Yes, OBS can play a ProRes file when the specific file is decodable by the Media Source or VLC Video source in your installed OBS build. For a playlist, use VLC Video and enable Loop Playlist; OBS then encodes the scene into a format supported for YouTube Live ingest.
That distinction matters: ProRes may be the codec inside your local source file, but YouTube's documented RTMP/RTMPS ingest settings specify H.264, HEVC or AV1 video, not ProRes. A repeating playlist is useful for continuous playback, but it does not guarantee unattended 24/7 operation.
Check whether your OBS build can decode the ProRes file
Start by testing the actual file in the actual computer and OBS installation you intend to use. “ProRes” describes a family of codecs, and the file's profile, integrity, operating system and available decoder can all affect whether it plays. A supported extension alone is not a promise that every file will work.
OBS's Media Sources guide lists .mov among the file types accepted by Media Source. Its audio and video formats guide also lists ProRes in MOV and MKV containers. Those facts make a ProRes MOV a reasonable candidate to test, not a guarantee for every ProRes profile or every OBS package. The OBS Media Sources guide describes the source options, while the OBS formats guide gives its format matrix.
Create a small test scene before configuring a live channel. Add the file as a source, wait through several minutes of playback, and check for picture, sound, stutters, black frames and unexpected stops. Seek or restart playback as appropriate, and listen to the full audio path rather than relying only on a moving preview. If you have several ProRes files, test each one; one successful file does not establish that another export is compatible.
If the file does not play in Media Source, VLC Video is worth testing because OBS uses VLC libraries for extended media support. That still depends on a suitable VLC installation and compatible decoding support. A file that fails in one source may work in another, but do not plan a full-day broadcast based on a guess: confirm the result before scheduling it.
For a channel built around repeated files, a structured playlist may be more appropriate than changing sources by hand. If you need distinct time slots or day parts rather than one repeating queue, see how to schedule different videos on a 24/7 channel.
A container is not a codec
A container is the wrapper that holds video, audio and related data. MOV is a container; ProRes is a video codec that may be carried inside it. An .mov filename tells OBS which kind of container to try to read, but it does not by itself prove that the codec inside can be decoded by that installation.
That is why it helps to separate three questions. Can the application open the container? Can the installed decoder read the particular video and audio streams inside it? Can the resulting scene be encoded into a format accepted by YouTube? A “yes” to the first question does not automatically answer the other two.
OBS's format guide lists ProRes for MOV and MKV, but not for every container in the matrix. Renaming a file to .mp4 or changing its extension does not convert its codec. If you need to make a compatible delivery copy, use a real conversion workflow and verify the output; do not treat a filename change as transcoding.
FFmpeg's general documentation lists ProRes as a codec it supports, which is useful background but does not identify the exact decoder libraries included in a particular OBS or VLC package. A working FFmpeg installation on one computer therefore does not prove that OBS will decode the same file on another. Keep the practical test tied to the device, software version and media file that will actually run the channel.
Choose Media Source for one file, VLC Video for a playlist
OBS offers two different source approaches for local prerecorded video. Use Media Source when one file is enough: add the source, browse to the file and enable its Loop option if it should restart when it reaches the end. This is the direct route for a single continuous visual, such as a long ambience video.
For several files in sequence, add a VLC Video source. The source presents a playlist rather than one selected file, so you can arrange clips in order and let OBS move between them. The OBS guide to media sources documents VLC Video as a playlist-capable source and notes that VLC must be installed. It also specifies that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC.
The choice is about how the source should behave, not about whether ProRes becomes a YouTube format. A one-file Media Source can be simpler to set up and troubleshoot. VLC Video is more convenient when you need a queue of different files. If your aim is to reuse a known scene-and-source arrangement, saving and reusing a 24/7 Indian music stream setup can help you think through what to preserve between sessions.
Before adding a large library, test a short playlist containing representative files. Include the files with the largest or most demanding ProRes profiles you expect to use, and check transitions as well as individual playback. A playlist that opens successfully may still reveal problems when one item ends, another begins, or an entry points to a moved file.
Add VLC Video and populate its playlist
Install VLC in the same operating environment as OBS, making sure the architecture matches. If OBS is 64-bit, install 64-bit VLC. Restart OBS after installation if the VLC Video source is not visible, then add that source to the scene and open its properties.
Add the media files you want in the playlist and arrange them in the order viewers should see them. Use stable file locations: moving or renaming a media file after setup can break the playlist reference. If the files live on removable storage, confirm that the drive remains mounted and that the operating system will not put the machine or drive to sleep during playback.
Do not assume that all playlist entries are equally reliable just because they share a .mov extension. Open each item, check for the expected audio and picture, and watch the hand-off between items. Pay particular attention to files with different dimensions, frame rates, audio layouts or ProRes profiles. OBS can compose sources in a scene, but a format change may still affect how the next item appears or sounds.
Keep the scene simple while testing. A logo, ticker or clock can be added once the media source is stable, but extra filters and overlays create additional things to inspect when an image freezes or audio disappears. Save a copy of the scene collection and playlist after you have confirmed the source paths, then avoid editing the only working version just before leaving it unattended.
