To send a pre-recorded 4K video to YouTube Live from OBS, create a live broadcast in YouTube Studio, add the local file as an OBS Media Source, enable Loop, and connect OBS with the stream details from Live Control Room. Then match OBS’s output resolution, frame rate, encoder and bitrate to YouTube’s current live-stream guidance, and test the complete path before you depend on it.
Loop restarts the media file when it reaches the end. It does not keep your computer, internet connection, OBS or YouTube broadcast online; continuous playback and continuous operation are separate things. The steps below help you configure and check the signal path, not guarantee an uninterrupted broadcast.
Prepare YouTube Live Control Room
First make sure live streaming is enabled on your YouTube channel. YouTube says first-time activation can take up to 24 hours, so do not leave that check until just before you plan to go live. See YouTube’s guide to creating a live stream with an encoder for the current setup flow.
In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create a broadcast or select the one you intend to use. Configure the title, visibility and other stream settings there. Find the stream key and server URL for encoder software; OBS will use those details to send its output to YouTube. Treat the stream key as a password. Do not put it in a screenshot, public post or shared document, and reset it in Live Control Room if you think someone else has seen it.
Check the broadcast settings for auto-start and auto-stop. These determine how YouTube handles the start and end of the live event in relation to the incoming encoder signal. They are not substitutes for checking the broadcast in Live Control Room, particularly on a first run. Understand which setting you selected before you start OBS, because the order of starting the encoder and the event can affect what viewers see.
Keep the Live Control Room page available during setup. You will use its preview and stream-health information to confirm that YouTube is receiving the signal, rather than relying only on the fact that OBS says it is streaming. For a channel built around recorded lessons, the broader publishing choices are different from the encoder setup itself; this guide to recorded school lessons on a 24/7 YouTube stream may help with that context.
Add a local Media Source in OBS
In OBS, select the scene that you want to send to YouTube. In the Sources panel, add a Media Source, give it a recognisable name such as “Main 4K loop”, and browse to the video file stored on the computer running OBS. The source points to that local file; it is not a YouTube upload and does not itself create a live broadcast.
Confirm that the source is visible in the active scene and that it fills the canvas as intended. If the file is 3840×2160 but the OBS canvas has a different size, OBS may scale or crop it. Check the preview for black borders, clipped text, or a frame that is positioned off screen. A correct 4K file does not guarantee a 4K output if the scene and video settings are configured differently.
OBS documents common local media formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM in its Media Sources guide. Use a format OBS can read on your system and test the exact file you intend to leave playing. If playback is silent, check the source’s audio options and the OBS audio mixer before going live. If your stream contains speech, music or lessons, a short listening check can catch a muted track or a level that is too low.
Make sure the file remains available at the same location for the full session. A removable drive that is unplugged, a folder that is renamed, or a file that is moved will interrupt access to the media even if OBS is still open. Avoid changing the file or its path while using it as a source. For an ambience channel, the visual and sound checks are as relevant as bitrate; this cave ambience setup example offers a use case where repeated playback needs to feel natural.
Enable Loop or prepare a playlist
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. OBS will play the selected file again after it reaches the end. Start playback in the preview and, if practical, inspect the transition where the end meets the beginning. A hard cut, silent gap or abrupt change in brightness may be acceptable for one programme and distracting for another. Loop changes what happens to the media source after its end; it does not reconnect OBS or restart a failed YouTube broadcast.
For one long video, a single Media Source is straightforward. If the loop point is awkward, edit the file before bringing it into OBS or choose a recording whose beginning and ending work together. OBS will repeat the same encoded content, so any black frame, slate, or audio pop at the boundary will also recur. Watch and listen through a complete boundary during the test rather than assuming the file loops cleanly because playback began normally.
If you need several videos to rotate, OBS’s VLC Video source supports a playlist and a Loop Playlist setting. VLC must be installed, and OBS’s documentation says to match the VLC architecture to OBS; for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC. Add the files in the intended order and check that each plays and that the transition between items is acceptable. A playlist introduces more things to test: file paths, individual formats, audio levels and the order of playback.
Do not confuse repeating one file with rotating a programme schedule. A loop is suitable when the same video should recur in sequence. A playlist is more suitable when viewers should see multiple pieces in a planned order. If you need a more detailed playlist workflow for teaching material, see setting OBS playlist sources for an education channel.
Connect OBS to YouTube with RTMPS
In OBS, open Settings, then Stream. Choose YouTube or YouTube RTMPS as the service if your OBS version offers it, and select the appropriate account or server option. Otherwise, enter the server URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. YouTube recommends RTMPS, an encrypted extension of RTMP; use it where it is available in your setup.
Keep the stream key private and paste it carefully. A copied space or incomplete key can prevent a connection. If OBS reports that it cannot connect, compare the service, server URL and key with the current values in Live Control Room. Avoid repeatedly sharing or reusing a key in places where it could be exposed. If compromised, reset it through YouTube Studio and update OBS with the replacement.
Once the details are saved, OBS is the encoder sending video and audio; YouTube is the platform receiving that live feed and preparing viewer playback. Seeing a connection state in OBS only confirms part of the path. The next check is whether the feed appears in YouTube’s preview and whether its stream-health panel reports a problem.
