If you want to loop a gaming VOD from a Windows PC into YouTube Live, use OBS Studio: its Media Source can repeat one local video, while VLC Video can cycle a playlist. These are playback controls on sources inside OBS, not settings in YouTube’s player or Live Control Room.
For a single file, Media Source is the simpler route and does not require VLC. Choose VLC Video when you need several VODs to play in sequence and repeat; VLC is a separate installation, and its architecture must match OBS. In either case, OBS sends the composed scene to YouTube as an encoder stream.
Choose OBS for local VOD looping
OBS Studio is the direct free software choice for this job on Windows. It combines local video playback, a preview of the scene you are composing, and the encoder connection used to send that scene to YouTube Live. For a prerecorded gaming video, the key decision is whether the scene needs to repeat one file or move through a playlist.
Use Media Source for one VOD. It has a Loop control, which is off by default. Turn it on and OBS repeats that video within the scene. You do not need VLC for this method. If the VOD is a single long playthrough, a match recording, or a tutorial that should begin again after it ends, this is the least complicated arrangement.
Use VLC Video if you want OBS to play a sequence of files, such as several matches or a set of game guides. You add those files to the source’s playlist and enable Loop Playlist. That control repeats the playlist after it reaches the end. VLC must already be installed for the source to appear in OBS.
| What you want to play | OBS source | Repeat control | Extra installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| One local VOD | Media Source | Loop | None beyond OBS |
| Several local VODs in sequence | VLC Video | Loop Playlist | VLC, matching OBS architecture |
This distinction matters because a YouTube live stream is not a video uploaded for viewers to restart themselves. OBS plays and repeats the source locally, then encodes the scene as a live broadcast. YouTube receives that broadcast; it does not control how OBS’s file or playlist repeats. The OBS Media Sources guide documents both source types and their loop controls.
If the actual requirement is to broadcast one file continuously without leaving a Windows machine running, local OBS is not the only kind of workflow to consider. A local setup leaves playback and encoding on your PC; for a file-based broadcast run from the cloud instead, StreamNeo removes the need to leave that computer on by taking an uploaded file and a YouTube stream key. For the OBS route described here, however, the PC remains part of the broadcast chain.
Install OBS and, for playlists, VLC
Download OBS Studio from the official OBS site rather than an unofficial download mirror. OBS describes the software as free and open source, without a watermark or commercial-use restriction, and says its official download does not bundle adware. Check the download page for the Windows installer that matches the architecture you intend to use.
Install VLC separately only if you plan to use VLC Video. VLC is not built into OBS, and installing OBS alone will not make that source available. The OBS documentation says the VLC Video source uses VLC libraries for extended media support and will appear only when VLC is installed. It also specifies that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. If you are using 32-bit OBS, choose the corresponding VLC architecture.
After installation, open OBS and make a scene for the broadcast. A scene is the layout OBS will encode: it might contain only the VOD, or the VOD plus a small logo, title, or other graphic. Start with only the video source and add other elements later. A simpler scene is easier to check when you are diagnosing a black preview, missing audio, or a source that has stopped advancing.
For a single file, use the Sources panel’s add control and choose Media Source. Give it a recognisable name, such as “Main VOD”, then select the local file. For a playlist, install VLC first, add a VLC Video source, and populate its playlist with the files you want to broadcast. The names in your scene and playlist should make sense to you at a glance, especially if you will return to the setup after a long gap.
YouTube’s encoder connection is separate from these installations. You do not need a capture card merely to play a local video file through OBS: the VOD is already on the computer, and OBS can put it into the scene. A capture card is for bringing an external video signal into the computer, which is a different task.
Loop one VOD with a Media Source
For one video, add a Media Source and select the file on your Windows computer. In the source properties, enable Loop. Because it is off by default, do not assume that selecting a file makes it repeat. Check the box explicitly, apply the settings, and look at the preview to confirm that the file is playing.
The loop setting applies to that source’s local playback. When the video reaches its end, OBS starts the same file again. If the source sits inside a scene with a title card or a logo, those other scene elements remain as configured while the video repeats. A small transition or pause at the file boundary may be visible or audible depending on the file and playback behaviour; inspect the actual preview rather than assuming that the repeat will feel seamless.
Check the source’s audio along with its picture. Confirm that the audio meter responds during playback, then listen at a sensible level through headphones or speakers. A VOD can appear to play normally while its audio is muted, routed unexpectedly, or simply too quiet for the intended broadcast. If you include desktop audio as well as the Media Source’s audio, check that you are not sending the same sound twice.
A single-file loop is usually the right choice when you want the same playthrough to repeat without an editorial break. It is not a playlist: adding another Media Source does not automatically mean OBS will rotate between the files. For a sequence, use VLC Video and its playlist control instead. The separate guide on streaming prerecorded files with subtitles is useful if your broadcast also needs readable captions rather than just a repeating picture.
Keep the source file where OBS can find it. If you move or rename it after configuring the scene, the source may no longer point to the intended file. Before starting a long broadcast, restart OBS or reopen the scene and confirm that the selected path still works. This simple check catches a missing-file problem before you connect to YouTube.
