To loop a video in OBS, add a local media file to a scene as a Media Source and enable Loop in that source’s properties. OBS then plays the file again when playback completes; the documented workflow is for a media file, not a standard YouTube watch-page URL.
This guide walks through selecting a scene, adding the source, choosing a supported file, and checking its appearance and playback. If by “YouTube video” you mean a video you watched on YouTube, you will need a local file you have the right to use for this workflow; the steps below do not explain how to download a video from YouTube.
What Media Source is for
OBS uses sources to place content in a scene. A Media Source is the source type for adding supported audio or video media files. You choose a file and set its playback options in the source properties. For a local video that should repeat, this is the relevant source because its properties include Loop.
The setting has a narrow, useful job: it tells OBS whether the file should play again after playback has completed. It does not turn a webpage into a media file, create a sequence from several videos, or make the stream itself run indefinitely if OBS or your computer stops. The loop concerns playback of that source while the scene is running.
That distinction matters when planning a broadcast. If you start a local file in OBS and leave the scene active, the file can repeat. The broadcast still depends on the wider setup: OBS must remain open, the scene must be sent to YouTube, and the computer and connection must keep working. A repeating source solves only the repeat-at-end part of that arrangement.
For a broader pre-recorded channel plan, compare this local OBS workflow with the approaches discussed in Vimeo Livestream versus OBS for a pre-recorded YouTube stream. That is a different decision from selecting a source inside an existing OBS scene, but it helps clarify whether you want a computer-based production workflow or another way to keep a prerecorded broadcast going.
Add a Media Source to your scene
First, open OBS and select the scene where the video should appear. A scene can hold more than one source, so choosing the right one before adding the file avoids placing the video in a layout intended for something else. If you are building a new layout, create or select the scene you want to use for the loop.
In the Sources dock, click the + button. Choose Media Source from the source types. OBS will ask whether to create a new source or select an existing one. Create a new source if this file or playback setup needs its own settings; choose an existing Media Source if you intend to reuse that source.
Give a new source a recognisable name, such as “Opening devotional video” or “Study background”. A useful name becomes important when the scene also contains a microphone, logo, text overlay, or camera. Names are for your own organisation and do not change how the file plays.
After confirming the source, OBS opens its properties. This is where you select the local media file and set the Loop option. If you already have the properties window open for an existing source, check that you have selected the intended item in the Sources dock before changing settings; otherwise, you may edit a different source in the scene.
The OBS Sources Guide describes adding sources from the Sources dock and adjusting their position and size. Keep it open if your OBS layout differs slightly or you need a reference for arranging sources. The important action for this walkthrough is still the same: use the Sources plus button, select Media Source, and configure that source.
Select a supported local video file
In Media Source properties, use the file-selection control to choose a video stored on your computer. The OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation lists these supported video types: .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif, and .webm. It also lists audio types—.mp3, .aac, .ogg, and .wav—for media sources that contain audio.
Treat the list as a guide to recognised file types, not a promise that every file with one of those extensions will play exactly as you expect. If a file does not behave as intended, first check that you selected the correct path and file, then confirm that it is one of the documented types. The research for this guide does not establish a particular codec or encoding recipe, so do not infer that changing a file’s name or extension will make an unsupported file work.
A local file is a file available to OBS from the computer running OBS. Choose a stable location you can find again, rather than a temporary folder or removable drive that may not be connected when you start the scene. If you move or rename the file later, OBS may no longer be pointed at the same location, so update the source’s file selection when needed.
If your video includes sound, listen to the source in the OBS preview or in a short recording before relying on it in a longer programme. A visual loop can appear correct while the audio level, opening, or ending is not suitable for your channel. For a continuous show assembled from separate episodes rather than one repeating file, see how to create a continuous YouTube stream from podcast episodes in Audacity. That workflow addresses combining material, while this guide covers repeating one selected Media Source file.
Use content you have permission to broadcast. A file being local does not establish that you have rights to show it on a live channel. If the footage or music comes from someone else, review the rights and platform considerations before putting it on air; the practical pointers in how to avoid copyright claims when looping videos on YouTube Live are relevant to that separate question.
Enable Loop in the source properties
With the intended file selected, find the Loop checkbox in Media Source properties and enable it. The OBS documentation describes Loop as specifying whether the file plays again once playback has completed. In everyday terms, the source reaches the end and starts over rather than stopping after that pass.
Make sure you are changing the property for the correct source. If you have several Media Sources, the name in the Sources dock helps identify which one is selected. This is particularly useful in a scene that has a short logo animation, a background video, and other media sources: enabling Loop on one does not mean you have enabled it on every source.
Looping is not the same as restarting OBS, reconnecting a broadcast, or recovering from every possible interruption. It governs what happens at the end of the selected file during playback. If the source is hidden, the scene is switched away, or OBS is closed, the Loop checkbox cannot by itself ensure that viewers see the video continuously.
Pay attention to the actual join between the end and beginning of the file. OBS can repeat the file, but the checkbox does not edit the footage to make the transition seamless. If the last frame and first frame differ sharply, viewers may notice a visual jump. Likewise, music with a long fade or a spoken introduction can make the return to the beginning obvious. Preview the whole transition and decide whether the source is suitable for repetition as it is.
