Yes. One MP4 can provide the repeated sleep-sounds content for a 24/7 YouTube Live broadcast, provided encoder software plays it and sends the resulting feed to YouTube.
The distinction matters: the file supplies the programme, while the encoder, computer or playout service, power and internet connection keep the broadcast going. A loop setting restarts playback when the file ends; it does not guarantee uninterrupted delivery.
One file can supply the repeated programme
A sleep-sounds stream does not need a different video for every hour. You can use a single MP4 as the source and have encoder software play it again from the beginning when it reaches the end. OBS Studio’s Media Source supports MP4 files and includes a Loop setting. YouTube accepts live feeds sent through an encoder. See OBS’s Media Sources guide and YouTube’s encoder setup guidance for the relevant workflow.
That does not mean the MP4 itself is a livestream. It is a media file on its own, not a connection to YouTube. An encoder reads the file, produces a live output and sends that output to YouTube using the stream details for your broadcast. If the encoder stops, the file can still exist and loop locally, but viewers will no longer receive the live feed.
For example, suppose your MP4 contains a quiet night-time scene with rain audio. OBS can repeat that source after the final frame, while the encoder continues sending video and audio to your YouTube event. If you close OBS or lose the connection, the programme source has not changed; the transmission has stopped. This is why “Can I loop one video on YouTube Live?” has two answers: yes for the content, but the loop alone is not the whole broadcast system.
Before choosing one file, check its ending against its beginning. A visible jump, a brief silence or an abrupt change in rain or room tone may become noticeable every time the loop repeats. Some sleep-sounds videos have a static image and a long audio bed; others have slowly moving visuals. In either case, the seam between the last and first moments deserves attention, especially if you plan to leave the channel live through the night.
One file is simplest when the intended programme is deliberately consistent. It also means that a mistake, unwanted pause or rights issue in that file will repeat. If you want variety, a playlist or a folder of clips may suit you better, although that adds another source-management question. For a single-file setup, keep a clean master copy and test the actual file you intend to broadcast rather than assuming a similar export will behave the same way.
Add the MP4 as an OBS Media Source
In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene that will be sent to YouTube. Select the MP4 file from the computer, then confirm that OBS is displaying the intended picture and producing audio. If the scene includes other elements, such as a channel logo or a simple background, arrange them without obscuring the programme or making the scene harder to monitor.
The Media Source is the part that reads and plays the file. The scene is the composition OBS sends onwards. That separation is useful when troubleshooting: a black preview could mean the source path is wrong or the file has not loaded, while a visible picture with no sound points you towards audio routing or the file’s audio track. Check the OBS audio mixer as well as the preview; seeing a moving meter is a useful indication that OBS is receiving audio, though it does not by itself confirm what YouTube viewers hear.
Keep the MP4 in a stable location. If the source points to a removable drive that is unplugged, a folder that is renamed, or a file that is replaced, OBS may no longer be able to play the intended content. For a local computer, use a drive that will remain connected and avoid moving the file after configuring the source. If you make an updated export, confirm which version the source references before going live.
A practical first check is to start playback in OBS and listen on the computer, then inspect the audio meters. Use headphones or speakers at a reasonable level so you can notice unexpected narration, a sharp sound or silence. Sleep content is often quiet by design, so a meter that barely moves may be normal; what matters is that the signal is present and the level is appropriate for your intended programme. Do not rely only on the file’s existence or on a thumbnail preview.
If you prefer to build a playlist rather than repeat one file, the setup differs: you would manage multiple items and their order, not just one source. The guide to streaming a VLC playlist to YouTube Live from a Raspberry Pi discusses a different playback route. For a one-MP4 workflow, OBS Media Source keeps the core arrangement easier to inspect.
Enable Loop and check the transition
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. OBS will restart playback when the source reaches its end. Before using the scene for a long broadcast, test enough of the file to see how it starts and ends, and observe the transition back to the beginning. A loop is a playback instruction, not a proof that the outgoing live feed will stay connected.
For an audio-led programme, listen across the boundary rather than checking only the first few seconds. Does the rain bed stop briefly? Does a wave crash begin at full volume after a quiet ending? Does the final visual fade to black and then flash back to the opening frame? A seam may be acceptable for a deliberately repetitive ambience track, but it should be a choice rather than a surprise. You can adjust the edit or export if needed, then test the revised file in OBS.
Check how the source behaves after a manual stop and restart, too. If you need to recover the broadcast later, you should know whether the source resumes from its beginning or another position, and whether audio returns as expected. Do not assume the behaviour of one OBS version or one file format applies to every device. Test the actual scene and file combination you will use.
The loop can also be too short to feel natural. A brief recording that repeats frequently may make a small bird call, thunder roll or musical phrase conspicuous. A longer recording can make repetitions less obvious, but file duration does not solve transmission failures or guarantee that the YouTube archive will contain the whole programme. Choose a duration and edit that suit the material, then treat broadcast continuity and recording as separate operational tasks.
For a focused preflight, test a nature-sounds loop before going live on YouTube. The specific sounds may differ from a sleep stream, but the useful idea is the same: inspect the transition and listen to the outgoing result rather than trusting a checkbox. If your file is a folder of alternatives instead of one MP4, the guide to looping a video folder in random order in OBS covers that different arrangement.
Connect the encoder feed to YouTube Live
Once the scene plays correctly, create or prepare a YouTube Live event and connect OBS as the encoder. YouTube provides a stream URL and a stream key for the connection. Enter them in the encoder’s streaming settings, taking care not to expose the key in a screenshot, public post or shared document. Treat it like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your channel.
