A 4K pre-recorded video can be sent to YouTube Live as an encoder stream from OBS: prepare the channel, loop a local file in a Media Source, then match the output settings to your source and connection. A 2160p setting is a target, not a guarantee; the file, computer, encoder and stable upload capacity all have to support it.
Do the setup and a private or unlisted test before you plan to leave the broadcast running. Keep a local copy of the video, protect the stream key, and decide how you will notice and recover from a dropped feed before switching to a long public run.
Check that your channel can go live
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. First-time activation can take up to 24 hours, so do not leave this check until the day of a scheduled broadcast. The timing is a caveat, not a promise that every channel will be enabled within a fixed period.
Open YouTube Studio and look for the live-streaming option. If the channel has not streamed before, follow YouTube's activation steps and wait until the feature is available. You can review YouTube's current eligibility and live-streaming guidance before planning the launch. If you are not sure whether an existing restriction applies, check the channel's Studio notices rather than assuming that a previous successful upload means live access is ready.
Eligibility is only one part of readiness. Make sure the account owner or the person responsible for the channel can access Live Control Room, and decide who will keep the stream key private. If more than one person helps with the channel, agree how access is shared without putting the key in a public document or message. Anyone who obtains the key may be able to send a feed to that encoder stream.
A local video loop is different from a camera broadcast: the programme may look unchanged for hours, but YouTube still receives a live encoder feed. If you are planning a channel around a continuous programme rather than a single event, the practical issues in making a 24/7 YouTube channel from public-domain animations are relevant too: the source material, its repeat points and the way the channel is presented matter alongside the encoder setup.
Create the encoder stream in Live Control Room
In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or schedule a stream using the encoder option. Set a title, description, visibility and any other details that viewers should see. The encoder setup provides a stream URL and a stream key; OBS uses these to send its output to YouTube. YouTube's guide to creating a live stream with an encoder walks through this workflow.
Treat the key like a password. Copy it directly into OBS's streaming settings and do not paste it into a public chat, screen-share or recording. If it is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube Studio and update OBS with the new key. A person who has the key could send a different feed to your stream, even if they do not control the channel's uploaded videos.
YouTube recommends RTMPS for standard RTMP-based streaming. Use the server URL supplied by Live Control Room rather than typing one from memory. The URL and key belong together for the encoder stream you created; an old key or details from a different scheduled broadcast can lead OBS to send to the wrong place or fail to connect.
Keep Live Control Room open during setup. It is where you will later inspect the incoming feed and stream health before making the broadcast public. If you are new to encoder streams, understanding the differences between RTMP, HLS, SRT and other streaming protocols can make the labels less mysterious, but for this standard OBS workflow follow the connection details YouTube actually supplies.
Add and loop the local 4K video
In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene that will carry the programme. Choose the local video file, then enable Loop in the source properties. OBS describes this control in its Media Sources documentation: when playback completes, the file starts again. Supported common formats include MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM, though a file extension alone does not establish that a particular computer can decode the file smoothly.
Use a file stored on a drive the computer can read reliably for the whole run. Avoid moving, renaming or disconnecting it after the source has been configured. If the media is on removable storage, make sure the drive remains connected and that the computer will not enter a power-saving state that suspends it. A loop can only repeat correctly if the source remains available and decodable.
Check the file itself before arranging a long stream. Confirm its resolution and frame rate, watch its beginning and ending, and listen through the point where it loops. Some edits have a visible or audible jump at the end; the OBS loop setting does not blend the last frame into the first. If the programme is a sequence of separate videos, a single pre-edited file may make transitions easier to inspect than several sources changing in a scene. For more on transition gaps, see how to prevent black frames between videos on a YouTube loop stream.
OBS may offer options such as restarting playback when a source becomes active. The useful choice depends on how you use scenes: if the media source is hidden and shown as part of a scene change, determine whether playback should resume where it stopped or begin again. Test that behaviour instead of assuming that a scene transition will produce the same result as a fresh OBS launch.
