To stream a 24/7 playlist from Windows 11, use OBS Studio with its VLC Video source: install VLC, add your local videos in order, and enable Loop Playlist. Then connect OBS to an encoder stream in YouTube Studio with the stream URL and stream key.
This setup sends a live feed while your PC, files, power and internet remain available. It does not guarantee a complete YouTube replay: YouTube says a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. If you need an archive, plan a separate local recording or shorter sessions.
Install OBS Studio and the matching VLC version
Download OBS Studio from the OBS Project and install it on the Windows 11 computer that will run the channel. For a playlist of several local files, OBS needs VLC as well as OBS. The VLC Video source will not appear in OBS unless VLC is installed, and OBS specifically notes that 64-bit OBS requires 64-bit VLC. Match the architectures rather than installing a 32-bit VLC alongside 64-bit OBS. See the OBS media sources documentation for the source requirements.
After installing both applications, open OBS and confirm that VLC Video appears among the source types when you add a source. If it is missing, close OBS, check that VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS, then reopen OBS. Installing or changing VLC after OBS is already open may mean you need to restart OBS before it recognises the dependency.
Create a scene for the broadcast and give it a name that makes its purpose clear, such as “Main playlist”. A scene is the composition OBS sends to YouTube; the VLC source will supply the video and audio. Keep the setup simple at first. You can add a logo, clock or other overlay after confirming that the files play reliably.
OBS's built-in Media Source is useful when you want to loop one file, but it does not provide the multi-file playlist workflow described here. For several videos in sequence, use VLC Video instead. The distinction matters: adding files one at a time as separate Media Sources is not the same as creating one ordered playlist that advances and repeats.
Prepare the local video files
Put the files you want to stream in a stable folder on the PC, and settle their order before building the playlist. Choose clear filenames, for example 01-opening.mp4, 02-bhajan-set.mp4, and 03-evening-prayer.mp4. The numbers are simply a naming aid; they do not determine the order after you add files to VLC Video. Arrange them in the source itself.
Check that each file opens and plays in a normal media player before relying on it for a broadcast. Listen for missing or unexpectedly quiet audio, and inspect the picture for the aspect ratio and framing you want. If files have different sizes or orientations, the scene may display them differently; use OBS's preview to check their fit rather than assuming that every file will fill the canvas in the same way.
Keep the media in the same location and do not rename or move it while OBS is using it. VLC Video refers to local files, so a changed path can leave an item unavailable. If the library is large, storing it on an external drive may be useful, but it is not a requirement. If you use one, make sure Windows does not disconnect or power it down during the stream.
Check that you have the right to broadcast the picture and sound in every file. A local file playing successfully does not establish that you may retransmit its music, recordings or other material. YouTube's policies and rights checks are separate from the OBS configuration, so verify the relevant permissions and current YouTube guidance before making a stream public.
Add VLC Video and arrange the playlist
In the scene you created, use the Sources panel to add a VLC Video source. Give it a useful name, then use its playlist controls to add the local files. Select them in the sequence you want viewers to hear and see. Confirm that the list is complete and that its order is correct before moving on.
The source preview lets you check how the first item appears in the scene. Resize or reposition it if needed, and make sure it sits within the canvas. If you are using a logo or other overlays, check that they do not cover text or important parts of the video. You can make these adjustments while the stream is not live.
Use the VLC playlist controls rather than adding each video as a separate source and trying to switch scenes manually. A single playlist source is easier to inspect and repeat. For a practical distinction between a continuous loop and an offline screen appearing between separate runs, see how to keep a church stream from showing an offline screen between loops. Here, OBS stays connected as one live encoder feed while the source advances through local files.
If the channel depends on a specific sequence, keep Shuffle Playlist off. Shuffle changes the order and is not appropriate when a programme has an opening, a set of devotional songs and a closing section intended to play in a fixed progression. You can choose shuffle deliberately for a station that should vary its sequence, but check the behaviour locally before the stream goes public.
Enable Loop Playlist
In the VLC Video source properties, turn on Loop Playlist. This tells OBS to start the playlist again after its final item. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a predictable sequence. OBS documents loop as enabled and shuffle as disabled by default, but inspect both controls in your own source rather than relying on a default that may differ after edits or in another scene.
Looping the playlist is not the same as looping one clip. With multiple files in VLC Video, OBS can advance through the items and return to the beginning. A built-in Media Source is for a single local media file, so do not use it as the multi-file playlist control. If only one file is needed, Media Source may be simpler; for a set of local videos that must cycle together, VLC Video is the relevant source.
Before connecting YouTube, let the playlist run through its items locally. Confirm that the second file begins after the first, that audio continues, and that the first item starts again after the last. These checks catch a missing path, an unsupported file, an incorrect order or a loop setting that is not enabled. This is a local check, not a claim that a live broadcast or YouTube archive has been tested.
Create or choose an encoder stream in YouTube Studio
Open YouTube Studio and go to the live streaming controls. Choose an existing encoder stream or create and schedule one. The precise screens can change, so follow the current prompts in Studio. If you have never enabled live streaming on the channel, do that well before the intended broadcast: YouTube says first-time activation may take up to 24 hours. Do not plan the first setup shortly before a public launch.
