To loop a single video in OBS, add it as a Media Source in the scene you plan to broadcast, select the local file and enable Loop in that source’s properties. Keep the source visible in the scene; the separate “Restart playback when source becomes active” option is not what makes the file repeat.
The loop controls playback of the file. OBS’s streaming settings send the scene output to YouTube, but they do not decide whether the file repeats. The distinction matters if you are building an always-on devotional, ambience or study channel: a correct loop is only one part of a stream that also needs a stable connection, a preview check and a plan for monitoring.
Add a Media Source to the broadcast scene
Open OBS and choose the scene that will contain the video you intend viewers to see. In the Sources panel, select the add button, choose Media Source, and give the source a useful name, such as “Main loop”. Naming it for its role makes it easier to identify later if the scene also contains a logo, text overlay or audio source.
A scene is the composition OBS sends to the encoder. A source can exist in the project without being visible in the scene output, so adding a file alone does not prove that it will appear on YouTube. For one local video, Media Source is the direct option documented by the OBS Project’s Media Sources guide.
OBS documents Media Source support for common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM. If you have a single file in one of these formats, start with Media Source rather than building a playlist workflow you do not need. If the file does not load or has unexpected behaviour, check that it plays normally in a local player and try a compatible export before changing several OBS settings at once.
A VLC Video source is useful for a different job: it can handle a playlist and has a Loop Playlist setting. It also requires VLC to be installed, and OBS notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. For one local video, Media Source keeps the setup simpler; for several files that need to play in sequence, the playlist capability may be worth the extra dependency. You can see how a different command-line workflow handles repeated files in this guide to looping meditation videos with FFmpeg, but the steps below stay within OBS.
Select the local video file
In the Media Source properties, use the file field to browse to the video on your computer. Select the actual media file, not a shortcut to it or a folder containing it. If the properties include a Local File checkbox, make sure it is selected for a file stored on that computer, then browse to the file and confirm the choice.
If OBS offers to create a new source or reuse an existing one, choose based on whether you already have a source set up for this exact file. Reusing a source can preserve its settings; creating another can help when you need a separate version in another scene. Avoid keeping two copies visible at once unless you intend to layer them, because overlapping video sources can make the output harder to diagnose.
After selecting the file, check the preview canvas. If it is larger or smaller than the canvas, use the source transform options to fit it to the scene, or adjust the layout deliberately if you want borders or an overlay. Do not assume a file is framed correctly just because it appears in the preview: check that important text, a deity image or the central action is not cropped at the edges.
For a devotional stream, for example, a portrait-oriented recording may leave empty space on the sides of a widescreen canvas. You can keep that layout if it is intentional, or use a suitable background and position the video over it. The point is not to stretch the image until it fills every pixel; stretching can distort faces and text. Watch the preview at the intended output size and decide whether the composition remains legible.
If the file’s audio is part of the programme, look at the OBS audio mixer while it plays. Confirm that the source is producing the expected audio and that the meter does not remain silent when sound should be present. If you need silence, mute the source intentionally rather than discovering after going live that it was never audible.
Enable Loop in the source properties
With the Media Source selected, open its properties and turn on Loop. OBS describes this setting as repeating the file when playback completes; it is off by default. That is the control for a single-file repeat. Confirm the setting is enabled before you start the broadcast, then allow the file to reach its end during a test so you can observe the transition back to the beginning.
Do not infer that Loop is working just because the preview plays. A preview shows playback at that moment, not necessarily what happens at the file boundary. If a video is long, use a shorter representative test file or seek close to the end where practical, then observe the return to the opening frame. Check both image and sound: a picture may repeat while an audio gap or abrupt change at the boundary is still noticeable.
The transition is determined partly by the material itself. If the end frame and beginning frame differ sharply, viewers may notice a jump each time the file repeats. Likewise, music with a lingering final note followed by a strong opening beat can make the boundary audible. OBS’s Loop setting repeats playback; it does not edit the file into a seamless loop. If the join is distracting, revise the edit or choose footage whose opening and ending sit naturally together.
For a longer discussion of the delivery side of a prerecorded visual loop, compare the YouTube settings for a relaxing fireplace loop. The file’s repeat behaviour and the encoder’s output settings are separate decisions: a low-load scene does not remove the need to choose a resolution, frame rate and bitrate your connection can sustain.
Keep the source visible in the live scene
A source can be present in the Sources list but hidden. Check that its visibility indicator is on, and that it is not covered by another full-screen source higher in the source order. If the video should fill the canvas, it usually belongs below any text or logo overlays but above any background that should not obscure it. Use the preview to check the final stack in the same way a viewer will receive it.
Also make sure the scene itself is the one selected for the broadcast. OBS can contain multiple scenes, and a visible file in one scene does not automatically make it the output of another. If you use a scene transition or a collection of scenes, test the route you expect the channel to take and confirm that the live output remains on the loop scene rather than changing to a holding scene or an empty layout.
Before leaving the setup unattended, consider what happens if you accidentally switch scenes, hide the source, or close OBS. The loop setting only governs the Media Source while OBS is playing it. It is not a promise that the entire computer, network or broadcast will continue without interruption. A spare laptop or desktop can run the scene, but local operation also means the machine and connection need attention; the trade-offs for that approach are discussed in this guide to running a 24/7 Tamil songs stream on a spare laptop.
