To stream a prerecorded video repeatedly on YouTube Live from a Windows PC, add it to OBS as a Media Source, enable Loop, and send the encoder feed to a YouTube stream. Keep the PC awake while OBS is running, then test the picture, audio, connection and stream health before relying on a long session.
This is a PC-based broadcast, not an interruption-proof unattended setup. Sleep, power loss, a network break or an encoder fault can interrupt it; plan to monitor the session and be ready to intervene. Use only material you have the right to stream, and check YouTube’s current rules for your content.
Check channel eligibility and give yourself setup time
Before configuring OBS, confirm that the channel can go live. YouTube says a channel must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. Its encoder streaming guidance explains the prerequisites and setup steps. If the channel is new to live streaming, allow time to complete verification and resolve any eligibility issue rather than discovering it just before the planned broadcast.
Encoder streaming is a good fit when you are assembling a broadcast from a video file, overlays or other computer-based sources. A simple devotional programme, study session or ambience video can be a single looping file; a broadcast that needs regular live camera segments or a presenter may need a different scene arrangement. Decide what viewers should see and hear before you start building the scene.
Prepare the video file on the PC and make sure you can locate it. OBS lists common media formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF and WebM in its Media Sources documentation. A listed format is not a guarantee that every file will decode correctly: test the actual file in OBS. If it contains audio, check that the intended track is present and at a sensible level.
In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or schedule a stream. Choose its visibility deliberately: public is discoverable, unlisted is accessible by link, and private limits access according to YouTube’s current settings. A scheduled event can appear as upcoming, allowing viewers to request a reminder. Read YouTube’s live streaming setup instructions for the current Studio workflow.
Also decide whether viewers should see a waiting screen before the programme begins, and whether you will stop the event manually. The file loop controls playback inside OBS; it does not decide the event’s privacy, audience or end time. That separation matters when you are testing an unlisted event first and later setting up a public broadcast.
Add the video as an OBS Media Source
Open OBS and select the scene you intend to use. In the Sources box, use the add button, choose Media Source, and create a source with a recognisable name such as “Main loop”. In its properties, browse to the local video file. Keep the file in a stable location: moving or renaming it later can leave OBS pointing to a path that no longer exists.
For a straightforward loop, start with the local-file option and select the video. Review the source properties rather than assuming defaults match your needs. The source should be visible in the preview, fit the canvas as intended and play sound if the file contains an audio track. OBS’s Media Sources guide describes the source options and supported formats.
A single-source scene is easier to troubleshoot than a complicated layout. If you add a logo or text overlay, confirm that it remains in the right position and does not cover important content. Use OBS’s preview to inspect the full frame; a small thumbnail can hide a crop, black bars or an overlay that is too close to an edge.
If your video includes music, chants, a recorded talk or other third-party material, confirm that you have permission to broadcast it. Owning a file or being able to play it locally does not by itself establish streaming rights. For a channel built around a sequence of clips rather than one file, the FFmpeg loop approach for a Gurbani playlist is a different workflow, not a setting you need for this basic OBS setup.
Enable and verify the media loop
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. OBS documents that Loop is off by default and makes the file play again when playback completes. Once enabled, test the end of the file, not just the first few seconds. Watch the transition into the next cycle and listen for a gap, abrupt cut or unexpected silence.
A loop repeats the source file; it does not repair a problem in the file itself. If a video freezes near its end or has a blank section, OBS will repeat that content as recorded. Check the duration and final frames in a local player as well as in OBS. If playback reaches the end and stops, revisit the source properties and confirm the correct source is selected and Loop remains enabled.
The guide to fixing an OBS Media Source that reaches the end is useful if you see a stream stop when a clip finishes. It addresses a common distinction: a YouTube event can remain open while the encoder’s media source has run out of content. For a simple repeating video, verify the loop at the source before testing the full broadcast.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or open the event and locate its encoder settings. Copy the server URL and stream key into OBS’s stream settings. Treat the key as a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your event. YouTube describes stream keys as credentials in its live stream settings help; do not share screenshots that expose the key, and reset it if you believe it has been compromised.
Check the destination and event before starting the encoder. If you have both a scheduled event and a separate stream setup available, make sure OBS is pointed at the one you intend to use. YouTube’s preview should show the feed before you start the public event. Use an unlisted test event if you need to inspect the complete flow without making the broadcast publicly discoverable.
Set the output to match the video, the PC’s encoding capacity and the sustained upload connection. YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends H.264 video at 5 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 3 Mbps for 720p at 30 fps; these are recommendations, not a promise that a particular connection or computer will hold that quality. YouTube also recommends CBR, a 2-second keyframe interval (not over 4 seconds), and RTMPS for an encrypted connection. Refer to the current encoder settings table rather than treating one preset as suitable for every source.
| Output choice | YouTube H.264 recommended bitrate | When to consider it |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | When the source benefits from the extra detail and the PC and upload connection can sustain it |
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | When a smaller output is a more practical match for the source or connection |
The figures are YouTube encoder recommendations, not required upload speeds or guaranteed results. Leave capacity for normal network variation and other household or workplace traffic. If the stream preview reports health problems, lower the output demand or investigate the connection before proceeding. You can also review the OBS settings for a 1080p lecture stream for another example of how output settings affect a specific use case.
