To loop one video in OBS, add a Media Source and enable Loop. To loop a playlist, add a VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist; VLC must be installed. OBS Replay Buffer does neither: it saves recent output when you trigger its hotkey. For a long YouTube broadcast, configure OBS to stream, test the full scene and audio, monitor stream health, and keep a local recording because YouTube may not archive streams that exceed 12 hours.
Choose a looping source, not Replay Buffer
OBS has two features that can sound relevant to an always-on broadcast but do different jobs:
- Media Source: plays a selected local file. Its Loop option restarts playback when the file ends. OBS lists video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM, and audio formats including MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV. OBS Media Sources
- VLC Video: plays files from a playlist. Its Loop Playlist option repeats the playlist; VLC can also shuffle. This source requires VLC installed, and 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. OBS Media Sources
- Replay Buffer: saves a recent portion of OBS output when you press its assigned hotkey. It is for capturing recent content, not for making a media source repeat or keeping a stream online unattended. OBS Studio Overview
For one video, use Media Source. For several videos or a shuffled rotation, use VLC Video. If you want to capture recent output for later use, configure Replay Buffer separately; it is not a substitute for either looping source.
Set up a single video loop
- In OBS, select or create the scene that will carry the broadcast.
- In the Sources dock, click + and choose Media Source. Create a new source or select an existing one.
- In the source properties, select the local video file and enable Loop. Confirm the source is visible in the scene.
- Arrange the source order and add any intended background, overlays, text, or audio sources. OBS scenes combine sources into the output, so check their visibility and ordering before streaming. OBS Scenes and Sources
- Start the source and watch it through a complete playback cycle. Check that the ending-to-beginning transition, picture, and audio behave as intended.
Set up a playlist loop
- Install VLC. Match its architecture to OBS: use 64-bit VLC with 64-bit OBS. OBS Media Sources
- In OBS, open the target scene, click + in the Sources dock, and choose VLC Video.
- Add the files to the source playlist in the order you want them to play. Use shuffle if you want randomized playback rather than a fixed sequence.
- Enable Loop Playlist in the source settings if it is not already selected. OBS documents this option as enabled by default, but verify it in your own source properties.
- Preview enough of the playlist to confirm that each file plays, the sequence or shuffle behavior is right, and the playlist restarts without an unintended gap.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the live event and locate its stream URL and stream key.
- In OBS, open Settings and select Stream. Choose YouTube or the applicable YouTube service option, then enter the stream URL and key as required by the selected service setup. The exact screens can vary with OBS and YouTube interface updates.
- Treat the stream key as a password. YouTube describes it as the credential/address that lets an encoder send an accepted feed; do not publish or share it. YouTube: Set up your encoder for live streaming
- Set your encoder output and video settings to a resolution and frame rate your system and upload connection can sustain. In Live Control Room, preview the incoming feed before making it public.
- Check stream health while live, including picture, audio, and connection status. YouTube advises testing with representative movement and sound and monitoring the stream. YouTube live streaming tips
Choose encoder settings for your connection and content
There is no single bitrate that suits every stream. YouTube’s recommended H.264 bitrates vary by resolution and frame rate. Its current guidance lists 8 Mbps for 720p at 60 fps, 17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps, and 34 Mbps for 1440p at 60 fps. These are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular computer or upload line can sustain them. Check YouTube’s current table for your codec, resolution, and frame rate before setting OBS. YouTube live encoder settings
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YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Match the output to stable upload capacity rather than choosing a target only because it is higher. If the connection cannot reliably sustain the stream, lower the resolution, frame rate, or bitrate and test again. YouTube live encoder settings
OBS system requirements depend on the encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity; meeting a compatibility baseline does not establish that a machine can handle a particular continuous stream. OBS system requirements
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Use Replay Buffer only to save recent output
Replay Buffer is useful when you want to save a recent moment from the running OBS output. Enable it in the output settings, set a hotkey for saving the buffer, and use that hotkey when you want to retain the recent segment. Consult the current OBS interface for the available buffer settings; the buffer’s purpose remains capture, not looping or automatic broadcast recovery. OBS Studio Overview
OBS documents startup parameters such as --startreplaybuffer and --startstreaming. Those options start the named functions; they do not by themselves provide a complete unattended recovery system for a power loss, operating-system restart, OBS crash, YouTube interruption, or network outage. OBS Launch Parameters
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Plan the archive separately from the live feed
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. It recommends keeping a local archive backup. Do not rely on YouTube’s archive as the only copy of a genuinely continuous broadcast. YouTube: Archive live streams
If you record locally in OBS, verify that recording is enabled and that the destination has enough free space for the intended duration. Check that the file is growing during the test and can be played back afterward. Storage needs depend on the actual recording bitrate, duration, and available disk space; calculate them for your settings rather than assuming a particular drive capacity.
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Test before leaving a stream running
- Play the source through a full loop or playlist cycle and inspect transitions.
- Check representative dialogue, music, and other audio in the YouTube preview.
- Confirm OBS is sending the intended resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, and keyframe interval.
- Watch YouTube stream health and revise settings if the upload connection is unstable.
- If recording locally, confirm the file grows and that a test recording plays back correctly.
- Consider what you will do if power, the computer, OBS, or the internet fails; looping content alone does not solve those interruptions.
Troubleshoot common problems
The video plays once and stops
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist source, check Loop Playlist instead. These are separate source settings.
OBS does not show VLC Video or the playlist will not work
Install VLC and ensure its architecture matches OBS. A 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC. Then reopen or recreate the VLC Video source and verify that the files are listed.
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The YouTube preview has no picture or sound
Confirm the intended source is visible in the scene, its ordering does not cover or hide it, and its audio is not muted. Preview the stream in Live Control Room and check the source and encoder output before going live.
The stream is unstable or reports poor health
Compare the configured bitrate with YouTube’s current recommendation for the selected codec, resolution, and frame rate, then reduce output demands if the upload cannot sustain them. Check the two-second keyframe recommendation and keep the interval at or below four seconds. Test with representative movement and audio rather than judging only from a static screen.
The broadcast ends after a restart or interruption
Neither a looping source nor Replay Buffer guarantees restart after a crash, power loss, network outage, or YouTube drop. OBS launch parameters can start streaming or Replay Buffer, but they are not a full recovery plan. Identify how the computer, encoder, and connection will be restored before treating a local setup as unattended.
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