To stream a continuous gaming video archive to YouTube Live with OBS, loop a local video file with a Media Source or use OBS’s VLC Video source for a playlist, then send the OBS output to YouTube with your stream URL and key. Google Drive can help you transfer files, but it is not a documented direct playlist source for YouTube Live; the media must be available to the playout or encoder workflow you choose.
A continuous broadcast and a complete YouTube replay are different things. YouTube says it can automatically archive streams under 12 hours, while a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all, so plan a local recording and deliberate session boundaries if preserving the archive matters.
Choose between a scheduled event and a continuous playlist
Start by deciding whether you are broadcasting one finite event or keeping a channel running through a repeating set of videos. A finite event has a planned beginning and end: for example, a tournament highlights programme from 7 pm to 10 pm. You can prepare one OBS scene, connect it to a YouTube event, check the preview and end the stream when the programme is over.
A continuous playlist has a different operating problem. The output should keep playing when one file ends, and someone needs to check that the encoder and source have not stalled. A single-file loop is simple when you have one long gameplay recording. A playlist makes more sense when you want to rotate match replays, tutorials or other videos without manually changing the source each time.
The query “How to stream a continuous gaming video archive to YouTube Live with OBS” is about prerecorded playback, not capturing a game as it is being played. OBS has separate sources for those jobs. Its Game Capture source is for capturing a game on Windows, while a video capture device can accept an appropriate camera or capture-card feed. Neither source turns an archive into a playlist. See the OBS source guide for the distinction.
This difference affects the whole setup. For archive playback, OBS reads the media files and encodes the scene. For live gameplay, OBS captures the game or an external device and encodes that input. If you need to mix both, you can add both kinds of source to a scene, but test their audio and layout together rather than assuming an archive workflow is the same as a live capture workflow.
Why Drive is not a direct YouTube Live playlist
Google Drive is useful for storing or transferring video files, but do not treat a folder in Drive as a documented YouTube Live playlist input. YouTube Live expects a live encoder feed, and the stream URL and key identify where that feed should go. Drive may be upstream of the workflow: you can download or import a file from it, then make that file available to the computer or playout service that will actually play and encode it.
There are two practical patterns. In the OBS pattern, the video is available as a local file on the computer running OBS. In an upload-based playout pattern, you transfer or upload the files into that service’s library, build a programme there, and connect the service’s encoder feed to YouTube. The service, not Drive, plays the media and sends the live feed.
That distinction is useful when choosing a workflow. OBS gives you direct control of scenes and sources on your own computer, but the computer and OBS must remain running for the broadcast to continue. A cloud playout workflow avoids relying on your desktop being on, but you must first place the media in the service’s own storage and configure its playlist or schedule. Do not assume that a service can read a Drive folder just because Drive is where you keep the originals.
If you are weighing an OBS setup against a managed playout workflow, the pre-recorded stream comparison offers another way to think about where playback and encoding should happen. The useful question is not which label sounds simpler, but which device or service you can keep available and check when a stream needs attention.
Make the archive available to the playout workflow
For OBS, put the source video on the computer that will run OBS. If it is currently in Drive, download it first and keep it in a location that will not be renamed, moved or disconnected while the stream is live. An external drive can work, but its cable, power and mount state become part of the broadcast setup. A file on a stable local disk removes those particular failure points.
For multiple videos, make sure each file is available to the same computer. OBS’s VLC Video source uses VLC, which must be installed for the source to appear. Build the list from the files you intend to play; do not leave a playlist pointing to an old Drive download path or a removable disk you may unplug. If a source fails, check the file path and whether the file still opens in a normal player before changing encoder settings.
With a playout service, follow its documented import procedure. Some services provide an upload page; others may document a way to import from a storage provider. Read the current product documentation to establish whether the media must be uploaded into that service’s own library. In particular, do not infer direct Drive playback from a file picker or a mention of cloud storage. A transfer or import step is not the same as a live playlist connection.
Keep a clean source folder or a record of the files included in the programme. That makes it easier to replace a damaged video and to establish which version was used if a playback problem appears. For a gaming archive, descriptive filenames such as a match date and game title can help you find the intended replay, but keep filenames and paths stable once they are referenced in OBS.
If you are assembling a long-running channel from several clips, the playlist workflow for a 24/7 channel is relevant for thinking through rotation and continuity. The media differs, but the operational question is the same: how does the next file begin, and how will you notice if playback stops?
Build and check the programme
For one file in OBS, create a scene, add a Media Source and browse to the local video. Enable Loop so playback restarts after the file ends. OBS documents common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM; that list does not mean every file will play correctly on every machine, so preview your specific video and its audio before scheduling a broadcast. The OBS Media Sources guide describes the source controls.
For several files, add a VLC Video source and choose the playlist. The source has Loop Playlist enabled by default, and you can choose shuffle if random order suits the channel. A fixed order is easier to predict and audit: for example, you can know which match follows a particular replay. Shuffle can reduce repetition in the immediate sequence, but makes it harder to confirm the next item from a schedule.
Check the scene itself, not just the playlist. Confirm that the picture fits the canvas, that no unwanted desktop or player controls are visible, and that game audio is present at a usable level. If clips have different aspect ratios or audio levels, playback may technically continue while the channel still looks inconsistent. Watch transitions between several files, including the end of the final file and the return to the first, before you call the loop ready.
OBS also lets you add graphics or other scene elements, but every extra element adds another thing to inspect. A channel identity overlay can help viewers recognise the stream; an elaborate layout is not necessary for a reliable loop. If the goal is to make a repeating archive feel like a programmed channel, the guide to making a 24/7 stream look like a TV channel covers presentation choices separately from the playback mechanics.
