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How to Loop a Pre-Recorded Relaxation Video on YouTube Live with VLC and OBS

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To loop a pre-recorded relaxation video on YouTube Live, play it through OBS Studio and use OBS to send the stream to YouTube. Add an OBS VLC Video source, load your video or playlist, and enable Loop Playlist. For one file, OBS’s Media Source has a simpler Loop option. VLC handles playback; OBS encodes and broadcasts it.

Choose the right OBS playback source

Source Best for Loop control Requirement or behavior
VLC Video A playlist or a format supported by VLC Loop Playlist restarts playback after the media list ends VLC must be installed. OBS documentation notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. You can choose whether the source stops or restarts, pauses or unpauses, or keeps playing when hidden.
Media Source One local video file and a straightforward repeat Loop repeats the file after playback finishes Uses OBS’s built-in media source rather than the VLC Video playlist source.

These source controls are documented by the OBS Project. Labels and interface details can vary by installed release.

Prepare your YouTube channel

Before configuring OBS, make sure the channel can go live. YouTube requires channel verification and no live-streaming restrictions during the preceding 90 days. A first-time activation can take up to 24 hours, so do not leave setup until the planned broadcast. See YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.

Set up a looping video in OBS

  1. Install OBS and VLC. Install OBS Studio and VLC on the computer that will run the broadcast. Match the VLC architecture to OBS: if you have 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC.
  2. Create a scene and add playback. In OBS, select or create a scene, then use the Sources panel’s add control. Choose VLC Video for a playlist, or Media Source for one file.
  3. Load the relaxation video. For VLC Video, add the local file or files and put them in the intended order. For Media Source, select the single file you want repeated.
  4. Enable the loop control. In the VLC Video source properties, turn on Loop Playlist. In Media Source properties, enable Loop. Confirm the source is visible in the scene and that the video fits the canvas as intended.
  5. Choose hidden-source behavior if you use multiple scenes. VLC Video offers visibility behavior options such as stop/restart, pause/unpause, or always play. Choose deliberately: a source that stops when hidden may restart when you return to the scene, while one set to always play can continue off-screen.
  6. Check audio as well as picture. Watch the OBS preview and listen to the source. Relaxation videos often rely on continuous ambient audio, so verify that it is present and that the selected source does not cut it off when a scene changes.

Connect OBS to YouTube Live

  1. In YouTube Studio, open Create → Go Live and create a stream or select one you have already set up.
  2. In OBS, open the stream settings. Select YouTube if it is offered as a service. If configuring the connection manually, copy the server or stream URL from YouTube’s Live Control Room into OBS’s server field, then paste the stream key into the key field. YouTube explains the encoder connection in its live encoder setup guide.
  3. Treat the stream key like a password. Do not share it or show it in a recording or screenshot. If it is exposed, reset it in the Live Control Room and update OBS with the new key.
  4. Start the OBS stream and check the YouTube preview before starting the public broadcast. Make sure the preview has both moving video and the expected audio.

OBS is the encoder in this setup; VLC does not independently send the video to YouTube. As YouTube puts it, “An encoder converts your video into a digital format to stream on YouTube.”

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Choose compatible encoding settings and test

YouTube’s published encoder guidance supports RTMP or RTMPS delivery, H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, and constant bitrate (CBR). It recommends a two-second keyframe interval, with an interval no longer than four seconds, and recommends RTMPS for encrypted delivery. Use settings compatible with your source video and available upload connection; a higher output setting does not improve a lower-resolution source.

  • Protocol: Use RTMPS where available for encrypted delivery.
  • Rate control: Use CBR, as specified in YouTube’s encoder guidance.
  • Keyframes: Set a two-second interval; do not exceed four seconds.
  • Video and audio formats: Choose a supported codec and confirm OBS and YouTube show a healthy connection.

Exact bitrate values depend on resolution, frame rate, codec, and connection. Use YouTube’s current encoder settings and bitrates guidance for the output format you select instead of guessing a number. Test representative motion and audio before the real broadcast, then monitor YouTube’s stream-health messages during the stream.

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Protect the stream from copyright interruptions

Only stream material you have the necessary rights to use. A video being available on YouTube does not mean you may rebroadcast it as your own live stream. YouTube scans live streams for third-party content; a match can replace the stream with a placeholder, interrupt it, or lead to termination if unresolved. Even when you have a license, the rights holder may need to add your channel to its Content ID allowlist.

YouTube’s live-stream terms say creators must have “all necessary rights for the exploitation of the Live Content on the Google Services throughout the world.” Check rights for both visuals and music, including ambient tracks, before scheduling a continuous broadcast. The platform’s live-stream terms and copyright guidance explain the relevant requirements.

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End the stream and handle the replay

If you want YouTube to archive the broadcast automatically, keep the stream under 12 hours. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; for a longer continuous relaxation stream, do not assume a complete replay will be available. After ending the broadcast, check the channel’s Live tab to confirm what was saved.

Troubleshoot common problems

  • VLC Video does not appear in OBS: Confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. In particular, 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC.
  • The video plays once and stops: Check that Loop Playlist is enabled for VLC Video or Loop is enabled for Media Source. Make sure the intended file is actually in the source’s media list.
  • The source restarts or pauses after switching scenes: Review the VLC Video visibility behavior. Set it to the desired stop/restart, pause/unpause, or always-play behavior.
  • YouTube does not receive the broadcast: Check the selected service or manually entered stream URL and key in OBS against the current values in YouTube Studio. If the key may have been exposed, reset it and replace the saved key.
  • YouTube preview is blank or silent: Confirm the source is visible in the active scene, playback is running, and the source audio is reaching OBS. Test with a short broadcast before relying on a long session.
  • The stream is interrupted after it starts: Check YouTube’s stream-health messages and investigate possible third-party content matches. A license may not prevent an interruption unless the rights holder has allowlisted the channel.
  • The replay is missing or incomplete: Check whether the broadcast exceeded YouTube’s 12-hour automatic-archive threshold, then inspect the Live tab.
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