To loop an MP4 from a USB drive to YouTube Live with OBS, connect the drive, add the video as an OBS Media Source, and switch on Loop. Keep the drive connected and available for the whole stream: OBS is playing a local file, not a copy that remains accessible after you unplug the drive.
You also need to send OBS’s output to a YouTube encoder stream using its server URL and stream key. For a scheduled event, starting the encoder is not the final step: wait for the preview in YouTube Live Control Room, then select Go live and check the public watch page.
Connect the drive and check the file
Plug in the USB drive before opening the file picker in OBS. Wait for your computer to recognise and mount it, then open the drive in the normal file manager and confirm that the intended MP4 is present and plays. This catches simple problems early, such as choosing the wrong copy or trying to use a drive that has not mounted.
The file’s path matters. OBS needs to know where the file is stored; selecting it from a removable drive does not make it independent of that drive. Do not unplug it, eject it, or move the file while the source is in use. Depending on your operating system, a reconnect can also give a drive a different mounted path. If OBS can no longer find the selected file, playback may stop or the source may show as unavailable; do not rely on OBS to recover automatically.
Use a drive and port you can leave undisturbed. If the computer has a power-saving setting that can suspend USB devices, review it before a long session and test the setup rather than assuming the port will remain active. Avoid using a loose connection that could be knocked out. For an event where a playback interruption matters, test with the exact computer, drive, cable, port and power settings you intend to use.
Check the video and audio before you build the scene around it. Watch enough of the file to confirm that it is the right version, that the image is not unexpectedly cropped, and that any sound is present at a sensible level. A loop can repeat a file faithfully, including a silent section, an abrupt ending or an unwanted slate. Fixing the source file first is usually easier than trying to disguise an issue in the live output.
If this will be part of a longer-running channel, consider whether a removable local file is the right operating arrangement. A computer must stay on, OBS must keep running, and the USB file must remain available. The guide to always-on playlist streams using a Windows Azure VM covers a different way to keep a channel running; it does not remove the need to test whichever setup you choose.
Add a Media Source and turn on Loop
In OBS, choose the scene that should carry the video. In the Sources box, use the add control and select Media Source. Give the source a recognisable name, such as “USB main video”, so it is easier to find later if the scene contains other elements. Choose the option to create a new source, then browse to the MP4 on the mounted drive.
OBS’s Media Sources reference lists MP4 as a supported video format and documents the source’s Loop property. In the source properties, enable Loop; OBS leaves it off by default. With Loop enabled, the source repeats the file when playback reaches its end. Without it, the video plays through once rather than continuing as a repeating loop.
Check the preview canvas after adding the file. The video should appear at the expected size and position. If it is too large, too small or off-centre, adjust its transform in the scene. If you plan to add a logo, caption or background, arrange those sources deliberately and check that they do not cover important content. The viewer sees the scene output, not the file picker or source properties.
A single MP4 generally needs only the built-in Media Source. If you are instead assembling several videos, OBS also documents a VLC Video source that can handle a file list. That source requires VLC to be installed, and the VLC and OBS architectures need to match; the playlist loop option is enabled by default. For a simple repeated sermon, ambience video or announcement, adding VLC just to repeat one file adds another dependency without solving a problem the built-in source already handles.
| Playback need | OBS source to consider | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat one MP4 | Media Source | Select the local file and turn on Loop, which is off by default |
| Play a list of files | VLC Video | Install the compatible VLC version; check playlist order and loop behaviour |
| Change from video to another scene | Scene and source arrangement | Test transitions and confirm the intended scene is visible |
The relevant difference is not which source sounds more advanced; it is whether you have one file or a playlist. If you only have one MP4, start with Media Source. If your plan includes multiple clips, test the list order and what happens at each transition before you send it to viewers.
Keep the USB drive connected throughout
Treat the drive as part of the playback chain for as long as the stream is running. OBS reads the selected local media; if the drive is disconnected, ejected, moved or otherwise becomes unavailable, the source may no longer be playable. Loop only repeats the file while OBS can read it. It is not a setting that copies the MP4 into OBS or protects it from a storage interruption.
