To loop a 10-hour rain video in OBS for YouTube Live, add it to a scene as a Media Source and enable Loop in that source’s properties. Connect OBS to YouTube with the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio, then test the picture, sound and stream health before you go public.
The loop setting repeats the file when playback reaches its end; it does not make the original file longer. Ten hours is below YouTube’s stated 12-hour archive threshold, but keep a local recording: YouTube says streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all.
Add the rain video as a Media Source
Open OBS and select the scene you intend to use for the broadcast. If you do not have one yet, create a scene and give it a clear name, such as “Rain loop”. In the Sources dock, select the plus button and choose Media Source. Name the source so you can identify it later, then select Add Existing only if the same source is already in your scene collection; otherwise choose to create a new source.
In the source properties, select the option to browse for a local file and choose your rain video. Check the path carefully. OBS will need to be able to read that file when the stream is running, so do not move or rename it after setup without updating the source. The OBS Project documents Media Source as its built-in source for adding media files to scenes in its Media Sources guide.
A single file is the simplest setup for this job. OBS also has a VLC Video source with playlist controls, but that is useful when you intentionally want several clips to rotate. A playlist adds another dependency: the OBS Project notes that VLC must be installed and that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. For one rain video, a Media Source avoids needing that extra setup.
Before you proceed, play the source in OBS and confirm that it is the intended file. A filename such as rain_final.mp4 is not proof that it contains the version you want. Check the opening image, the length shown by your media player and whether the rain audio is present. If you need several visual scenes or scheduled changes rather than one repeating video, see how a continuous replay can be scheduled on YouTube.
Enable Loop in the source properties
With the Media Source selected, open its Properties. Find the Loop checkbox and enable it. The OBS Project describes this property as specifying whether the file plays again once playback has completed; its default is off. In practice, when your 10-hour file reaches its end, OBS starts that file again from the beginning.
This does not extend the video itself or repair an abrupt edit at the end. If the last frame and first frame differ sharply, viewers may see a jump every time the file restarts. If the rain sound cuts off or changes suddenly at the join, listeners may hear it too. Review the end and start of the file before committing to a long broadcast. If the join is distracting, make a cleaner loop in an editor before importing the file into OBS.
There is no need to add the same file repeatedly to the scene to make it play again. One Media Source with Loop enabled is easier to inspect and less likely to leave duplicate audio sources active. If you later replace the media, reopen the source properties and confirm both the new file path and the Loop setting.
The loop setting only governs playback of that source. It does not reconnect OBS to YouTube if the internet drops, keep the computer awake, or recover a stalled broadcast. OBS must remain open and the computer must stay powered, connected and able to encode for the duration of the stream. For a channel that needs to run when a home computer is unavailable, the practical trade-off is discussed in this guide to moving an always-on stream from a home PC to the cloud.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select the stream you intend to run. In the stream settings, find the stream URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings, then Stream. Choose YouTube if you are using OBS’s integrated service option; if using a custom server setting, enter the URL and key supplied in YouTube Studio. The labels and layout can vary between versions, so use the values shown for the selected YouTube stream rather than copying settings from an unrelated tutorial.
The stream URL tells OBS where to send the encoded video, and the key identifies the feed YouTube should accept. YouTube’s instructions for setting up an encoder explain how to locate the encoder connection details. Treat the key like a password: do not publish it in a screenshot, chat message or shared document. If you think it has been exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube Studio before relying on the stream.
Set the stream’s visibility to private or unlisted for a test when that suits your channel and account. A test lets you check the actual path from OBS to YouTube without making a public broadcast. Confirm the Live Control Room preview appears before you announce the stream. You can then schedule or make the intended broadcast public according to your normal channel workflow.
Choose output settings that your connection and computer can sustain. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance lists H.264 recommendations of 3–8 Mbps for 720p at 30 fps and 5–14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps. These are YouTube recommendations, not a promise that your computer or internet connection will manage a particular setting for ten hours. A rain scene may be visually simple, but motion in foliage, water or lights can still affect encoding demand.
| Output choice | YouTube’s H.264 recommended bitrate range, checked in 2026 | When it may make sense |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3–8 Mbps | When the source is modest in detail or your upload capacity is limited |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5–14 Mbps | When the source is sharp enough to benefit and the connection can sustain the higher output |
For the listed RTMP/RTMPS setup, YouTube recommends CBR, a two-second keyframe interval (not above four seconds), and AAC or MP3 audio. Its live streaming network tips recommend leaving 20% upload headroom beyond the stream bitrate. These settings are useful starting points, but run a real test on the same connection and computer you plan to use. If viewers report buffering or YouTube flags an unstable connection, reducing output demands may be wiser than choosing the highest resolution.
Check framing, audio and test the feed
Look at the OBS preview with the Media Source selected. Fit the video to the canvas if needed, then check that the aspect ratio has not been stretched and that important parts of the image are not cropped. A rain video may be mostly background, but a stretched horizon or black bars can still make the scene look unfinished. Confirm that the preview shows the right file and that no desktop window, cursor or unrelated source is visible over it.
