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To loop a folder of MP4 files on YouTube Live, use OBS Studio’s VLC Video source: add the files to its playlist, enable Loop Playlist, then send OBS’s output to a stream created in YouTube Studio. VLC is required for this playlist source. For a single MP4, OBS’s built-in Media Source with Loop enabled is simpler.
What you need before setup
- OBS Studio to play the files and send the video feed to YouTube.
- VLC media player installed for OBS’s VLC Video playlist source. OBS documents that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC; match the software architectures.
- Your MP4 files, stored where OBS can access them.
- A YouTube channel eligible to stream live. First-time live streaming may take up to 24 hours to become enabled, so set up the stream before the planned broadcast.
- An internet connection with enough sustained upload capacity for your selected video bitrate.
OBS is the local encoder: it plays the files and pushes the video feed. YouTube provides the live destination. The computer running OBS and the network connection must remain available while you broadcast.
Set up a playlist of MP4 files in OBS
- Install OBS Studio and VLC. Install versions with matching architectures. If VLC Video does not appear among OBS’s available sources, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- Choose a scene. In OBS, select an existing scene or create one for the stream. The scene determines what appears in the broadcast; add the playlist source to the scene you intend to use.
- Add a VLC Video source. In the scene’s Sources area, add VLC Video and open its properties.
- Add the MP4 files to the playlist. Use the playlist controls in the source properties to add the files you want to play. Arrange them in the order you want viewers to see them.
- Enable Loop Playlist. Check the loop setting so playback starts again after OBS reaches the end of the list. OBS documents that looping is on by default and shuffle is off by default, but verify both settings if playback order matters.
- Check the scene layout and audio. Confirm the video fits the canvas as intended, and that the source’s audio is audible in OBS. A successful playlist setup does not by itself confirm that the stream’s final picture or sound is correct.
For a single MP4 instead
Add a Media Source to the scene, select the local MP4, and enable Loop in its properties. OBS lists MP4 as supported for Media Source; the Loop property makes the file play again when playback ends. This is the simpler option when you do not need a multi-file playlist.
Create the YouTube Live stream and connect OBS
- Open YouTube Studio → Create → Go Live. This takes you to Live Control Room. Create a stream or select the stream you will use. For a scheduled broadcast, schedule it in YouTube so it can be promoted and ready for the intended time.
- Choose the audience visibility. YouTube offers private, unlisted, and public visibility. Use private or unlisted for a test if you do not want an open public audience.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room. In OBS, open the stream settings and enter the server URL and stream key supplied by YouTube. Treat the key as a credential: YouTube describes it as like the stream’s password and address. Do not publish or share it. If it is compromised, reset it in Live Control Room.
- Set OBS output settings. YouTube recommends RTMPS. Its current guidance for RTMP/RTMPS lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 video options; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); up to 60 fps; and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that must not exceed four seconds. Select the codec and bitrate using YouTube’s current resolution and frame-rate table rather than assuming one bitrate fits every setup.
- Start the OBS stream and check the preview. Wait for the feed to appear in Live Control Room. Check picture, framing, audio, and that the playlist is playing in the expected order. Review YouTube’s stream-health indicators before making the broadcast public.
- Go live when the preview is ready. For a scheduled broadcast, click Go live in Live Control Room after the preview check. Monitor stream health and audio/video while the broadcast is running.
YouTube’s published H.264 guidance, current in 2026, gives examples of 5 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 8 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps. These are examples from YouTube’s table, not universal settings for every codec or source. Choose the matching entry in the current official table and check that your upload connection can sustain it. A speed test and a private or unlisted trial with representative motion and audio can help reveal problems before a public stream.
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End the stream and plan for the archive
When you are finished, click End Stream in Live Control Room for a scheduled stream, then stop sending content from OBS. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Its guidance does not promise automatic archiving for streams longer than that, so keep the original MP4 files independently if you need a reliable copy of a long-running broadcast.
Check copyright and monetization before looping
A playlist can work technically without making its contents suitable to broadcast or monetize. Make sure you have the rights or permissions needed for every video and audio track. YouTube’s monetization policy applies to live videos as well as other content. Its policy page says the July 15, 2025 update clarified that repetitive or mass-produced material is covered by the renamed “inauthentic content” policy; it also says the reused-content policy did not change. A loop is not a guarantee of monetization, and repetitive streams may be ineligible. Review YouTube’s current policy before relying on monetization.
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Common problems and fixes
VLC Video is missing from OBS sources
Install VLC and make sure it matches OBS’s architecture; OBS specifies 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. Restart OBS after installing VLC and check the source list again.
The playlist stops after the last file
Open the VLC Video source properties and verify Loop Playlist is enabled. If you expected a specific order, also check that shuffle is off and the files are arranged correctly.
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A single file does not restart
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. That control applies to the single-file source, not the VLC Video playlist setting.
YouTube does not show a preview
Confirm OBS is using the stream URL and key from the intended YouTube stream, that OBS has started sending, and that the key has not been reset or mistyped. Check the Live Control Room status and stream-health information. If you are streaming for the first time, allow for YouTube’s activation period, which may take up to 24 hours.
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The stream buffers or reports poor health
Check that the selected bitrate matches YouTube’s guidance for the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate, and that the upload connection can sustain it. If the connection is unstable, test at a lower supported output setting and recheck stream health before going public.
Viewers cannot hear the video
Check that the MP4 has an audio track, that the source audio is active in OBS, and that the stream preview contains sound. Monitor the actual output rather than assuming that visible playback means audio is reaching YouTube.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a computer and home connection to remain on, StreamNeo is a cloud option for keeping an uploaded-video playlist live on YouTube. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded videos from the cloud; it does not stream from a camera.
- Nothing has to stay running at home.
- One flat price per slot for any quality up to 4K 60fps, streamed as uploaded without re-encoding or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card; one free day per account.
- Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, looping and playlists, and StreamNeo team support. The product is the same on every plan; only the billing length changes.
Monthly: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for service details and pricing. Copyright safety checklist, upload-time calculator, and cloud vs PC cost calculator are available as free tools.
Quick Recap
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