That distinction matters for an overnight or all-day channel. A successful test at the start proves only that the file could be read at that moment. It does not establish that the computer will stay awake, the port will remain connected, or the drive will remain mounted for the whole session. Make a practical checklist: secure the cable, keep the computer on reliable power, prevent intended sleep during the stream, and avoid unplugging or moving the drive.
Before relying on the setup for a long event, run a test that covers the actual loop boundary. Confirm that the video returns to the beginning as expected and that the audio restarts cleanly. If your file has a fade, a gap or a brief black frame at its end, looping will repeat that too. A short check of the middle of the file will not reveal every issue at the boundary.
Also check whether another application or user could eject the drive. On a shared computer, agree who is responsible for leaving the setup alone. If the drive has to be removed to transfer files or use the machine, plan that work before going live. A stream built around local playback is simple to operate, but it depends on the physical media remaining available.
If the repeated maintenance of a local PC, mounted drive and running OBS is the pain you need to remove, StreamNeo can take an uploaded video and run it as a YouTube live stream while your computer is off. That is a different workflow from this USB-through-OBS guide: a file selected from your drive in OBS still depends on the drive staying connected.
Check YouTube access and create the encoder stream
Before planning a broadcast, check that your channel can go live. YouTube’s current live-streaming eligibility guidance says the channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions within the previous 90 days; the page also states a minimum age of 16. Eligibility rules and interface details can change, so use YouTube’s official help page for the current requirements rather than treating an old tutorial as definitive.
Open YouTube Studio and use Create, then Go Live, to enter Live Control Room. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions to create a stream or schedule an event. The choices depend on whether you are broadcasting now or preparing a particular event. Give the stream a clear title and audience details, and check the event’s visibility and timing before proceeding.
A scheduled stream gives you an event to prepare in advance; it does not automatically start public playback just because OBS is sending video. You must still connect the encoder, wait for YouTube to receive the feed and show the preview, and use Go live in Live Control Room when you are ready. Build those steps into the run sheet, especially if somebody else will be present to make the final selection.
YouTube recommends preparing in advance and starting the encoder ahead of a scheduled event so there is time to check the incoming signal. Its streaming tips suggest setting up at least two hours ahead and starting the encoder at least 15 minutes before the event. Treat these as preparation recommendations, not a promise that every channel or connection will take the same time. Leave room to correct a wrong source, quiet audio or a missing preview.
Copy the server URL and stream key into OBS
In YouTube Live Control Room, locate the encoder settings for the stream and copy the server URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings, then Stream, and choose YouTube or the relevant service configuration. Enter the server information and key in the appropriate fields. The names and layout may vary with software versions, but the essential job is to connect OBS’s outgoing stream to the YouTube event you created.
Treat the stream key like a password. Do not show it in a screen recording, livestream, public screenshot or shared document. Anyone who can use it may be able to send a feed to the event. If you suspect it has been exposed, use YouTube’s stream settings to replace or reset it, then update OBS with the new key before the next test.
Confirm that the selected YouTube event and key match. If you have more than one stream configured, it is easy to send a test feed to the wrong event. Read the event title in Live Control Room before starting, and avoid pasting a key into a message or notes that will be shared with people who do not need it.
YouTube’s current encoder settings guidance recommends RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and a two-second keyframe frequency, with a maximum interval of four seconds. It lists supported codec choices and gives bitrate recommendations by resolution and frame rate. Choose settings from the current YouTube table that your upload connection can sustain; there is no one bitrate that suits every video, connection and computer.
YouTube also advises leaving 20% upload-bandwidth headroom. That is a recommendation, not a measurement of your particular connection. Other people and devices sharing the same internet connection can reduce what is available to OBS. If your stream stutters, look at OBS’s connection indicators and YouTube’s stream health, reduce the output demand if appropriate, and test again rather than assuming the USB file itself is at fault.