Watch the audio mixer while the clip plays. If the rain recording includes sound, the relevant meter should move; if it does not, check that the Media Source audio is enabled and that the mixer channel is not muted. Listen through the output path you will use for the stream. The OBS Project’s Quick Start Guide recommends checking mixer meters and testing settings before streaming. A moving meter is not enough by itself: listen for an unexpectedly low level, clipping, silence or another sound source entering the mix.
If the rain video is meant to be silent, make sure that is intentional. Some files contain a quiet track that is easy to overlook in the preview. If the channel has a separate microphone, desktop sound or music source, mute or remove anything that should not be part of this particular broadcast. Simpler audio routing is easier to verify than a mixer with several unused inputs.
Run a short private or unlisted test and inspect the Live Control Room preview on another device if possible. Check that the image arrives, the audio is in sync and the sound is audible at a sensible level. A preview on the same computer can hide a problem that a viewer will encounter, such as a missing audio track or an image that is cropped on a phone screen. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and movement; even a static rain loop should be tested with the actual file and output settings.
For a ten-hour run, also check that the computer will not sleep, restart for updates or lose access to the video file. OBS does not compensate for a laptop closing, a power interruption or a Wi-Fi connection that drops. Use reliable power and network access, and keep the file on storage that remains available during the broadcast. If you are using a home PC, a hardware and capacity checklist for streaming can help you think through the limits before relying on it overnight.
Review YouTube stream health
Once OBS is sending the feed, keep the Live Control Room open during the test and inspect its preview and stream-health messages. YouTube’s status can surface issues such as an unstable connection or problems with the incoming signal. Do not treat a single successful preview as evidence that every part of a long broadcast will remain healthy: check again after the stream has been running and periodically while you can still intervene.
If the preview is missing, first confirm OBS is actually streaming and that the intended scene is active. Then check that the URL and stream key in OBS match the selected stream in YouTube Studio. If the preview is present but the health notice reports connection trouble, check the upload connection and avoid running other heavy uploads at the same time. A wired connection can remove Wi-Fi variability when it is practical, but no connection type guarantees an uninterrupted stream.
If the warning concerns bitrate or video settings, compare the actual OBS output to YouTube’s current recommendations rather than increasing the bitrate automatically. More bitrate needs more sustained upload capacity. YouTube’s recommendation to keep 20% headroom is a useful minimum planning point, and a fluctuating household connection may need more caution. Test at the intended resolution and bitrate before the public event; a lower setting that runs cleanly is more useful than a higher setting that repeatedly drops frames.
Keep OBS visible enough to notice if the stream has stopped, and check the audio meter and the scene preview alongside YouTube’s health status. If the channel is unattended for long periods, consider how someone will be alerted and who can restart the stream if necessary. OBS on a local computer is a hands-on setup: it depends on that computer and connection. If the recurring burden is watching a PC through the night, StreamNeo can remove that specific task by taking an uploaded video and running the YouTube broadcast without your computer left on; it remains your responsibility to check your file, stream settings and rights.
Understand the 12-hour archive caveat
YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream that exceeds 12 hours may not be captured at all. Its archive guidance is explicit about that risk and recommends making a local archive. The planned ten-hour stream is below the stated threshold, but that does not mean you should treat the YouTube replay as your only copy.
Enable local recording in OBS before going live if you need a dependable copy of the broadcast. Choose a destination with enough free space for the recording, and check that the recording starts when the stream starts. During a test, verify that the file is being created and can be opened. For a long event, check that the file continues to grow and that the disk has not filled. Streaming and recording at once add work for the computer and storage, so test both together before the real broadcast.
A local recording is also useful if the live feed has a momentary problem or if you need to review the broadcast later. Store it somewhere separate from the source video if losing the computer would also lose the only backup. If the recording contains music, rain audio or other material you do not own, verify that you have the required rights for both the live stream and any retained copy; OBS and YouTube’s archive controls cannot establish those rights for you.
Do not schedule the stream around the assumption that a replay will appear automatically. Check YouTube’s current archive guidance before the event, and confirm the local recording path and available storage. The archive policy and encoder recommendations can change, so consult the official pages again when the detail matters.
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FAQ
How do I make a video repeat in OBS?
Add the video as a Media Source, open its properties and enable Loop. OBS then plays the file again when playback completes. Check the join between the end and start of the video so a hard cut or audio break does not surprise viewers.
Does OBS need to stay open for the stream to run?
Yes, for this workflow OBS is the encoder sending the feed to YouTube, so the computer must remain on and connected while OBS is streaming. Sleep, power loss or an internet interruption can stop the broadcast. Test the computer’s power and sleep settings before relying on an overnight run.
Will YouTube save my 10-hour live stream?
Ten hours is below YouTube’s stated 12-hour threshold for automatic archiving, but you should not rely on YouTube as your only copy. YouTube says streams over 12 hours may not be captured at all. Enable and test a local recording if the replay matters.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video?
For one local rain file, Media Source with Loop is the direct choice. VLC Video is useful when you want a playlist of several clips, but it requires VLC to be installed and correctly matched to OBS’s 32-bit or 64-bit version.