Match 4K output to YouTube guidance
Set OBS’s video output to 3840×2160 if you intend to send 4K, and choose a frame rate supported by both the source and the computer’s encoder. A 30 fps source does not gain useful motion detail by being sent at 60 fps. The higher frame rate can increase encoding and bandwidth demands. For ordinary SDR, use YouTube’s Rec. 709 colour guidance; HDR is an optional, more involved path that requires suitable source and device support.
In OBS output settings, use CBR and set the keyframe interval to two seconds, as YouTube recommends. YouTube’s current encoder-settings page gives these live ingestion recommendations for 2160p video:
| 4K output and codec | YouTube recommended bitrate | YouTube minimum bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 30 fps, H.264 | 42 Mbps | 11 Mbps |
| 60 fps, H.264 | 50 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 30 fps, AV1 or H.265 | 30 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 60 fps, AV1 or H.265 | 35 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s live encoder figures, not upload-video recommendations. The minimum is not a target for a dependable setup; a bitrate below the recommendation can compromise the result. Conversely, a number that fits the table does not prove that your connection or encoder can sustain it. YouTube also recommends keeping 20% upload-bandwidth headroom. Leave room for other network use and test at the actual bitrate rather than inferring performance from a nominal broadband plan.
Choose a codec your system and OBS can actually encode. H.264 is widely supported, while AV1 or H.265 may allow a lower recommended live bitrate for the listed 4K combinations, but support depends on the computer and YouTube’s current ingest options. Hardware encoding can move work from the CPU to a dedicated component, though compatibility and quality vary by operating system, graphics hardware and encoder generation. OBS describes those trade-offs in its hardware encoding guide. Do not assume that a computer can encode a particular 4K format simply because OBS offers a setting for it.
YouTube’s recommendations cited here are from its encoder-settings page accessed in October 2026; check the current official encoder settings before configuring a new stream, as guidance can change. At 2160p, YouTube does not offer its low-latency option, so plan for normal latency rather than expecting the same interaction timing as a lower-resolution low-latency stream. YouTube also transcodes live streams into formats for viewers, which does not remove the need to send a correctly configured feed.
Test the complete signal path
Run a test before making the broadcast part of a schedule. YouTube Help’s instruction is direct: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.” Begin with the actual video, OBS scene, output resolution, codec, bitrate and stream destination you plan to use. A test at 1080p or with a different file cannot show whether the intended 4K path will behave as expected.
Check three places: the OBS preview, the OBS status and statistics, and the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages. Look for dropped frames or encoder overload in OBS, and for warnings or poor incoming quality in YouTube. Watch the YouTube preview long enough to confirm that both picture and sound arrive. Verify that text is legible, the image is framed correctly, and audio is present at a usable level.
Include representative content in the test. A static devotional image may be easier to encode than a fast-moving clip, while a detailed rain or foliage scene can expose compression issues. Test the file’s loop boundary or playlist transition, too. If the stream is intended to run overnight, consider whether the computer is set to sleep, whether power-saving settings might interrupt the session, and whether your internet connection is stable under the expected conditions. These checks reduce avoidable risks; they do not guarantee that a long broadcast will remain live.
If YouTube reports health problems, change one relevant setting at a time and repeat the test. A lower frame rate may be a better fit for a 30 fps source or a constrained encoder. Reducing bitrate can help when upload capacity is insufficient, but it may move the configuration below YouTube’s recommendation for that codec and resolution. If you cannot hold the recommended settings with headroom, consider sending a lower resolution rather than labelling a less capable signal as 4K.
Understand what continuous playback does not guarantee
A looping source only controls the playback position of media inside OBS. It cannot keep a PC powered, prevent an operating system update, repair a failed internet connection, recover an OBS crash, or ensure YouTube continues to receive and publish the broadcast. There is no universal maximum runtime established here for this exact OBS-and-YouTube workflow, and no setting that promises indefinite uptime.
If your requirement is to leave a channel running while your own computer is off, local OBS is a poor fit for that requirement: the computer running OBS is part of the signal path. A hosted continuous-stream service may remove the need to keep that computer running, but compare what it actually supports, how you monitor it, its failure handling, support terms and verified pricing. StreamNeo addresses the specific need to avoid leaving your own computer on by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that runs without your computer; it is YouTube-only. That changes who operates the encoder, not the need to check your content, channel and broadcast requirements.
For a local setup, use stable power and connectivity, disable sleep where appropriate, keep the file accessible, and monitor the broadcast. Think of these as risk controls, not guarantees. YouTube may end or interrupt a broadcast for reasons outside the media source, and a loop cannot make a stream compliant or ensure approval. Check current official YouTube guidance for your channel and content before relying on a live broadcast.
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
Does OBS Loop make a YouTube stream run 24/7?
No. Loop restarts the selected media file after playback ends. Your computer, connection, OBS process and YouTube broadcast can still stop or fail, so test and monitor the whole setup.
Can I stream a 4K file at 60 fps if it was recorded at 30 fps?
You can configure an output frame rate, but sending a 30 fps source at 60 fps does not create extra motion detail. It can increase encoding and upload demands, so match the output to the source and what your hardware can sustain.
Should I use H.264 or H.265 for 4K live streaming?
Use a codec supported by your OBS installation, encoder hardware and YouTube’s current ingest options. YouTube’s listed recommended bitrates differ by codec and frame rate; test the chosen combination in Live Control Room before relying on it.
Is 4K YouTube Live low latency?
YouTube’s encoder guidance says the low-latency option is not available at 2160p. Plan for normal latency at 4K and check the current YouTube settings page for changes.