Start OBS and wait for the preview
Before streaming, check that the intended scene is selected, the Media Source is visible, and Loop remains enabled. Listen to the audio through OBS’s mixer and check the meters while the file is playing. Make sure the desktop or microphone is not being captured unintentionally if the stream should contain only the MP4. A test recording or private/unlisted rehearsal can help you inspect the result, but check the event’s visibility carefully before sending anything to viewers.
When ready, use Start Streaming in OBS. Watch the status indicators and return to Live Control Room. Allow YouTube time to receive and process the feed; confirm that the preview shows the expected video and that audio is present. If the preview is black, frozen or showing another scene, stop and investigate the source, scene selection, connection and stream key before going further.
For a scheduled event, the preview is a checkpoint rather than the public start. Once it is correct and you are ready to begin, select Go live in Live Control Room. Do not assume that starting OBS alone publishes a scheduled stream. Conversely, do not click through without checking the preview simply because OBS reports that it is connected.
Use the rehearsal to check the parts that tend to fail quietly: the file loops at the expected point, the sound does not jump in volume, and the stream remains connected while the computer is under its normal load. YouTube recommends ongoing monitoring of audio and video quality. Keep Live Control Room available during the event and check its stream-health feedback, but remember that monitoring does not guarantee uninterrupted playback.
For more work with scene changes, the OBS guide to switching between cartoons and a holding screen is useful if your channel needs more than one visual state. For image quality and output considerations when repeating a file, see how to preserve video quality when looping to YouTube Live. Those are separate decisions from keeping the USB file accessible.
Go live, verify the event and end it cleanly
After selecting Go live for a scheduled event, verify the result from the viewer’s side. Open the watch page in a separate browser or device if possible and confirm that it is actually playing the intended content. Check the title and visibility too. Live Control Room confirms the encoder connection; the watch page helps confirm what a viewer can see.
Keep an eye on both YouTube’s stream health and the OBS output. If the video freezes or drops, distinguish a missing local source from a network or encoder issue. Check that the USB drive is still connected and mounted, that OBS still shows the correct source, and that the computer has not slept or restarted. Make one change at a time so you can tell whether the picture returns and whether the stream is still live.
When the event is finished, follow YouTube’s encoder instructions to end it in Live Control Room and stop sending content from OBS. For a scheduled stream, close the event deliberately rather than leaving the encoder running and assuming viewers will know the programme has ended. Confirm the final state in Studio and, if relevant, the resulting watch page or archive.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived, but check the current encoder setup guidance for details and limitations. Do not treat archiving as a substitute for keeping your own source file and checking the finished event. Keep the original MP4 backed up somewhere appropriate; the USB drive used for playback should not be the only copy of a file you cannot easily recreate.
A good operating note records the scene name, file location, which scheduled event to choose, and the person responsible for clicking Go live. Do not record the stream key in plain text alongside it. These small details help when a channel is handed over between volunteers or staff, while still leaving the actual live checks to the operator who can see the preview.
If you are comparing a local OBS setup with other ways to keep a channel running, the comparison of FFmpeg and Streamlabs for a 24/7 YouTube channel may help frame the trade-offs. A computer-free hardware encoder is another distinct route; it is not required for the workflow here. Choose based on how much control you need and how you will test and monitor the whole chain.
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 keep looping the MP4 after I unplug the USB drive?
No. The Media Source points to a local file on the drive, so the drive must remain connected and mounted for OBS to read it. Loop repeats playback; it does not make a separate copy or preserve access after removal.
Does starting OBS make a scheduled YouTube stream public?
Not by itself. Start the encoder, wait until the preview appears in Live Control Room, check it, and then select Go live for the scheduled event. Verify the watch page afterwards.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video for one MP4?
For one repeatedly played MP4, the built-in Media Source is usually the direct choice: select the file and enable Loop. VLC Video is relevant when you need a playlist and are willing to install the compatible VLC application.
Can a USB drive make an OBS stream reliable for 24 hours?
A USB drive does not guarantee that a stream will remain uninterrupted. The computer, OBS, USB connection, local file, internet connection and YouTube event all need to work, so test the complete setup for the intended duration and monitor it while live.