To loop one video in OBS, add it to a scene as a Media Source, choose the local file and turn on Loop in the source properties. OBS repeats the file after it reaches the end; the scene containing that source is what OBS sends to YouTube Live.
The setting is the same in India as elsewhere. What matters is that the source is visible, the scene is the one you intend to broadcast, and YouTube accepts the incoming encoder stream. Looping a file does not control YouTube playback or guarantee that a broadcast will stay uninterrupted.
Add a Media Source to the OBS scene
Open OBS and choose the scene where you want the video to appear. If you have only just installed OBS, it may already contain a scene; otherwise, create one using the Scenes dock. A scene is the composition OBS sends out, and it can contain one or more sources, such as a video, text, image or camera.
In the Sources dock, select the + button and choose Media Source. Give the source a name that will still make sense later, such as “Main bhajan video” or “Shop opening-hours loop”. A descriptive label helps when a scene contains several sources or when you return to a project after a few weeks.
OBS may ask whether to create a new source or add an existing one. Choose a new source for a separate video setup. If you reuse an existing source, check its file and properties before relying on it: it may still point to a different video. The OBS Sources Guide describes adding sources from the Sources dock and managing their visibility.
Keep the scene simple while setting up the loop. If other sources sit above the Media Source in the list, they may cover some or all of the video. You can add titles or other overlays later, but first confirm that the underlying video is the source you expect to see in the preview.
Choose the local video file
Open the Media Source properties. Select Local File, then browse to and choose the video stored on the computer running OBS. Check the filename carefully, especially if you have versions with similar names, such as a clean master and one with temporary titles or test audio.
For a file stored on an external drive, make sure that drive is connected before you start the broadcast and remains available while OBS is using the file. A local-file source depends on OBS being able to read its selected media. Moving or renaming the file later can leave the source pointing at a location that no longer exists. If you replace the video, reopen the properties and select the new file rather than assuming OBS will find it automatically.
You can check the video before going live by watching the OBS preview. Listen for the audio as well as looking at the picture: a file can have a silent audio track, or its sound may be routed differently from what you expected. If you need to prepare a silent video with an audio track, the steps in this guide to adding AAC audio to a video file address that separate task.
For one video that should repeat, the built-in Media Source is the direct choice. If you need a sequence of several files, OBS has a different source type, VLC Video, with playlist controls. That is not the same as the single-file Loop option: VLC must be installed for that source type to appear, and OBS notes that 64-bit OBS needs 64-bit VLC. Use the built-in source when one file is enough; use a playlist workflow only when you actually need multiple items in a defined order.
Turn on Loop in source properties
With the correct file selected, find Loop in the Media Source properties and enable it. Apply or close the properties as appropriate in your OBS version. OBS documents the default as Off and describes Loop as making the file play again after playback completes. The current interface may look a little different from the screenshots in older documentation, so look in the selected Media Source’s properties if the layout has changed.
The setting affects this source in OBS: when playback reaches the end of the chosen file, the source begins playing it again. It does not restart a YouTube broadcast, alter a viewer’s playback controls, or repair a problem with OBS, the computer, the connection or the YouTube stream. Think of it as repeat playback for one ingredient in a scene, not as a promise about the full broadcast.
For an ordered set of files, the relevant control is Loop Playlist on the VLC Video source. OBS describes that option as starting the playlist again when it runs out of media files. If a playlist skips tracks, the cause may be the playlist file or its entries rather than the single-file Loop setting; this walkthrough on fixing FFmpeg playlist files that skip tracks covers a separate playlist workflow. Do not switch source types just to find a second looping checkbox for one video.
Check source visibility and preview
After applying the properties, look at the Sources list and confirm that the eye icon beside the Media Source is on. A hidden source remains part of the scene list but is not shown in the output. If there are several sources, check their order as well: sources higher in the list can appear over those below them.
Look at the OBS preview. You should see the video, not a blank canvas or an unrelated source. If the image is too large, too small or partly outside the canvas, select the source in the preview and adjust its position and size. Keep important details away from the edges, since a title or logo that looks fine on your monitor may be cropped or obscured in a different viewing layout.
Allow playback to reach the end during a private test, then watch for it to begin again. This confirms that the file and the source property behave as intended in your current scene. A short test does not prove the stream will run indefinitely; it only checks the repeat behaviour you configured. Also listen through the transition. If the file has a hard cut or a pause at its end, Loop will repeat that same transition rather than smooth it out.