Look at the OBS preview before connecting. A 16:9 video should normally fill a 16:9 canvas without an unintended crop or letterboxing, but do not stretch content simply to fill the frame. A source with a different aspect ratio may need bars or a deliberate crop. Check fine text, logos and edges at the preview size, and compare them with the original file so you can distinguish a scaling problem from detail that was already absent in the source.
Set OBS canvas and output for the target
Open Settings → Video in OBS. The base (canvas) resolution determines the space in which sources are arranged; the output (scaled) resolution determines the dimensions sent out by the encoder. For a genuine 2160p presentation, a common target is 3840×2160 for both, provided the source and system can handle it. Setting the canvas to 3840×2160 does not create detail missing from a lower-resolution source.
Keep the frame rate aligned with the source when possible. If your file is 30 frames per second, sending it at 60 does not add real motion information; it may add workload or duplicate frames. If the source is 60 fps, choose 60 only if the computer, encoder and connection can sustain the corresponding output. Use the same target resolution and frame rate in the stream settings rather than accidentally testing one format and broadcasting another.
The canvas and output need not always match. A lower output resolution can be a sensible compromise if a 4K encode overwhelms the computer or upload connection. It is better to deliver a stable, correctly framed output that your setup can sustain than to select 2160p simply because the file is labelled 4K. If you scale down, inspect the preview for text readability and fine patterns; downscaling may change how those details appear.
| Target | YouTube ingestion guidance | What to weigh before selecting it |
|---|---|---|
| 2160p at 30 fps, AV1 or H.265/HEVC | 8–35 Mbps | Confirm that OBS and the encoder support the codec, then test the chosen rate on your connection. |
| 2160p at 30 fps, H.264 | 30 Mbps recommended | Widely used, but the computer still has to encode the chosen resolution reliably. |
| 2160p at 60 fps, AV1 or H.265/HEVC | 10–40 Mbps | Higher motion detail comes with a heavier encoding and upload demand. |
| 2160p at 60 fps, H.264 | 35 Mbps recommended | Use only if source, system and upload capacity support the target under realistic load. |
These are YouTube's ingestion recommendations, not a benchmark of what your computer or internet connection can manage. They are listed in YouTube's encoder settings guidance; check the current resolution, bitrate and codec recommendations before publishing, as platform guidance can change. Use the bitrate range corresponding to the codec and frame rate you have selected rather than combining figures from different rows.
Configure encoder and connection settings
Under Settings → Output, select the streaming encoder that your OBS installation and computer support. YouTube lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 for RTMP/RTMPS ingestion, but the presence of a codec in YouTube's guidance does not mean every OBS build or computer has a suitable encoder for it. If in doubt, use an available, supported option and test it before the public stream.
Set rate control to CBR and use a keyframe interval of two seconds, following YouTube's guidance. The interval should not exceed four seconds. Set the bitrate to a value appropriate to the selected codec and target in the table, then keep an eye on the OBS status and Live Control Room health indicators. Choosing a value at the top of a range is not automatically better: if your upload fluctuates or the encoder cannot keep up, a lower sustainable setting may give viewers a steadier feed.
In Settings → Stream, choose YouTube and enter the stream details from Live Control Room, or use the connection method supported by your current OBS version. Verify the destination and stream key before starting. Do not share the OBS settings window while the key is visible. If you change the key in YouTube, update OBS as well.
Audio settings deserve attention even for a visual loop. Use the audio track and sample configuration appropriate to your file and OBS setup, then listen to the outgoing monitor or a test recording. A silent file may be intentional, but a soundtrack that is too loud, clipped or missing at the loop boundary will remain part of the broadcast every time it repeats. Check the source's audio rather than assuming that a video preview proves the sound is correct.
For a straightforward SDR loop, use standard settings supported by the encoder and avoid enabling HDR unless you have prepared the separate workflow and requirements for it. YouTube treats HDR as a distinct setup, not a switch that makes an SDR video into proper HDR. Likewise, 4K streams do not offer YouTube's “improve for low latency” option and use normal latency, so do not plan a 2160p loop around instant audience interaction.