Enable Loop Playlist and verify the repeat
In the VLC Video source properties, check that Loop Playlist is enabled. OBS documents this option as on by default, but it is still worth confirming, particularly after changing a source or rebuilding a scene. The setting tells the playlist to start again after the queue finishes; it is not a stream-health monitor.
Test the end of the playlist. For a practical check, make a short temporary queue or observe the real queue as its last item completes, then confirm that the first item starts again with expected sound and picture. Check whether the transition creates a brief gap, whether the audio level changes, and whether the playlist advances past any inaccessible item. Remove temporary test media from the final queue.
Looping and continuity are separate concerns. Loop Playlist can repeat the content while OBS is open and the source remains healthy, but it cannot prevent the computer from losing power, the operating system from restarting, the network from dropping, or OBS from becoming unresponsive. It also cannot repair a source file that is corrupt or a path that no longer exists.
If you are troubleshooting an existing channel, distinguish a source loop failure from a connection failure. The playlist may continue locally while YouTube stops receiving the feed, or the feed may remain connected while the source is frozen. A useful comparison is diagnosing a playlist stream after a VPS reboot, which concerns a different failure point but reinforces the need to identify where playback or delivery actually stopped.
Encode the outgoing YouTube Live feed separately
OBS reads the source file locally, builds the scene and encodes a live output. The codec in the source file does not need to be the codec used for that output. In other words, OBS may decode a ProRes MOV on the way in and encode H.264, HEVC or AV1 for YouTube on the way out, if your selected encoder and settings support the chosen output.
YouTube's live encoder settings for RTMP/RTMPS list H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 video, with AAC or MP3 audio. They also specify constant bitrate (CBR), recommend a two-second keyframe interval and say not to exceed four seconds. The documented ingest formats do not list ProRes. Use the current official guidance for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send, rather than trying to pass the source file's ProRes bitrate through to YouTube.
In OBS, set the stream output deliberately and check the encoder, resolution, frame rate, rate control, keyframe interval and audio format. The best setting depends on your content, machine and available upload capacity. A high-bitrate local ProRes source is not evidence that the internet connection can sustain an equally high live output; the outgoing stream is a separate encoded feed.
YouTube recommends RTMPS for live ingest in its guidance. Treat that as the platform's documented recommendation, and confirm the current settings in YouTube Studio and OBS before going live. Run a private or unlisted test stream to check the whole chain: source decode, OBS encoding, network delivery, YouTube preview and audio. No written format matrix substitutes for testing your own file and machine.
Plan for monitoring, failure and long-stream archives
A playlist loop solves a content-repeat task; it does not make a Windows, macOS or Linux computer a managed broadcast system. A local OBS setup still depends on the host staying powered, OBS remaining open, VLC and its files remaining available, and the network maintaining a usable connection. You should decide who will notice a freeze or disconnect, how they will check it, and what action they can take.
During a test and any real stream, watch YouTube's Live Control Room for stream health, preview, accessibility and audio/video quality. YouTube's live streaming tips recommend testing and monitoring these aspects. Also check the local machine: power and sleep settings, free disk space, system updates and whether the OBS preview is still moving. Monitoring both ends helps distinguish a local playback issue from an upload or platform issue.
Think about archives and rewind separately from whether the stream is live. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. For streams longer than 12 hours, DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable, and a complete archive should not be assumed. See YouTube's stream archive guidance and DVR help page. If viewers rely on replay, consider scheduled segments short enough to suit that need rather than treating one endless broadcast as an archive strategy.
For some operators, the fragile part is leaving a personal computer and OBS session running through the night. StreamNeo addresses that specific burden by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream without keeping your computer on; it is YouTube-only. This does not remove the need to check the channel, content and platform status, and it does not change YouTube's format, archive or DVR rules.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can OBS loop a ProRes MOV file?
Yes, if the specific MOV and ProRes profile can be decoded in your installed OBS build. Add a single file as Media Source and enable Loop, or use VLC Video when you need a multi-file playlist. Test the actual file through a full playback cycle before relying on it.
How do I make an OBS playlist repeat?
Install VLC with the same architecture as OBS, add a VLC Video source, populate the playlist and confirm Loop Playlist is enabled. Check the transition from the last item back to the first. Looping repeats the source; it does not restart a crashed OBS session or restore a failed network connection.
Does YouTube Live accept ProRes as the outgoing codec?
YouTube's documented RTMP/RTMPS ingest settings list H.264, HEVC and AV1 video, not ProRes. OBS should decode the local ProRes source and encode the outgoing feed in a format supported by YouTube and your selected encoder. Check YouTube's current official settings before configuring the stream.
What happens to DVR on a 24/7 stream?
YouTube automatically archives streams under 12 hours, but it warns that DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. A continuous day-long stream therefore should not be presented as a guaranteed complete archive or full rewind buffer. If viewers need reliable replay, consider whether shorter scheduled streams better fit the channel.