If the preview stays blank, work through the basics in order: verify the selected filename, check that the source is visible, ensure it is not hidden behind another source, and confirm that the file plays in the chosen scene. Avoid changing encoder settings to solve a source-visibility problem. For other always-on concerns, such as checking the stream away from the broadcast computer, see this guide to monitoring an always-on YouTube stream remotely in India.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
To send the scene to YouTube, connect OBS as an encoder. In YouTube Studio, create or open the live stream and follow YouTube’s current encoder setup instructions to obtain the stream URL and stream key. Enter those values in OBS’s stream settings. YouTube’s encoder guidance says to enter the YouTube Live server URL and stream key into the encoder.
Treat the stream key as a credential. Do not show it in a screen recording, paste it into a public chat or leave it visible on a shared computer. If you believe it has been exposed, check YouTube Studio and follow its current controls for replacing or managing the key. The details of the YouTube Studio layout can change, so follow the labels and instructions in your account rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Before starting the public broadcast, confirm that OBS is on the intended scene and that the Media Source is still visible. The outgoing feed is the scene, not an isolated file. If you change to another scene, hide the source or place an opaque source above it, YouTube receives that changed composition. OBS’s Quick Start Guide explains the initial configuration and streaming workflow.
YouTube recommends checking the incoming stream in Live Control Room before going live. Follow the current YouTube streaming tips and preview the stream there before starting the broadcast. That preview gives you a chance to catch a wrong scene or missing picture before viewers encounter it. It is a preflight check, not a guarantee against later interruptions.
Test playback and stream health
Test in two places. First, watch the OBS preview to confirm that the file plays and loops locally. Then check the incoming feed in YouTube Live Control Room to confirm YouTube is receiving the intended scene. A successful local preview alone does not tell you whether the encoder connection is working, and an incoming feed does not prove that the source will repeat correctly until it reaches the end.
During the test, check picture, sound and scene transitions. Confirm that any title or logo remains visible and that the audio is audible at a sensible level. If the scene includes overlays, verify that none of them hides the video or important information. If the loop has a visible pause or abrupt cut at the end, decide whether that is acceptable for your channel before treating the file as ready.
If YouTube does not show the incoming feed, check the stream settings and key, confirm OBS is connected, and make sure you are looking at the right live stream in Studio. If the feed appears but has no video, return to the OBS scene and inspect source visibility, ordering and file playback. Keep the diagnosis tied to what failed: a file that does not repeat is a source-property issue; a feed that never reaches YouTube is a connection or setup issue.
A video that repeats locally can still stop being sent if OBS closes, the computer shuts down, the connection drops or the scene changes. If your requirement is that a pre-recorded channel continue while your computer is off, that is a different operating decision from enabling Loop in OBS. This guide on keeping a YouTube playlist livestream running when your computer is off explains the distinction. StreamNeo removes the need to leave your own computer running for an uploaded video to continue as a YouTube live stream, which addresses that specific overnight-computer concern rather than changing what OBS’s Loop setting does.
India: practical checks, not a separate encoder setup
There is no separate India-only OBS loop procedure in the cited OBS guidance. You still add a Media Source, select the local file and enable Loop in its properties. The practical checks are familiar ones: keep the video available to the machine running OBS, test the stream at the place and time you plan to operate it, and confirm that your channel can go live.
YouTube’s eligibility guidance says live streaming requires a verified channel and that a live-streaming restriction in the past 90 days prevents eligibility under that guidance. Eligibility is specific to the channel. Check the current status in YouTube Studio and consult YouTube’s live-streaming requirements before planning a broadcast; do not infer that a setting in OBS will resolve a channel restriction.
If you are broadcasting over a home or shop connection, a test at the actual location can reveal practical issues such as a weak wireless signal or a computer being shared or switched off. Those are operating conditions, not India-specific encoder settings. OBS’s loop control does not change with the viewer’s location, and a local loop does not establish that a connection will remain available through the night.
For a long-running channel, decide who will notice a dropped feed and what they can do about it. A person checking the stream remotely, a documented restart procedure, or a different operating arrangement may suit different channels. The right choice depends on whether you need OBS scenes and live controls, or simply want a prepared video to continue without the broadcast computer being left on.
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 Loop make the YouTube stream repeat?
Loop makes the OBS Media Source play its selected file again after it finishes. OBS sends the scene containing that source to YouTube, but the setting does not control YouTube playback itself or guarantee that the broadcast remains uninterrupted.
Do I need a different OBS loop setting in India?
No India-specific loop procedure is described in the cited OBS documentation. Use the same Media Source properties and check your channel’s current live-streaming eligibility in YouTube Studio.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video?
Use Media Source when you want one local file to repeat. VLC Video is a different source for a playlist of multiple files, with a separate Loop Playlist control and an installation requirement for VLC.
Will the loop keep running if I close OBS?
No. Loop describes repeat playback by the Media Source while OBS is using it; it does not keep OBS or the computer running. Test the incoming feed in YouTube Live Control Room and choose an operating arrangement that matches how long you need the channel to run.