Keep Windows awake while OBS is streaming
A display switching off is not the same as the PC entering sleep. You can usually let the screen turn off while keeping the computer awake, which reduces the need to leave a bright monitor on through the broadcast. The setting to check is the system’s sleep timeout while plugged in, not merely the display timeout.
On Windows, open Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep and review the plugged-in sleep setting. Menu names and available controls vary by Windows version and device. Set the sleep behaviour to suit the planned session, and check the PC’s power plan or manufacturer utility if Windows exposes a separate control. Microsoft’s power and battery guidance provides a starting point for finding these settings.
On a laptop, review what happens when you close the lid. A lid-close action may put the machine to sleep even when it is connected to power. If the laptop must stay open for airflow or a connected display, place it on a stable surface and make sure it is not likely to be shut accidentally. Do not rely on the screen going dark as evidence that OBS is still encoding; check the Windows power configuration and verify the live feed separately.
Microsoft PowerToys Awake is an optional way to request that the PC remain awake for a timed period or indefinitely while the feature is enabled. It does not work at the Windows lock screen. If the computer must stay awake while locked, Microsoft advises configuring the power plan directly; see PowerToys Awake documentation. Whichever method you use, verify the result on your own machine before the broadcast.
Keeping Windows awake only addresses sleep behaviour. It cannot prevent an outage, a Windows update, a power interruption, a network failure or an OBS encoder problem. Schedule the session when you can check the PC, and know how you will regain access if OBS stops sending. Do not assume that a keep-awake setting makes a local-PC stream unattended.
Test picture, audio and connection
Run a private or unlisted test using the same file, scene, output settings and network connection planned for the real event. Check the YouTube preview and, if possible, the watch page on a second device. Look at the full frame for cropping, black areas, overlays, unreadable text and changes in brightness. Verify the transition back to the start of the loop rather than stopping the test before the first repeat.
Listen on a separate device at a realistic volume. Check that the desired audio source is present, that speech or music is not distorted, and that it does not disappear at the file boundary. Headphones connected to the PC can reveal local playback while failing to tell you what viewers receive, so use the YouTube preview or watch page as part of the check.
A stable-looking preview at the beginning does not prove that the connection will hold for a long session. Observe the stream health indicators in Live Control Room and look for warnings, dropped frames or repeated quality changes. If health is poor, reduce the output demand or address competing network use, then test again. A bitrate recommendation cannot compensate for an inconsistent upload connection.
Check the encoding load in OBS while the scene is active. If frames are missed or the computer becomes sluggish, reduce the output resolution or frame rate, simplify the scene, or use an encoding option the PC can handle. Make one change at a time and test the effect, rather than changing several settings and losing track of what fixed the issue.
Check stream health before a long session
Before starting a longer broadcast, confirm that the YouTube preview is receiving the intended source, OBS is reporting that it is connected, the media loop is playing and Windows is configured not to sleep while plugged in. Check the audio, stream health and watch page again after the event begins. Keep the PC where you can reach it and plan periodic checks; a green status at the start does not predict what will happen hours later.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That describes archive behaviour, not a promise that a stream will remain connected for that duration or beyond it. If you need a recording, confirm the archive after the event and keep a local copy when that matters to your workflow. When the programme is over, end the event in YouTube and stop the encoder rather than leaving OBS sending a feed indefinitely.
For some operators, the recurring burden is leaving a specific PC powered and available simply to send one prerecorded file. StreamNeo removes that particular need by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube Live broadcast without keeping your own computer running, but it remains YouTube-only and does not change the need to check your content rights or channel readiness. A local OBS setup remains useful when you need to assemble scenes on the PC or control a live production directly.
If you are deciding between a local workflow and a different approach, compare the operational trade-offs before committing. A PC offers direct control over sources and settings but depends on that machine, power and connection staying available; alternatives shift some of that operational work elsewhere.
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 on YouTube Live?
Add the local video to OBS as a Media Source and enable Loop in that source’s properties. Test the point where playback reaches the end to confirm it starts again, then connect OBS to a YouTube Live event and check the preview before going live.
How do I keep my PC awake while streaming?
Review the plugged-in sleep timeout under Windows Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep. On a laptop, also check the lid-close action. The display can turn off while the PC stays awake, but verify the actual settings and test the stream on your device.
Can I stream a video on repeat from OBS?
Yes. OBS’s Media Source has a Loop option for replaying a local file when playback completes. The option repeats the file; it does not protect the broadcast from sleep, loss of connectivity or an encoder problem.
Does YouTube keep the stream archived automatically?
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. This is archive guidance, not an uptime guarantee. Check the resulting archive after the event if you need to rely on it.