Loop and restart-on-activation are different
The Media Source properties may also offer Restart playback when source becomes active. OBS describes that option as restarting the file when the source is in the current scene and becomes visible. It is useful when you want a clip to start from its first frame each time you switch to a scene or make that source visible. It is not the loop control.
Loop answers: “What happens when playback reaches the end?” With Loop enabled, the file repeats. Restart-on-activation answers: “Where does playback begin when this source becomes active?” These settings can be used independently. If you rely on restart-on-activation without Loop, the clip starts at its beginning when activated but can still stop when it reaches the end. If you use Loop without restart-on-activation, the file repeats at its end, while hiding and showing the source does not serve as the repeat mechanism.
For a 24/7 scene that stays active, the practical starting point is to enable Loop and keep the source visible. Whether to enable restart-on-activation depends on how you use scenes. It may be helpful for a short clip you want to start fresh after a scene switch, but if you switch away and back expecting a long video to resume, restarting can be the wrong behaviour. Test the exact combination with your scene transitions rather than selecting both settings by habit.
A useful test is to start playback, switch to another scene, then return. Observe whether the file resumes or starts again, according to the setting you chose. Separately, let playback reach the file’s end and check whether it repeats. Testing those two events separately makes it clear which control is responsible for each result and avoids mistaking a scene-triggered restart for continuous looping.
Connect OBS output to YouTube Live
Once the scene and playback are ready, connect OBS as the encoder that sends the scene output to YouTube. In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the stream, then copy the stream URL and stream key into OBS’s streaming settings. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain the role of those values: the stream key is the credential that lets YouTube accept an encoder feed. Treat it like a password and do not publish it in a screenshot or share it in a public chat.
The URL and key establish where OBS sends its output; they do not choose a file or make it loop. Keep the source and connection tasks separate when troubleshooting. If YouTube receives a feed but the picture is frozen at the end, inspect Media Source playback and Loop. If OBS preview plays correctly but YouTube shows no incoming feed, check the streaming settings, key, network connection and Live Control Room status.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, and its live encoder settings guidance covers supported codecs and output choices. For RTMP/RTMPS, the current guidance lists H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, constant bitrate (CBR), up to 60 fps, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. For H.264 it gives 10 Mbps at 1080p30 and 12 Mbps at 1080p60 as recommended bitrates. Treat those as guidance for those specific combinations, not a universal setting for every computer, file or connection.
The appropriate output depends on resolution, frame rate, codec and your available upload capacity. YouTube advises testing and monitoring stream health; its streaming tips also recommend keeping 20% room above the combined outgoing bitrate. If you lower resolution or frame rate to suit a connection, make the change in OBS output settings and then confirm the result in the YouTube preview. A loop can be correct while an upload connection still struggles to carry the encoder feed.
Preview and test before relying on the stream
Start the encoder and inspect the incoming preview in Live Control Room before going live. Confirm the expected scene appears, the video moves, the audio is present or intentionally silent, and there are no visible overlays or desktop elements you did not intend to broadcast. Check YouTube’s stream health messages while the test runs. If output is choppy or encoding is overloaded, OBS’s encoding performance troubleshooting guide recommends reducing output resolution or frame rate and simplifying resource-heavy scenes.
Test a representative period of playback, including the file boundary if you can. Look for a clean return to the opening, listen for an abrupt audio join, and check that the source remains visible. Then verify the YouTube side: the preview should remain active and stream health should not show an issue that you have not investigated. A short test cannot establish that a setup will run indefinitely, but it can catch basic problems before viewers encounter them.
If you need to observe a long-running channel, use a separate check routine rather than assuming the scene can be forgotten. Check that the encoder remains connected, the preview and stream health look normal, and the file still behaves as expected. The guide to monitoring dropped frames and outages can help you plan what to watch. A local recording or archive may also matter if you need a copy of the programme; verify that any local recording is intact and growing rather than assuming a platform replay is your only copy.
There is a specific archive limitation to bear in mind: YouTube says streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, but a 24/7 broadcast should not be treated as a reliable source of one complete replay. YouTube’s archive live streams guidance is the place to check the current policy, and its guidance also notes that DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable on very long streams. If a replay matters, plan for a local archive and check the recording rather than promising viewers access to the full earlier broadcast.
An always-on channel also needs a decision about what happens when the computer or connection fails. With OBS on a local computer, the loop runs there and depends on that computer staying on, OBS continuing to send output and the network sustaining the stream. If avoiding the need to keep your own computer running is the specific problem, StreamNeo takes an uploaded video and stream key so the broadcast can run with your computer switched off, with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It remains a YouTube-only option, and it does not change the need to check your file, channel and current platform requirements.
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
How do I loop a single video in OBS for a 24/7 YouTube stream?
Add a Media Source to the scene you will broadcast, select the local file and enable Loop in the source properties. Keep the source visible and test that playback returns to the start when the file ends. Then connect OBS to YouTube Live and check the incoming preview and stream health.
Does restart playback when source becomes active make the video loop?
No. That option restarts playback when the source becomes active, such as when it is visible in the current scene. Loop repeats the file when playback completes, so it is the setting to use for a single-file loop.
Will YouTube archive a 24/7 live stream?
Do not count on YouTube capturing the whole broadcast: YouTube says streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. Long-stream DVR rewind may also be limited or unavailable. If you need a replay, arrange and verify a local recording, and check YouTube’s current archive guidance.