Preview picture, sound and stream health
Start OBS streaming while the YouTube stream is still private or unlisted, then wait for Live Control Room to show the incoming preview. Check more than whether an image appears. Look for the correct framing, resolution, motion, colour, text detail and expected loop point. The preview is a chance to catch an incorrect source or key before viewers see it.
Listen to the preview as well. Confirm the correct audio source is present and at a sensible level, and watch for desynchronisation or a sudden jump when the video loops. If the video is meant to be silent, verify that no unintended desktop or microphone audio is being sent. A visual check alone will not reveal a muted track or unwanted sound.
Use OBS's status indicators alongside the health information in Live Control Room. If the preview stalls, resolution is not what you expected, or YouTube reports a connection or encoding problem, pause the public launch and diagnose it. Check that the source is playing, the encoder is not overloaded, and the configured bitrate matches the actual output. A green-looking local preview is not proof that YouTube is receiving a healthy feed.
Leave enough time to correct a problem before the planned start. YouTube's streaming tips recommend testing and checking upload capacity rather than relying on a last-minute start. For a local OBS workflow, the computer must remain powered, the media accessible and the network connected. If the pain point is keeping your own computer running and recovering a feed after it drops, StreamNeo can take an uploaded video and run it as a YouTube stream with your computer switched off; that is a different operating approach from the local OBS setup described here.
Only change visibility to public when the preview and programme are correct. If you have an audience waiting, communicate a realistic start window rather than announcing a time that depends on an untested encoder. You can stop and revise a test stream; the value of testing is that it lets you discover a weak point while the broadcast is not yet serving viewers.
Test the system and upload capacity before a long run
A short successful start is not enough to establish that a system can keep running through an overnight or longer broadcast. Test with the actual file, target resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate and audio that you intend to use. Watch for dropped frames, encoder overload, heat or other signs that the machine is struggling. Results from a light scene or a lower-resolution test do not establish that a 4K encode will behave the same way.
Measure upload capacity under the conditions you expect to broadcast in, including other household or workplace use. The relevant question is not just the best result from a speed test; it is whether the available upload remains stable with headroom above the chosen stream bitrate. YouTube recommends allowing headroom and using a reliable connection. If the connection is shared, someone starting a large upload or video call may change what the encoder can sustain.
A wired Ethernet connection may help avoid variability from weak or congested Wi-Fi, if your router and computer support it. It is not a cure for a slow or unstable broadband connection, and a cable purchase is not required to perform the workflow. Compare practical alternatives using the guidance on upload speeds for YouTube loop services in India; use your own connection and conditions as the deciding evidence.
Decide what recovery looks like. Know how you will notice that the stream has stopped, how to reconnect OBS, and whether YouTube's Live Control Room remains open for whoever is watching the channel. A looped file may resume from the beginning after a restart depending on the source behaviour and how OBS is configured, so check what viewers will see after recovery. For unattended operation, a local computer also needs power, cooling, storage access and an internet connection throughout the run.
Consider recording a local archive in OBS if you need a copy independent of YouTube's archive. Check available storage first, since a long high-resolution recording can use substantial space, and make a short recording test to confirm the file can be played back. YouTube recommends a local backup. It may automatically archive streams under 12 hours, but streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all; do not treat the platform archive as your only copy. You can check YouTube's archive guidance before relying on it.
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FAQ
Can OBS loop a local video file continuously?
Yes. Add the video as a Media Source and enable Loop in its properties. Test the ending and beginning together, because looping repeats the file but does not remove an edit gap, abrupt cut or audio jump.
Does selecting 3840×2160 guarantee a 4K YouTube stream?
No. The source must contain the detail, and the computer, encoder and upload connection must sustain the chosen resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate. Confirm what arrives in Live Control Room and lower the target if testing shows that your setup cannot maintain it.
Can I use a 4K loop for a low-latency stream?
YouTube's 2160p streams use normal latency and do not have the “improve for low latency” option. If immediate interaction is central to the programme, consider whether a lower resolution and latency target better fits the channel before you configure the broadcast.
Will YouTube always save the whole livestream as an archive?
No. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while broadcasts longer than 12 hours may not be captured. If the recording matters, test and enable a local OBS recording and confirm that you have enough storage.