gapless handoffs. Treat this as a workaround to test on the actual channel, not a verified continuous-broadcast feature. |
Restream says YouTube has no stream-duration limit, but that does not remove Restream’s event limits or ensure an archive: according to Restream’s YouTube streaming guide, streams under 12 hours are archived. A platform’s duration allowance, an event tool’s replay limits, and archive availability are separate things.
Before you schedule: enable YouTube Live and prepare your video
Enable live streaming on the channel
Connect the YouTube channel in Restream by authorizing the account that owns the channel. Confirm that live streaming is enabled. Restream’s YouTube guide says a channel activating live streaming for the first time must complete phone verification and wait 24 hours before its first live stream. If the channel is new to live streaming, allow for that activation period before choosing an event time.
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Use a compatible video file
Restream’s pre-recorded video requirements, published April 22, 2026, list MP4, MOV, M4V, and MKV containers; H.264 video; AAC audio; and a 2-second keyframe interval. Restream recommends 1080p, 30 or 60 FPS, CBR, and 15–20 seconds of intro and outro padding. Those are recommendations, not a guarantee that every file or destination setting will work unchanged.
Restream’s YouTube guide lists H.264, resolutions from 240p to 2160p, up to 60 FPS, CBR, and a recommended 2-second keyframe interval (4 seconds maximum). Its listed bitrate range is 3,000–40,000 Kbps depending on resolution and frame rate. There is no single bitrate that suits every output: check the current YouTube guidance for the resolution and frame rate you intend to stream, and confirm your file and event settings are compatible.
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Check rights and suitability before broadcasting
Only schedule video and audio you have the right to stream on YouTube. A pre-recorded format does not make copyrighted material permissible, and an uninterrupted stream does not guarantee YouTube monetization or channel eligibility. Review YouTube’s current copyright and reused-content rules for your channel and content before scheduling; the Restream setup documentation does not grant rights to music, gameplay, or other material embedded in your files.
Schedule a pre-recorded YouTube event in Restream
- Connect the channel. In Restream, authorize the YouTube account that owns the channel. Verify that YouTube Live is enabled; if this is the channel’s first live stream, complete phone verification and allow the 24-hour activation period described in Restream’s YouTube guide.
- Choose the event format. In Restream, select Pre-recorded livestream, then choose Video for one file or Playlist to sequence multiple files. Restream’s scheduling guide describes the event workflow; its playlist guide covers playlist setup.
- Select or upload the media. Use a compatible file and check the planned event length. For a single video, decide whether the paid looping feature’s limits are sufficient. For a playlist, order the files as you want them to play; do not expect the playlist to repeat automatically.
- Enter the event details. Add the title and description, then set the date and time. Enable YouTube as the destination. Restream’s YouTube event instructions explain that YouTube privacy and category can be adjusted in channel settings during event setup: see Create a YouTube Live Event with Restream.
- Create and verify the event. Confirm the scheduled time, destination, video or playlist, and YouTube announcement before sharing the event link. Restream says the event airs automatically at its scheduled time. Monitor the live event and chat if the broadcast needs audience interaction or moderation.
Choose a realistic event length
When one video is enough
For a finite replay, a single video is the simpler choice. Restream documents looping up to 10 times, for a maximum 40-hour stream, and says looping is available on Marathon and Media add-on plans. Check the event setup and applicable plan before relying on that option. The 40-hour ceiling still means the event ends; it is not a perpetual loop.
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When a playlist is better
Use a playlist when you want different videos to play in sequence. Restream’s current playlist documentation sets a maximum duration of 24 hours and says playlists do not loop as a unit. Its looping article says duplicated videos can fill the 40-video playlist limit, but that does not turn the playlist into an endless repeat. Plan the sequence around its finite runtime.
When you need a longer presence
You can schedule a later event after an earlier one, but Restream’s cited guides do not confirm that one event will hand off to another without interruption. If you try this approach, test the schedule on the intended YouTube channel, including event end and start behavior, before presenting it as a continuous broadcast. A scheduled start can be automatic; a gapless transition is not established by the documentation.
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Restream plan details and other constraints
Restream’s schedule page lists these add-on tiers and video-library limits. These are volatile plan details shown on the cited documentation at the time it was accessed; check Restream’s current page before purchasing:
| Add-on tier | Listed price | Video library | Listed resolution | Looping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier | $39/month | 2 hours | 1080p | Not listed as available |
| Marathon | $79/month | 4 hours | 1080p | Available |
| Media | $239/month | 12 hours | 4K | Available |
The figures above are the tiers listed by Restream’s pre-recorded event documentation; verify current pricing and included limits on Restream before subscribing. Restream also says free users have Restream branding on the event thumbnail. Pre-recorded events do not support channel pairing, which is distinct from Studio or encoder streaming. Restream describes its file-based workflow in What is Upload & Stream?.
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Troubleshooting a scheduled pre-recorded stream
- The event will not start or YouTube is unavailable: Check that the channel is connected through its owner account and live streaming is enabled. For a first-ever YouTube live stream, phone verification and the 24-hour activation wait may still be required.
- The file is rejected or playback fails: Check the container (MP4, MOV, M4V, or MKV), H.264 video, AAC audio, and 2-second keyframe interval against Restream’s file requirements.
- The stream ends sooner than an all-day broadcast: Check whether you scheduled a single video or playlist. One video’s documented loop ceiling is 10 loops and at most 40 hours; playlists are limited to 24 hours and do not loop as a unit.
- The event does not appear to repeat a playlist: That is expected under Restream’s documented behavior. Reorder or duplicate items within the playlist limit for a longer finite sequence, or schedule another event and test its handoff.
- The event ran, but there is no YouTube archive: Restream says YouTube archives streams under 12 hours. That archive behavior is separate from whether the stream itself ran successfully.
- Video quality or stability is poor: Recheck resolution, frame rate, CBR, bitrate appropriate to the intended output, and keyframe interval. Restream’s cited guidance gives ranges and recommendations, not a universal bitrate for all settings; consult current YouTube encoding guidance as well.
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