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VGSources
Browser Source

OBS Browser Source Settings for a Persistent YouTube Loop Stream Overlay

Leave OBS's browser-source shutdown and scene-refresh options off to keep an overlay loaded; use Media Source Loop to replay a local video.

By VGSources Team 3 min read
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To keep an OBS Browser Source from reloading when you switch scenes, leave Refresh browser source when scene becomes active off. To keep it loaded while hidden or while its scene is inactive, leave Shutdown source when not visible off. These settings apply to a webpage or overlay; to loop a local video file, use a separate Media Source and enable Loop.

Keep a Browser Source loaded across scene changes

In OBS, select the scene containing the browser overlay, right-click the Browser Source in the Sources dock, and choose Properties. Leave these lifecycle options off:

  • Shutdown source when not visible: When enabled, OBS unloads the webpage while the source is hidden or its scene is not active. Leave it off if the page should remain loaded in those circumstances.
  • Refresh browser source when scene becomes active: When enabled, OBS reloads the page upon scene activation. Leave it off to avoid a reload on scene switches.

Both controls default to off. If the page becomes stale and you need to reload it yourself, use Refresh cache of current page in the Browser Source properties. OBS documents Browser Source as a webpage source with a URL or local-file option, viewport width and height, custom frame rate, and CSS; its width and height set the browser viewport, not the resolution of the YouTube stream.

Loop a local video separately

A Browser Source displays a webpage or overlay; it is not the setting for replaying a local video file. Add a Media Source for the file instead:

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  1. In the scene, use Sources > + > Media Source.
  2. Select the local video file in the Media Source properties.
  3. Enable Loop. It is off by default; when enabled, the file plays again after reaching the end.

Media Source also has separate playback options: Restart playback when source becomes active defaults on, and Close file when inactive defaults off. Choose these based on whether the file should restart on scene activation or remain open while inactive. They do not change the Browser Source lifecycle settings.

Set up the YouTube stream independently

OBS stream setup, scene layout, and source playback are separate parts of the workflow. Configure the stream destination and key in OBS, then arrange the Browser Source and Media Source in the scene as needed. Keep your stream key private.

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Browser Source dimensions describe its webpage viewport; set the stream’s output resolution and frame rate separately. YouTube’s live encoder guidance recommends CBR and provides settings by resolution and frame rate, so check its current recommendations for your intended output rather than treating the browser viewport size as encoder output settings. YouTube transcodes live streams into different output formats for viewers using different devices and network conditions.

These OBS options govern source loading and local playback. They do not guarantee that YouTube will keep a broadcast live indefinitely; check the stream’s availability and any applicable limits in YouTube Live Control Room.

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Troubleshoot a source that refreshes or stops

  • The overlay reloads on a scene switch: Open the Browser Source properties and turn off Refresh browser source when scene becomes active.
  • The overlay unloads when hidden or its scene is inactive: Turn off Shutdown source when not visible.
  • The webpage appears stale: Use Refresh cache of current page for a manual refresh. This is different from automatically refreshing every time the scene becomes active.
  • The local video stops at the end: Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. Check that you added a Media Source for the local file rather than expecting a Browser Source setting to loop it.
  • The video restarts when its scene activates: Check Restart playback when source becomes active. That control is separate from looping.
  • The stream ends even though the sources behave as expected: Source settings alone cannot ensure an indefinite YouTube broadcast. Check OBS’s stream connection and YouTube Live Control Room, and verify encoder settings against YouTube’s current guidance.
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