If your clips are portrait-shaped, compose them on a portrait canvas in OBS, crop away any unwanted edges, then resize and position the visible image. For a sequence of local clips, use a VLC Video source; playlist playback and the scene’s crop are separate settings, and neither guarantees uninterrupted output or a complete YouTube archive.
This walkthrough is for a channel whose programme is meant to be vertical from end to end. You will set the canvas, add and order clips, frame them, and test the result before committing to a long broadcast. If you need both horizontal and vertical versions, YouTube’s own vertical layout tools may suit you better than making the whole OBS scene portrait.
Choose a portrait canvas in OBS
In OBS, the scene is composed inside a base canvas, while the output resolution determines the frame sent by the encoder. For a portrait-only programme, set both to portrait dimensions so you can judge the composition in the shape viewers will receive. There is no single resolution that is right for every channel: choose settings supported by your destination, source files, computer and connection, then check YouTube’s current encoder recommendations.
Open Settings → Video and enter portrait values for the Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution. A portrait frame has its shorter dimension across and its longer dimension down. Using the same values initially keeps the arrangement straightforward; if you scale the output, inspect it carefully for softness and framing changes.
The canvas is the workspace, not a promise that every clip will fit it naturally. A phone video may be framed around a face near the top, while another may show a full devotional singer or a written verse. Decide what must remain visible before cropping. Leave space for any overlay or logo you already use, and check that text or faces will not sit on the edge of the final image.
Keep your output choices consistent with the clips and the audience’s likely viewing devices. A vertical stream is experienced differently from a horizontal desktop programme, and not every viewer interface exposes the same features. If you are unsure, test privately or use an unlisted broadcast before scheduling a public run. YouTube’s guidance for setting up a live stream with an encoder covers connecting the encoder; consult the current instructions rather than copying old bitrate settings from a forum post.
Add a media or VLC playlist source
For one local clip, OBS Media Source is usually the simpler choice. Add it from the Sources panel, select the file, and enable its loop setting if you want that file to repeat. A single Media Source is not a multi-file playlist manager, so it is not the right place to organise a folder of different tracks as a sequence.
For several local videos, use VLC Video as a source. Add the source to the scene, then add the local files to its playlist in the order you want them to play. OBS documents VLC Video as requiring VLC to be installed; match the VLC architecture to OBS, such as 64-bit VLC for 64-bit OBS. See the current OBS Media Sources guide for the source options and behaviour.
Leave shuffle off when order matters, such as a morning prayer sequence or a study playlist that follows a planned progression. Enable Loop Playlist if you want the full list to start again when it ends. The playlist controls do not crop, resize or reframe anything: they govern which file plays next. The source’s visibility behaviour also matters if you switch scenes; check whether playback stops when the source is not visible and whether that is what your show needs.
If a VLC source is unavailable or refuses to load, first check that VLC is installed and that its 32-bit or 64-bit version matches OBS. Then restart OBS and re-open the source properties. Don’t confuse a working playlist with a finished live setup: playback in the preview confirms only that the local files are being read, not that the stream is reaching YouTube or that every clip is framed correctly.
A folder of files sent in order through another workflow can be appropriate if you are comfortable managing that workflow, but it changes how you operate and troubleshoot the programme. The FFmpeg folder-streaming guide covers a different route. For a non-technical operator who already composes a scene in OBS, a VLC playlist keeps clip order and scene layout in familiar parts of the same application.
Crop the portrait image with Alt or Option-drag
Cropping in OBS is a transform on the selected source. It changes which part of that source is visible in the scene; it does not alter the underlying video file. Click the source in the preview so its bounding box appears. On Windows or Linux, hold Alt while dragging an edge inward. On macOS, hold Option instead. Drag a side to remove width, or a top or bottom edge to trim height.
Work a little at a time. If a portrait clip has a sliver of unwanted wall on the left, pull in the left edge until the wall is gone, then inspect the subject’s position. Cropping both sides evenly can preserve a centred face, but an uneven crop may be needed when the subject is off-centre. Avoid cutting into a hand, instrument, subtitle, or graphic that is important to the clip.
For exact values, use Edit → Transform → Edit Transform while the source is selected. The transform dialog exposes crop amounts numerically, which can be easier than repeated dragging when you need to reproduce a composition. A crop remains part of that source’s setup; it does not make OBS identify and follow a face in each file.
That last point matters for a playlist. If all clips were shot with a similar camera position, one fixed crop may frame the whole sequence. If one clip is close-up and the next is a wide shot, the same crop can remove different content from each. Preview the entire set, not only its first item. Where framing varies too much, prepare separate sources or scenes, or edit the clips into a consistent frame before adding them.
Resize and position the visible image
After cropping, move the source to place its visible portion in the canvas and resize it using the corner handles. You can also use OBS transform commands, including Fit to Screen, Stretch to Screen, and Center to Screen. Fit to Screen preserves the source proportions while fitting it within the canvas, which may leave empty bands. Stretch to Screen fills the canvas but can distort the picture if its aspect ratio differs. Center to Screen centres the source at its original scale rather than filling the frame.
For a portrait clip on a portrait canvas, start with Fit to Screen or a direct size adjustment, then inspect the empty space and subject scale. If the image needs to fill the full height, enlarge it proportionally and reposition it. Avoid using Stretch simply to hide bands if it makes a face noticeably narrow or tall. A calm background or intentional margin is often less distracting than distortion.
Use the OBS preview as a composition check. A person’s eyes should not be pressed against the upper edge; a lyric line should remain readable; a harmonium or instrument should not disappear under the crop. Look at the composition at the size viewers may actually see on a phone, not only in the large preview window. If you place captions or a logo above the clip, make sure the crop still leaves room for them.
