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How to Use a YouTube Live Loop Stream With a Scheduled Event

Loop a prerecorded video in OBS and send it to a scheduled YouTube Live event. Follow the setup, start-time checks, encoder settings, and troubleshooting steps.

By VGSources Team 5 min read
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To loop a prerecorded video during a scheduled YouTube Live event, turn on looping in OBS, schedule the broadcast separately in YouTube Studio, and connect OBS to that event with its stream key. At the scheduled time, start OBS and check the Live Control Room preview; if auto-start is off, click Go live. Scheduling the event does not start OBS or make the video loop by itself.

How the scheduled event and loop fit together

YouTube Studio creates the upcoming broadcast and its watch page, where viewers can opt into a notification. OBS sends the video and audio feed to that broadcast. The loop is a playback setting in OBS, not a YouTube scheduling setting. Google’s documentation also treats a broadcast and its incoming stream as separate resources: YouTube Live broadcasts.

The computer running OBS must remain on and connected while it sends the stream. Enabling Loop repeats the source while it is active; it does not schedule OBS to launch or run unattended.

Set up a video loop in OBS

Loop one video

  1. Open or create an OBS scene.
  2. In the Sources panel, select + and add a Media Source.
  3. Choose the local video file and enable Loop in the source properties. Loop is off by default.
  4. Confirm the video appears in the scene, fits the canvas as intended, and its audio is routed and audible in the OBS mixer.

OBS Media Source supports common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, and WebM, and is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. See OBS Media Sources.

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Loop a playlist

For a sequence of videos, add an OBS VLC Video source and select the files for the playlist. Its loop-playlist and shuffle controls let you repeat the sequence in order or vary playback. VLC must be installed for this source to be available. See OBS Media Sources.

Schedule the YouTube Live event

  1. In YouTube Studio, select Create, then Go Live.
  2. Open Manage and choose Schedule Stream.
  3. Create a new stream or reuse settings from an earlier one. Set the title, description, visibility, scheduled time, and other metadata for this event.
  4. Review the event’s auto-start and auto-stop settings. Reusing settings can copy metadata, settings, and the stream key, so check that the new event has the controls you intend.

Scheduling makes the broadcast appear as upcoming; it does not supply the video feed. YouTube’s workflow is documented in its encoder streaming guide and Live Control Room settings guide.

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Connect OBS to the scheduled event

  1. In OBS, open Settings > Stream. Choose YouTube if it is offered and complete the connection flow.
  2. If connecting by stream details, copy the scheduled event’s server URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room into the corresponding encoder settings. Make sure you use the details for the event you scheduled.
  3. Treat the stream key as a password. YouTube describes stream keys as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” Do not share or publish it. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and update OBS.

See YouTube’s encoder streaming guide and stream key settings.

Choose how the event starts and ends

Control approach What happens What to check
Manual Start OBS to send the feed, inspect the Live Control Room preview, then click Go live. At the end, use End Stream and stop sending content from OBS. Confirm the preview shows the right video and audio before making the scheduled event live.
Auto-start and auto-stop The encoder’s start and stop actions can control when the broadcast goes live and ends. Verify the settings on this particular scheduled event. Do not assume they match an earlier stream’s settings.

YouTube’s encoder guide explains the preview and Go live flow; its settings guide describes auto-start and auto-stop.

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Set encoder quality for the source and connection

Choose OBS output settings based on the source video, encoder, and available upload connection. YouTube publishes recommended encoder settings by codec, resolution, and frame rate; there is no single bitrate that is right for every loop stream. Match the output to what the source can provide, and test representative motion and audio. Use YouTube’s current encoder settings recommendations as the reference for the resolution and frame rate you select. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport.

During a test, watch YouTube’s stream health and verify the picture and sound, rather than relying only on OBS showing that it is connected.

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Test before the scheduled time

  • Prepare the encoder at least two hours before the event.
  • Start sending the stream at least 15 minutes before the event so you can check the preview and fix problems.
  • Verify viewers can reach the scheduled stream from the channel and watch page, and check access on a phone.
  • Monitor the Live Control Room’s stream health, picture, and audio.

These are YouTube’s operational recommendations in its live streaming tips; they are preparation intervals, not a guarantee that a connection will work.

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Finish the stream and understand the archive limit

For manual control, click End Stream in Live Control Room, then stop OBS from sending the feed. If auto-stop is enabled, follow the event’s configured behavior and confirm the broadcast has ended. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume the same automatic archiving applies to a stream that runs longer than 12 hours. See the encoder guide.

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Rights and channel policy still apply

Looping a file technically does not give you permission to rebroadcast its video or soundtrack. Use material you own or are licensed to stream, and check that the license covers a live broadcast and any music included. A scheduled event and an encoder connection do not establish that content is cleared for use.

Troubleshoot common problems

  • The scheduled page is upcoming, but viewers see no live feed: Start OBS and confirm it is sending to the correct scheduled event. With auto-start disabled, inspect the preview and click Go live.
  • The preview does not appear: Check that OBS is connected, the stream URL and key belong to this event, and the media source is active. If the key may be compromised, reset it in Live Control Room and replace it in OBS.
  • The event starts, but the video does not repeat: Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. The source must remain active for looping to continue.
  • A playlist source is unavailable: Install VLC, then add the VLC Video source and choose the playlist files.
  • Viewers report missing or distorted audio/video: Check the OBS mixer and source routing, compare output settings with YouTube’s encoder recommendations, and monitor stream health with representative content.
  • The event does not stop when expected: Check whether auto-stop is enabled for that scheduled event. If using manual controls, end the broadcast in Live Control Room and stop OBS’s feed.
  • The archive is missing after a long event: YouTube’s stated automatic archive coverage is for streams under 12 hours; longer streams are not covered by that statement.

Or let it run in the cloud

If you want a YouTube channel to keep looping uploaded videos without leaving a home computer on, StreamNeo is a cloud option. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It keeps the uploaded video running from the cloud, not from a camera. There is no computer or home connection to keep on; videos stream as uploaded up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. To start the free day, create a StreamNeo account.

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