An encoder stream is the YouTube destination for OBS's outgoing feed. In the stream settings, YouTube provides a stream URL and a stream key. The key is a credential that allows an encoder to send video to the channel; treat it like a password, do not publish it in a screenshot or share it in a public document, and reset it if you believe it has been exposed. YouTube explains how to create a live stream with an encoder and how to use stream keys.
Set the stream visibility to unlisted while you are testing if you do not want the public to find it. Check the selected stream and its scheduled settings in Studio before copying details. An encoder feed and a scheduled live event are related but distinct parts of the workflow: make sure the stream you selected is the one you intend to preview and eventually publish.
For a comparison of another desktop broadcasting workflow, the article on XSplit and OBS for a Hindi news replay stream can help frame what stays common across encoder setups. The key requirement here remains the same: YouTube must have an encoder stream to receive the output, and OBS must be configured with that stream's connection details.
Enter the stream URL and key in OBS
In OBS, open Settings and select the Stream category. Choose YouTube or the available YouTube RTMPS option, depending on the controls shown by your OBS version. If the integration offers account connection and stream selection, use it carefully; otherwise enter the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio in the appropriate fields. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encoder connections, so prefer it where available.
Copy the URL and key directly from the intended stream's settings. Avoid putting the key in notes, chat messages or screenshots. If you are helping someone remotely, use a secure method and remove any exposed copy afterwards. The key does not need to be shown to viewers, and it is not a channel link to share publicly. YouTube's guidance on keys is particularly important when more than one person has access to the channel.
Choose an output the computer and upload connection can sustain. YouTube's published encoder guidance recommends CBR and a two-second keyframe interval, with four seconds as the maximum. For H.264 at 1080p and 30 frames per second, its recommended video bitrate is 5 Mbps; at 1080p and 60 frames per second, it lists 6 Mbps as the minimum and 17 Mbps as recommended. These are YouTube recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular Windows PC or broadband connection can hold the setting continuously. Check the current YouTube encoder settings before configuring output because guidance can change.
| Output choice | YouTube H.264 guidance | Practical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps recommended video bitrate | A sensible starting point if the PC and connection can sustain it |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps minimum, 17 Mbps recommended video bitrate | Requires more sustained upload capacity than a lower frame-rate target |
The bitrate in the table is for video, not a complete measurement of everything using your internet connection. Leave capacity for audio and ordinary network variation rather than setting OBS at the maximum your connection appears to reach in a brief test. If the Live Control Room reports unstable health or viewers see buffering, reduce the output setting and test again. A lower stable feed is more useful than a sharp picture that repeatedly drops.
Test playback, upload and archive expectations
Before making the stream public, run the playlist in OBS and watch the preview in YouTube's Live Control Room. Check the picture, audio and stream health, then observe a file transition and a full return to the first playlist item. Test long enough to notice a problem that does not appear in the opening minutes. No test removes the possibility of a later local power, computer or network interruption.
For a 24/7 run, Windows must not put the PC to sleep, and the machine must remain powered and ventilated. Check Windows power settings, keep the internet connection stable, and avoid running unrelated workloads that compete for the computer's resources. If the local computer restarts, the source drive disconnects or the internet fails, OBS cannot continue sending the same local feed until the underlying problem is resolved. This is an operational consequence of encoding from a PC, not a promise about how often failures occur.
If the preview is smooth but a public viewer reports buffering, check the upload connection rather than assuming the playlist is at fault. YouTube's stream health and OBS's output status can help separate an encoder issue from a connection issue. For an India-based channel on variable broadband, the practical response may be a lower bitrate, a wired connection where available, or a different operating arrangement. A checklist for troubleshooting buffering on Indian broadband is relevant when the output is unstable.
Treat the live broadcast and its replay as separate needs. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all; it recommends a local archive backup. That is not a statement that YouTube stops a stream at 12 hours, and it is not a guarantee that every shorter stream will produce the replay you want. See YouTube's archive guidance before deciding how to preserve a programme.
If a complete recording matters, enable local recording in OBS and verify that the destination has enough space and that the recording is playable. A long local file can use substantial storage, so decide in advance whether you need the whole broadcast, a shorter segment or only the original source files. Another approach is to end and start shorter streams on a schedule, accepting that the channel will have separate broadcasts rather than one uninterrupted live event. Neither approach should be mistaken for a guarantee of a full YouTube replay.
If keeping a dedicated PC running is not practical, YouTube's documentation also lists cloud-based approaches for prerecorded 24/7 streams. The trade-off is that you are no longer using this local OBS workflow in the same way, and you should compare operating requirements and costs directly before changing setup. For a channel whose main need is to avoid keeping a computer on, a cloud service can remove the specific burden of maintaining this Windows machine; StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream, so you do not have to keep OBS and this PC running for that purpose.
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 loop several local videos in one playlist?
Yes. Add the files to an OBS VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist. The built-in Media Source loops a single file, so install VLC and use VLC Video for a multi-file sequence.
Why is VLC Video missing from my OBS sources?
OBS requires VLC to be installed for VLC Video to appear. If you use 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC as well, then restart OBS and check the source list again.
Does YouTube save the whole 24/7 stream as a replay?
Do not rely on that. YouTube says a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all, and recommends keeping a local archive if the recording matters.
How soon can I use YouTube Live for the first time?
YouTube says initial live-stream enablement may take up to 24 hours. Enable it in advance, then test with an unlisted encoder stream before you plan to go public.