A source transform is stable across that source’s playback. It is not automatically adjusted to accommodate a different camera crop in the next file. This is why a fixed playlist is easiest to maintain when the clips have similar framing, aspect ratio and subject placement. If they do not, consider making a consistent set of edits beforehand or managing groups of clips with separate scene compositions. That introduces more preparation, but prevents an attractive first clip from being followed by a poorly framed one.
Set up sequential local files
In the VLC Video source properties, add the clips in the intended order and review the list from top to bottom. Keep filenames clear enough to identify them later; a sequence such as 01-opening, 02-reading, and 03-music is easier to check than a collection of camera-generated names. Confirm that each path points to the file you intend to use and that the files remain available on the computer while OBS is running.
For a deliberate programme, keep shuffle disabled and enable Loop Playlist if the content should repeat. Then let the list run through a complete cycle during testing. Check the transition from one file to the next, whether the next clip starts with an unwanted pause or black frame, and whether audio levels change sharply. If the playlist is long, check representative clips with different framing and sound, not just the opening item.
One source can be convenient, but it gives you a common crop and scene composition. If clips need very different framing, splitting them into groups or building separate scenes may improve presentation, at the cost of a more involved setup. A local playlist also depends on the host computer, the files and OBS remaining available. For a channel that cannot leave a computer running, the cloud options overview explains the operational distinction without changing how you should prepare the video composition.
For music and spoken-word channels, listen through transitions on headphones and on a phone speaker. A source can look right while a clip starts much louder than its predecessor or contains unexpected silence. If audio drifts out of sync during a long music stream, use a separate diagnostic process rather than altering the crop; the audio sync troubleshooting guide addresses that issue.
Check the scene before streaming
Treat a test broadcast as an operational rehearsal, not only a picture check. Start the playlist in OBS and inspect the encoder preview in YouTube Live Control Room. Confirm that the preview is portrait, that the expected clip is playing, and that the stream key and destination belong to the intended channel. Check the watch page from another device or account where appropriate, including a phone, and confirm that the audio is present and intelligible.
Check clip order, loop behaviour and the transition at the end of the list. Watch at least one clip with different framing from the others. Make sure the crop does not remove a title or face, and that your scene sources remain visible as intended. If you use local recording as a backup, start it during a test and verify that the file grows and can be played back. YouTube’s live-streaming tips also advise monitoring stream quality and checking your archive.
A 24/7 schedule increases the importance of what happens when you are not watching. OBS on a computer can be affected by power loss, operating system restarts, network interruption, a source going missing, or an audio device changing. Plan who will notice a problem, how you will confirm the live feed has recovered, and whether local recording or another backup is practical. Do not infer uninterrupted output from a successful test or a looping checkbox.
Your YouTube access is another part of the rehearsal. Confirm the channel can go live and that the Live Control Room shows a healthy incoming feed before you announce the programme. If YouTube restricts live access or a stream is interrupted, scene composition cannot resolve that problem; the guide to live-streaming access suspensions explains why it is worth checking account status separately.
A portrait scene in OBS is not the only way to publish vertical video. YouTube Live Control Room can create a vertical version from a horizontal stream and offers layout choices such as a centre crop, fitting to phone width, or a stacked layout. That may suit a channel serving both horizontal and mobile viewers, but a centre crop can lose content at the left and right edges. Check YouTube’s current vertical live streaming instructions before choosing that route; availability and interface details can change.
What to know about YouTube archives
A continuous live programme and a continuous replay archive are different things. YouTube’s current archive guidance says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. YouTube recommends a local recording backup. Do not plan on a single 24/7 broadcast becoming a complete on-demand file after it ends.
If you need an archive, decide how you will record and retain it before going live. Local recording uses storage, so estimate space from your chosen encoding settings and how long you intend to keep files; then check the actual recording file during a test. For an always-on channel, you may need a rotation or deletion routine so a full drive does not stop recording. A local backup also needs a person or process to notice if recording stops.
You can consider dividing programming into sessions if separate replays are useful, but do not treat session length as a guarantee of successful capture. Confirm current behaviour in YouTube’s Help pages and review each replay after a broadcast. If the channel needs a dependable copy of every programme, keep a recording plan that does not depend solely on YouTube’s automatic archive.
There is a separate rights question. A local file in your playlist does not grant permission to rebroadcast its music, images or performances. YouTube says it scans live streams for third-party content, and a stream can be interrupted or terminated; even licensed material may require the rights holder to allowlist the channel. Check the current YouTube live-streaming restrictions guidance and confirm permissions with the relevant rights holders. No crop, playlist, or archive setting resolves ownership or approval.
For operators whose main worry is keeping the broadcast running while their own computer is off, StreamNeo removes the need to leave OBS running on that computer after the video and channel are prepared, so the task of keeping a local machine awake is no longer part of the routine. That addresses a particular operating burden, not YouTube’s archive limits, channel access, or content rights.
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 I crop a portrait video in OBS without editing the file?
Yes. Select the source and hold Alt while dragging an edge on Windows or Linux, or Option on macOS. This changes the source’s visible area in the OBS scene, not the original video file.
Will one crop fit every video in my playlist?
Only if the clips’ framing is reasonably consistent. A fixed crop can cut off a face or text in a differently framed clip, so inspect the whole sequence and use separate compositions or pre-editing when needed.
Does looping a VLC playlist keep a YouTube stream live continuously?
Loop Playlist repeats the local list, but it does not guarantee uninterrupted output. The computer, OBS, connection, channel access and media files still need monitoring, and a successful preview is not proof of a fault-free long run.
Will YouTube save my full 24/7 stream as an archive?
Not necessarily. YouTube says streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all, so arrange a local recording backup if you need a copy and verify it is being written.