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If your OBS YouTube loop has video but no sound, first find where the audio disappears: in the FFmpeg-generated file, at the OBS source, in OBS’s mixer or output routing, or after YouTube receives the stream. Check those points in order before changing FFmpeg encoding settings; the right fix depends on where the signal stops.
1. Check whether the generated file contains audible audio
Play the exact file that OBS is looping in a media player outside OBS. Confirm that sound is audible, not merely that the video plays. If it is silent outside OBS, the problem is upstream of the OBS scene.
- If the file is silent: investigate the FFmpeg input, output stream mapping, audio codec and container muxing using the command that created this file and its actual stream layout.
- If it plays with sound: leave FFmpeg settings alone for now and check the OBS source and routing.
There is no universal FFmpeg mapping or codec correction for this symptom: the command, input streams, output container and resulting file metadata determine what change would be appropriate.
2. Check the OBS playback source and audio track
In OBS, verify that the intended file or playlist is selected, playback is active, the source is visible, and the source is not muted. OBS Media Source supports common video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV. Its Loop property controls whether playback restarts when it finishes. OBS: Media Sources.
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If you use VLC Video
VLC Video supports playlists. Check the source’s Audio Track selector and choose the track that actually contains sound. The selector defaults to track 1, which may not be the right track in a multi-track file. Check Loop Playlist if the playlist should repeat; it defaults to On. VLC must be installed, and 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS: Media Sources.
If you use Media Source
Confirm that the correct file is loaded and that Loop is enabled if you expect the clip to repeat. If the source is playing but still produces no meter activity, return to the file test and verify the source’s audio stream and playback state.
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3. Use the OBS mixer to locate the break
Play the clip and watch the relevant source’s audio meter in the OBS mixer. OBS’s Audio Mixer Guide says, “Most of the time, you want to keep a close eye on the meters.” OBS Project, Audio Mixer Guide (dated April 3, 2026).
- The meter does not move: the signal is not reaching that mixer input. Recheck the file, source playback, selected VLC audio track and source mute state.
- The meter moves: audio has reached the source’s mixer input. Check whether the source is muted, then use OBS audio monitoring to listen through the configured monitoring device. If you hear it locally, investigate output track assignment and delivery rather than changing the file first.
To separate local OBS output from stream delivery, record a short test as you normally would and listen to the resulting recording before going live. OBS recommends this kind of recording check in its streaming guide.
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4. Check routing and capture-device duplication
If the meter moves but the local recording or stream is silent, review the source’s track assignment and OBS output settings. Compare what you hear through monitoring with what appears in the recording; that helps distinguish a monitoring problem from a recording or stream-routing problem.
If you also use Audio Input Capture or Audio Output Capture, check whether the same device is captured in a scene and selected globally under Settings > Audio. OBS warns that capturing the same device in both places can cause echo. This applies to duplicate device capture; it does not explain a silent media file by itself. OBS: Audio Sources.
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5. Test what YouTube receives
Once OBS meters and a local recording confirm that audio is present, run a brief controlled YouTube test using your normal workflow. Check the stream’s audio and YouTube’s stream health during the test. YouTube advises creators to test beforehand with audio and video similar to the planned stream and to review stream health. Google / YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
For RTMP/RTMPS live ingest, YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio. Its recommended stereo audio settings are a 44.1 kHz sample rate and 128 kbps bitrate. These are encoder recommendations, not proof that a particular missing-audio symptom is caused by an incorrect bitrate or sample rate. If the local recording has sound but the YouTube test does not, compare the active OBS output track and audio encoding settings with YouTube’s guidance, then repeat the test and check stream health.
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Quick diagnosis by signal boundary
| What you observe | Where to investigate next |
|---|---|
| The file is silent outside OBS | FFmpeg input, stream mapping, codec and muxing; inspect the specific command and file. |
| The file has sound, but the OBS mixer meter does not move | Source selection and playback, source mute, or VLC audio-track selection. |
| The OBS meter moves, but monitoring or the local recording is silent | Mute state, monitoring device, track assignment and OBS output routing. |
| The local recording has sound, but the YouTube test does not | OBS stream-track and encoder output, supported audio encoding, and YouTube stream health. |
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