YouTube’s live encoder documentation describes the setup and recommends RTMPS for encrypted transmission. Follow the current instructions shown for your account and event, rather than copying connection details from an old tutorial. The encoder output is what YouTube receives; it is not simply a copy of the MP4 file being uploaded. OBS reads the source, encodes the outgoing feed and sends it over your connection.
For settings, use YouTube’s current encoder settings guidance. The research desk’s checked guidance lists H.264, H.265 and AV1 video options, AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. These are settings for the outgoing encoder feed. They do not dictate the codec inside your MP4 source, because OBS can produce a different output from the file it is reading.
Choose an output quality that your upload connection can sustain consistently, not merely one that looks good during a short test. A connection that struggles may show dropped frames or an unstable feed even while the MP4 continues playing on the computer. YouTube’s live-streaming tips recommend testing and monitoring stream health. Watch for warnings in the live control room and in OBS, and be prepared to lower output demands or address the connection if the feed is not stable.
A local OBS setup has practical dependencies. The computer has to remain on, OBS must stay open and functional, power must remain available, and the internet connection must keep carrying the feed. A Windows update, a computer restart, a router fault or a software failure can interrupt transmission. If you are deciding whether an always-on local machine is realistic, the article on keeping OBS streaming overnight on a Windows PC in India explores that kind of operating constraint.
A cloud playout service is another category: YouTube’s encoder guidance recognises prerecorded-video playout as an available workflow. It can remove the need to leave your own computer running for the broadcast, but you still need to choose a service, prepare the source and verify the channel connection and output. StreamNeo is relevant when the specific pain is leaving a personal computer on overnight: you upload the video, connect your YouTube stream key, and the broadcast can continue with your computer off, with monitoring and restart handling if the feed drops.
Check that your channel can go live
Before troubleshooting OBS, confirm that the YouTube channel is eligible for live streaming. YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility instructions say that a channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours, so do not leave activation until the evening you want the sleep channel to begin.
Check the live feature status while you have time to resolve an account prompt or wait for activation. A working file and a correctly configured encoder cannot bypass a channel-level restriction. If the account cannot create a live event or connect to streaming, follow the current official guidance rather than changing random OBS settings. A failed eligibility check is not evidence that the MP4 is unsuitable.
Also confirm that the event is set up for the right destination and visibility. Review the title, description, thumbnail and audience settings in YouTube Studio before starting the feed. A private test can help you check picture and sound without presenting the production broadcast as ready for viewers. When the feed is behaving as intended, use the event settings appropriate to your audience and schedule.
Test delivery before you rely on it
A test is more than pressing Start Streaming and seeing a green indicator. Open the YouTube viewing page on another device or in a separate browser session and confirm that the picture and sound arrive there. The local OBS preview shows what the encoder is composing; the viewer-side check confirms that the feed has reached YouTube and is playable outside the encoder window.
Listen for the things that are easy to miss when watching a still scene: a low-level hum, a sudden jump in volume at the loop boundary, the sound disappearing while video continues, or a channel playing the wrong audio track. Check that the image is framed as intended and that the YouTube event is showing the correct content. If you notice a fault, stop and fix it before treating the setup as ready for an overnight broadcast.
Then check the operational side. Can the computer stay powered and connected where it will run? Will it sleep, restart or install updates at an inconvenient time? Is the network connection reliable in the room where the machine sits? If you use local OBS, identify how you will notice a dropped connection and how you will restart the encoder. Monitoring only by leaving a browser page open is not the same as a recovery plan.
YouTube recommends testing and watching stream health, but no test establishes that a configuration will run without interruption indefinitely. A short successful session can reveal setup mistakes; it cannot rule out a later power cut, network outage or software failure. For a 24/7 channel, decide what happens when the feed stops, who will notice, and whether you can restart it promptly. If you cannot keep a machine and connection available, compare local playback with a managed playout approach before building your schedule around a home computer.
There is also a separate issue if you expect YouTube to save a replay. YouTube warns that a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all, and says streams under that duration can be automatically archived. For a continuous 24/7 broadcast, do not rely on the platform replay as your only recording. If an archive matters, record locally and verify the recording, or end and restart separate broadcasts comfortably below the threshold, understanding that this interrupts the continuous live event and can create multiple entries. See YouTube’s archive guidance.
Viewers may also find that DVR rewind is limited or unavailable on streams longer than 12 hours, according to YouTube’s DVR guidance. So a viewer may not be able to rewind through the entire overnight broadcast or use pause and resume as if the stream were a normal on-demand video. If rewind is important to your audience, explain what the channel offers and plan separate recordings rather than promising that a long live stream will behave like a saved video.
Finally, check rights for every sound and visual in the MP4. YouTube scans live streams for matches to third-party content, and a broadcast can be interrupted if matching material remains after a warning. A licence for a track should be checked for live use, relevant territories and any archive or replay use; the fact that a track plays inside an MP4 does not establish permission for the broadcast. Read YouTube’s copyright guidance for live streams and current livestream terms, and resolve questions with the rights holder or an appropriate adviser.
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FAQ
Can I livestream a prerecorded video 24/7?
Yes, if encoder software or a playout service plays the prerecorded file and sends a live feed to YouTube. The file does not transmit itself, and uninterrupted delivery depends on the encoder environment and connection remaining operational.
Does the OBS Loop checkbox keep the broadcast online?
No. Loop tells the Media Source to start the file again when playback ends. It does not prevent OBS from stopping, a computer from restarting, or an internet connection from failing.
Will YouTube save a 24-hour livestream?
Do not rely on it. YouTube warns that streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all, so make and verify a separate recording if keeping the programme matters.
Can viewers rewind a 24/7 livestream?
Not necessarily across the full broadcast. YouTube says DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours, so do not promise that viewers can rewind or pause through the whole stream.