For a service-based programme, create the playlist or schedule in the service after the files have been uploaded. Check its ordering, repeat behaviour, transitions, and what happens at the end of the list. Then identify the live encoder output or stream destination it provides. The general pattern is that the service plays your selected programme and sends an encoder feed to YouTube; its documented controls determine how you select and monitor that programme. The exact labels and import options vary by product, so use that service’s current instructions rather than assuming they match OBS.
Connect the encoder feed to YouTube
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select the stream you want to use. YouTube provides a stream URL and a stream key for the encoder connection. In OBS, open the streaming settings and enter the details for the selected YouTube stream. If using a playout service, enter the destination details in the service’s YouTube or custom RTMP connection settings as its instructions specify. In both cases, the service or OBS is the encoder; Drive is not.
Treat the stream key like a password. YouTube explains that it lets the encoder send a feed to the correct stream. Do not post it in a screenshot or share it with someone who does not need access. If you believe it has been exposed, reset it in Studio and update the encoder with the new value. See YouTube’s live stream settings guidance for stream configuration and key handling.
Start the encoder and watch the Live Control Room preview. A connected feed is not the same as a finished event: depending on the stream settings, you may still need to start the YouTube broadcast manually. Check that video and audio arrive, that the image is not frozen, and that Studio shows the expected stream before you direct viewers to it. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the connection and start procedure.
Keep the distinction between stream and event behaviour clear. Auto-start or auto-stop settings can change when YouTube begins or ends the event, but they do not fix a missing file, a stopped OBS process or an incorrect key. Read the selected stream’s current settings, and test them rather than relying on a remembered configuration from another channel.
Check file and storage requirements
A loop is only as dependable as the file and the path it reads. Test each archive file from beginning to end if practical, and at minimum inspect its opening, a middle section, its ending and its audio. A damaged tail can be easy to miss in a short preview but can create a blank or abrupt transition when the loop reaches the end.
Check that the computer has enough free storage for the source files and for any local recording you intend to make. If recording the outgoing programme, that recording may grow throughout the stream. YouTube recommends keeping a local backup for live archives; OBS recording can provide one, but you should verify that the file is being written and remains accessible. OBS recommends MKV as a recording format because an unexpected stop is less likely to corrupt the entire recording. You can change the recording workflow later if you need a different delivery format, but test that process too.
Also check the stability of the storage connection. A file on a network share or removable drive can become unavailable independently of the YouTube connection. If local disk space is limited, do not wait until a long broadcast is underway to discover that the recording cannot continue. Decide in advance where the backup will be saved and how you will check its size or playback.
YouTube’s archive behaviour needs its own plan. Its Help page says, “If your live stream is less than 12 hours, YouTube can automatically archive it for you,” and warns that streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. This is a threshold and a risk, not a promise that every shorter stream will produce a usable replay. Read YouTube’s archive guidance before depending on the platform copy.
For an always-on channel, one uninterrupted stream can therefore be a poor match for the goal of keeping a complete YouTube archive. Consider planned session boundaries and preserve a local copy, then check each resulting replay rather than assuming that splitting guarantees success. Viewers’ live DVR controls are separate from the finished replay: YouTube notes that rewind can be limited or unavailable on streams longer than 12 hours, and viewers cannot seek to before the stream began.
Test the workflow before leaving it unattended
Run a test using the actual files, scene, playlist and YouTube destination you plan to use. Confirm the preview in Live Control Room, listen to the audio from a viewer’s perspective, and check that a file change or loop behaves as expected. YouTube recommends testing in advance and monitoring stream quality. A short successful test cannot prove that a long session will never fail, but it can catch a wrong key, a missing file or silent audio before viewers encounter it.
If retaining an archive matters, enable local recording and confirm that the output file is growing. OBS recommends MKV for local recording where an unexpected stop is a concern. Check available disk space before a longer session and decide how you will inspect the recording without interrupting the broadcast. The OBS recording output guide explains simultaneous streaming and recording options.
Write down a simple recovery sequence: check whether the source is playing, whether the encoder is still sending, whether Live Control Room sees the feed, and whether the local recording is continuing. Keep a copy of the stream key somewhere private and accessible to the person responsible for the channel. If your workflow depends on a particular desktop staying awake, prevent sleep and test that setting; if it depends on a service, confirm its monitoring and restart behaviour from that service’s current documentation.
For continuous broadcasts, plan a human check-in even when the playlist is automated. Look for a frozen picture, missing audio, an unexpectedly stopped event, and a growing local recording file. A channel that plays without needing repeated clicks is useful, but it still needs someone to respond when the source, connection or YouTube event needs attention. The playlist scheduler alternatives guide can help compare where the automation should live.
If keeping your own computer running is the specific pain point, StreamNeo can take an uploaded video and run it as a YouTube live stream with your stream key, so the broadcast does not depend on your desktop remaining on. It is a YouTube-only workflow, and the media must be uploaded rather than treated as a live Drive playlist; decide whether that upload-based playout fits your archive and scheduling needs.
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FAQ
Can I loop a gaming video in OBS?
Yes. Add the local file as a Media Source and enable Loop. Preview the full transition from the end back to the beginning and check both picture and audio before sending it to YouTube Live.
How do I loop several videos?
Use OBS’s VLC Video source to build a playlist; VLC must be installed for that source to appear. Loop Playlist is enabled by default, while shuffle is optional. Check file paths and the order of playback before going live.
Can Google Drive play directly to YouTube Live?
Drive is useful for storing or transferring the archive, but it is not a documented direct YouTube Live playlist source. Make the files available to OBS locally, or upload them into a playout service that documents how it builds a programme and sends an encoder feed to YouTube.
Will YouTube save a 24/7 livestream as one replay?
Do not rely on that. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. Keep a local recording if you need a backup, and consider planned segments without assuming that segmentation guarantees an archive.