Cycle multiple files with VLC Video
For several VODs, add a VLC Video source after installing VLC. Use the source’s playlist controls to add the local files in the order you want them played, then enable Loop Playlist. This repeats the sequence when the last playlist item finishes; it is distinct from repeating each individual video. The exact controls are in the VLC Video source properties, not in YouTube.
Think through the desired sequence before you add files. For example, a channel that wants to show three match recordings in order should put them in that order in the playlist and use Loop Playlist to begin again from the first item after the final one. If the intention is to repeat each match before moving to the next, confirm the source’s available playback behaviour rather than assuming the playlist repeat control does that. The documented control is for the playlist as a whole.
Check that the playlist entries point to files that still exist and that they play in the preview. If you add files from removable storage, remember that the drive must remain connected and retain its expected path while OBS is using it. For a broadcast you want to leave running, local storage is generally easier to keep available than a drive that might be unplugged.
A playlist gives you variety without changing scenes at each file boundary, but it adds another dependency and another place to check. If VLC is missing, mismatched in architecture, or not detected, the VLC Video source will not be available. If you only have one VOD, installing VLC adds no benefit to the documented Media Source method. For more on organising recorded material into a continuous YouTube broadcast, see how to stream recorded educational videos around the clock; the same distinction between local playback and the live encoder is useful even when the content is gaming footage.
Check supported formats and bitness
OBS documents local video support for formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, and WebM. That list is useful when choosing a source file, but a file extension alone is not proof that every particular file will play correctly. A container can hold different video and audio encodings, and a damaged, unusual, or incomplete file may behave differently from a straightforward export.
If a file fails to play, first check that it opens in a normal desktop player and that the intended audio is present. Then confirm that the path in the OBS source is current. If using VLC Video, verify VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS. These checks help separate a missing path or missing VLC dependency from a problem with the file itself. Do not assume an unsupported file will become usable merely by choosing the VLC Video source; the research and documentation do not guarantee that.
Use a short test before preparing a long broadcast. Scrub or wait through a section near the end of the video if practical, confirm the ending behaves as expected, and verify that the loop returns to the start. For a playlist, check the transition between items and the transition from the last item back to the first. This is not a claim that every file needs conversion; it is a way to catch the particular playback issue that would otherwise repeat throughout the stream.
OBS and VLC bitness is a separate question from media format. The documented requirement is that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC for the VLC Video source. Do not spend time changing codecs if the VLC source is absent and the architecture is mismatched. Conversely, if the source appears but a file does not play, a matching installation by itself does not prove that the file format or encoding is supported.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
Once the scene plays correctly in OBS, set up a live stream in YouTube’s Live Control Room using the encoder workflow. YouTube provides the stream configuration for the connection; follow the current instructions in its guide to creating a live stream with an encoder. Enter the stream details in OBS as directed by YouTube, and keep the stream key private. It is a credential that allows an encoder to send a broadcast to the channel.
Before going live, confirm the correct scene is selected and that the OBS preview shows the intended file. Check picture, audio, and the source’s repeat behaviour locally. Then start the encoder connection and confirm the stream appears as expected in YouTube’s Live Control Room before making it public or starting the scheduled broadcast. The YouTube live-streaming overview explains channel access and the broader live workflow.
If this is your first time enabling live streaming on the channel, YouTube says activation may take up to 24 hours. Do not leave that check until the planned start time. You also need to check current channel eligibility and the platform’s rules: YouTube says live streams must follow its Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, and restrictions can affect access to live streaming. The guides above are the place to confirm current requirements; a working OBS preview does not establish channel eligibility or content rights.
A local loop is only one part of a continuous broadcast. Your PC must stay on, OBS must remain open, the file must remain accessible, and the internet connection must continue carrying the encoder output. OBS can send its scene, but this setup does not remove the need to monitor the broadcast or prepare for a computer, connection, or software interruption. For practical connection checks, use the dropped-frames troubleshooting guide, and consider whether a local Windows workflow is suitable for the length of time you intend to run it.
Use VODs you have the right to rebroadcast. A gaming recording may include game audio, licensed music, voice chat, or other material with separate rights or platform terms. This setup explains how to loop a file; it does not determine whether a particular recording is permitted for your channel. Check the relevant rights and current YouTube policy for the material you plan to show.
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FAQ
Is OBS’s loop setting in YouTube?
No. Loop and Loop Playlist are source controls in OBS, so they affect how OBS plays local media before encoding the scene. YouTube receives the live output; its playback controls do not make an OBS source repeat.
Do I need VLC to repeat one VOD?
No. Add a Media Source in OBS, select the file, and enable Loop. VLC is needed for the VLC Video playlist route, not for the single-file Media Source method.
Why can’t I see VLC Video in OBS?
The VLC Video source depends on VLC being installed, and OBS documents that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Check that VLC is installed with matching architecture, then reopen OBS and look for the source again.
Can I leave the Windows PC off while OBS loops the VOD?
No. In this workflow, the Windows computer runs OBS and supplies the live encoder output, so it needs to stay on and connected while the stream runs. If you want a file-based broadcast that does not depend on your own computer staying on, consider a cloud-based workflow instead.