Check the source and playback in OBS
Close or apply the properties and look at the selected scene in the OBS preview. Confirm that the source is visible and that it occupies the intended part of the canvas. A source may be present but obscured by another source, positioned outside the visible area, or not sized for the layout you expect. Use the Sources Guide’s positioning and sizing guidance if you need to adjust it.
Check the source’s visibility in the Sources dock as well. Then watch enough of the playback to confirm that the file opens, that its picture and sound are as expected, and that it reaches the end and begins again. A short recording is a practical way to inspect the transition and audio without relying only on a glance at the preview. This is a recommended check, not a claim that a software test has been performed for you.
Before using the scene for a real broadcast, confirm that the right scene is active and that the stream output is actually going to the intended YouTube broadcast. A good-looking preview confirms how the scene appears inside OBS; it does not by itself confirm that a YouTube stream is live. Keep those checks separate so that a source setting is not mistaken for a broadcast-status check.
For a channel that needs to continue while your own computer is switched off, this local OBS setup has a practical limitation: the file is being played by the computer running OBS. StreamNeo addresses that specific dependency by letting you upload a video, provide your YouTube stream key, and have the broadcast continue from the cloud with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a general-purpose source inside your OBS scene; use it when the goal is an ongoing uploaded-video broadcast rather than local scene production.
If you are already running OBS around the clock, also think about what happens when a remote session ends or the computer restarts. The local playback loop does not keep OBS running after those events. For context on one such operational issue, read how to keep a 24/7 Indian music YouTube stream running when SSH disconnects. It is a separate continuity concern from whether the file repeats at its end.
Media Source and Browser Source are different
A YouTube watch page is a webpage address, not one of the local media files documented for Media Source. OBS describes Media Source in terms of media files and its file playback properties. The cited documentation does not establish that pasting a standard YouTube watch URL into Media Source will work, so this guide does not recommend that as a way to play a YouTube video.
OBS’s Browser Source has a different purpose: it loads a webpage from a URL. That does not make it an established method for playing a YouTube watch page or embed reliably, nor does the documentation cited here verify YouTube-specific playback or looping behaviour in Browser Source. The distinction is about what each source type is documented to load, not a blanket claim about every page or configuration.
| OBS source | What the cited documentation says it loads | What this guide establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Media Source | Supported audio and video media files | Select a local file and enable its Loop property |
| Browser Source | A webpage from a URL | Not a verified YouTube watch-page or embed looping method |
If you want to repeat a video file in OBS, use the local Media Source workflow above. If you mean to show a YouTube page inside OBS, the sources cited here do not confirm that it will play or repeat as intended. Do not substitute a watch URL into the Media Source file selection and assume it is equivalent to choosing a supported local file.
The wording of the query can blur two different tasks: looping a file in OBS for a YouTube broadcast, and taking a video that is hosted on YouTube and trying to play its watch page inside OBS. The first has a documented route described here. The second is not established by the Media Source documentation. If your aim is to rebroadcast material from a YouTube page, check the current official guidance and rights for that content rather than treating a page URL as an input file.
Choose the workflow that matches the job
Use Media Source when you have a supported local file and want OBS to play it as part of a scene. You keep control over the scene’s other elements, such as text, graphics, and additional sources, and the documented Loop option repeats the selected file after it finishes. The trade-off is that playback is part of the OBS session on the computer running it.
Use a different production workflow when your actual need is to combine multiple clips, change what is on screen during a programme, or keep a broadcast going without leaving a local computer running. Those are broader requirements than repeating a single file. A production plan should distinguish the media behaviour you want from the continuity you need: a source can loop correctly while the overall broadcast still stops for an unrelated reason.
Before making that choice, write down the essentials of the intended session: which file should repeat, whether it has audio, which scene should show it, and what you expect to happen if OBS or the computer is no longer running. This modest check prevents a common mismatch—solving the repeat-at-end behaviour when the real problem is keeping the full channel online. It also makes it easier to test the right thing before you invite viewers or schedule a broadcast.
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 video in OBS?
Select the scene, add a Media Source from the Sources dock’s + button, choose a supported local file, and enable Loop in that source’s properties. Check the preview and watch the file reach its end and start again before using it in a longer broadcast.
Can I play a YouTube video in OBS Media Source?
The documented Media Source workflow is for media files, and the cited OBS documentation does not establish that a standard YouTube watch URL works directly there. Browser Source loads webpages from URLs, but the cited material does not verify YouTube-specific playback or looping behaviour in it either.
Which file types does OBS list for Media Source?
OBS lists .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif, and .webm as supported video types. It also lists .mp3, .aac, .ogg, and .wav as audio types; check the official Media Sources page for current documentation.
Does Loop keep my YouTube live stream running all day?
No. Loop repeats the selected file when playback completes; it does not ensure OBS, the computer, the internet connection, or the YouTube broadcast stays active. Test playback and check the broadcast separately, and choose a workflow that meets your continuity needs.