In OBS Studio, add the video as a Media Source, select the file, and enable Loop. Then send OBS’s output to YouTube Live using encoder settings that match your resolution, frame rate, and codec. Looping repeats playback; it does not prevent network-related dropped frames. Test the setup before broadcasting and monitor stream health while live.
How do I loop a video on YouTube Live?
For a local video file, set the repeat behavior in OBS—not in YouTube. OBS’s Media Source has a Loop option that plays the file again when it reaches the end. OBS lists MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM among its supported video types. See OBS Media Sources.
- In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene you plan to stream.
- Select the local video file in the source properties.
- Enable Loop, then confirm the source plays and repeats in the preview.
- Set the output canvas and stream resolution and frame rate to the format you intend to send.
- Connect OBS to your YouTube Live stream and test the complete setup before the broadcast.
Looping and delivery are separate: a file can repeat correctly in OBS while the outgoing stream loses frames because of a network problem.
What bitrate do I need for 4K YouTube Live?
YouTube’s published encoder guidance varies by codec and frame rate. The figures below are for 2160p (4K); use the row that matches your output rather than treating one bitrate as universal. The current YouTube Help page does not state a publication year.
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| Output | AV1 or H.265 range | H.264 recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps minimum; 35 Mbps maximum | 30 Mbps |
| 2160p at 60 fps | 10 Mbps minimum; 40 Mbps maximum | 35 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s encoder recommendations, not a promise that a particular internet connection can sustain the stream. YouTube recommends choosing a quality your connection can reliably support, checking upload speed, and testing before going live. Leave headroom for other network use instead of setting the stream bitrate at the edge of a speed-test result.
Codec, rate control, and keyframes
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 (HEVC), and AV1, and supports frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends constant bitrate (CBR) and a two-second keyframe interval, with an interval no longer than four seconds. Check the exact YouTube guidance for your selected output at YouTube encoder settings.
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Set OBS’s output resolution and frame rate to the intended stream format, then match the codec and bitrate to the corresponding YouTube recommendation. YouTube can detect resolution and frame rate automatically in Live Control Room; custom stream keys can also allow manual resolution settings. For encoder setup options, see Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
4K latency
YouTube’s encoder guidance says 2160p streams use normal latency; the low-latency option is not available at 4K.
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How do I stream a pre-recorded video on YouTube Live?
OBS plays the file locally and sends its output as a live stream. YouTube receives the encoded stream; it does not need a separate loop setting for this workflow.
- In YouTube Live Control Room, set up the live stream and obtain the stream key.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, choose YouTube as the service, and connect using the stream key or account-connection option available in your OBS version.
- In your OBS scene, add the file as a Media Source and enable Loop.
- Configure output resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, CBR, and keyframe interval for the stream you intend to send.
- Start a test stream. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health, and confirm both picture and audio before the real broadcast.
- During the broadcast, watch OBS’s dropped-frame counter and YouTube’s stream-health indicators.
Use representative motion and audio during the test: a static or silent preview may not expose the problems that appear in the actual program. YouTube’s live streaming tips also advise testing and checking stream health.
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Why is OBS dropping frames?
OBS explains that network-dropped frames mean the connection to the remote server is unstable or cannot sustain the configured bitrate. That is different from a Media Source failing to repeat. Enabling Loop cannot prevent network drops. See OBS Stream Connection Troubleshooting.
- Bitrate exceeds sustained upload capacity: lower the bitrate to a level the connection can maintain, using YouTube’s codec-specific guidance as a reference rather than a guarantee.
- Wi-Fi or local network instability: test with a wired connection. OBS recommends wired networking because Wi-Fi can be unstable for streaming. A Cat6 Ethernet cable may help connect a computer that lacks a suitable cable, but it cannot fix an unstable ISP route or YouTube ingest connection.
- Congestion or interference: check for other software or network use affecting the stream and test again. OBS’s dynamic bitrate adjustment can lower bitrate during congestion, but OBS cautions that this does not solve the root cause and reduces video quality.
- Drops persist after local checks: a wired connection cannot guarantee a stable route beyond your local network. OBS recommends contacting your ISP with details if connection drops continue.
Check OBS’s dropped-frame counter and YouTube’s stream health together. If the file stops or fails to repeat in the OBS preview, troubleshoot the Media Source; if the preview plays but OBS reports network-dropped frames, investigate delivery and bitrate. The cited OBS connection guide addresses network drops, so do not assume every performance issue is a network issue.
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Preflight checklist for a 4K loop
- Confirm the Media Source plays and repeats in OBS.
- Check output resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, CBR, and keyframe interval against YouTube’s published guidance.
- Verify that sustained upload capacity can support the chosen bitrate, with room for other network use.
- Test with representative movement and audio; inspect the Live Control Room preview and stream health.
- Monitor OBS dropped frames and YouTube stream health during the broadcast.
- Remember that YouTube uses normal latency for 2160p; low-latency mode is unavailable at that resolution.
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