A reliable way to stream a portrait video in a YouTube Live loop is to add the local file as an OBS Media Source, enable Loop, and compose it on a vertical output canvas. YouTube’s Live Control Room can also create a vertical version of a stream, but its default centre crop may cut off important parts of the picture, so preview the layout before you go live.
Choose the workflow based on the picture you need viewers to see. OBS gives you control over a portrait scene made from your local file; YouTube’s layout tools can produce a vertical version alongside horizontal output. Either way, test the actual preview and stream health rather than assuming the selected format will frame your video correctly.
Choose OBS or YouTube’s vertical output
There are two common starting points. If your source is already portrait and you want to control exactly how it sits in the frame, use OBS and set up a portrait output. If you are sending a horizontal stream through YouTube’s Live Control Room, YouTube can also create a vertical version for viewers on mobile. The two approaches are not interchangeable: one is a composition you build in an encoder; the other is a YouTube-managed layout derived from your stream or configured as a separate feed.
| Setup | Suits | What you need to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source loop with portrait composition | A local portrait file, or a scene you want to control in OBS | Source sizing, canvas and output resolutions, preview framing, and that OBS remains active |
| YouTube Live Control Room vertical layout | A stream where you want YouTube to offer horizontal and vertical viewing formats | Whether the default centre crop loses important content; try the other available layouts in the editor |
| Separate encoder feeds for horizontal and vertical | Different compositions for each aspect ratio | Correct RTMP(S) setup and the matching stream key for each feed |
For a single portrait file that must repeat, OBS is usually the more direct workflow: add it as a Media Source, turn on Loop, and compose the portrait frame yourself. If you want horizontal and vertical versions from one Live Control Room setup, check the current YouTube layout controls and decide whether their available framing choices suit the material. A devotional video with a person or text near the edge, for example, needs closer inspection than a simple central pattern.
These are production choices, not a promise that any output will be available in every viewing context. YouTube says vertical live viewing in its dedicated vertical feed is available in the YouTube app, not on tablets; scheduled streams and Premieres do not appear in that feed. Check YouTube’s current information about vertical live streams before planning around how viewers will discover or watch your stream.
If your plan is to keep a recorded file running as a channel rather than make a one-off broadcast, the workflow in this guide to keeping a recorded ambient study stream running covers some broader operational considerations. That does not change the framing decision: first make sure the portrait content looks right in the chosen output.
Loop a local file in OBS
Create or select an OBS scene, then add a Media Source and choose the local video file. OBS supports common video formats such as MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM. In the Media Source properties, enable Loop. OBS describes the setting as restarting playback when the file reaches its end, which is what makes a single video repeat within that scene.
After adding the file, watch it reach the end in the preview and confirm that playback starts again. This simple check catches a file-selection or source-setting mistake before you connect the scene to a public broadcast. Also listen across the transition. A file can loop visually while its final and opening frames, or their audio, make the repeat noticeable. If the file contains a deliberate fade or pause, decide whether that suits an always-repeating presentation.
For a rotation of several files rather than one repeating clip, OBS offers a VLC Video source with a Loop Playlist control. VLC must be installed for that source type to be available. A playlist lets you arrange multiple items, but it adds another place to check: make sure the intended files and order are present, and confirm the playlist actually advances and returns to the beginning.
Looping a file is only one part of running a live stream. OBS is the encoder in this workflow, so the computer and broadcast session have to remain in operation. A loop control does not by itself promise that a stream will continue indefinitely if the encoder stops or the connection drops. If you are weighing that practical burden, this comparison of cloud streaming and a spare PC for a 24/7 YouTube channel can help you think through the operating setup without changing the steps for composing the video.
Set up the portrait output canvas
OBS uses two resolution settings that are easy to confuse. Base (Canvas) Resolution is the workspace where you position sources; Output (Scaled) Resolution is the size sent to the stream or recording. To make a portrait composition, set the canvas to a portrait shape appropriate to your intended output, then configure the output resolution to match the portrait format you plan to send. The settings should be deliberate rather than relying on a landscape canvas and hoping the encoder will frame the file as intended.
The canvas is where you decide what the viewer sees. Add the portrait video, then resize or position it so it fits the frame in the way you want. If the source is itself portrait, you may be able to fill the canvas without cutting off its sides; if the source and canvas have different proportions, you will need to choose whether to leave unused space, crop, or adjust the composition. Each choice changes the result, so inspect the preview rather than assuming “portrait” alone settles it.
Set these dimensions before spending time arranging overlays or other sources. OBS notes that changing the base canvas later can mean sources need to be resized or realigned. For a simple file loop, this may only take a moment to fix. In a scene with a title, logo, background or captions, a canvas change can move several elements at once and create a frame that looked right only at the former size.
Use a test scene to settle the basic layout. Put the video in the scene, check its edges and safe space, then add any text or graphics one at a time. Keep text clear of the outer edges because viewers’ screens and app controls can make edge content harder to see. This is a composition precaution, not a guarantee about how YouTube will present the stream on every device.
OBS’s overview of scenes, canvas and output explains the distinction between the composition area and encoded output. For a separate walkthrough of repeating a source, see this video-looping guide for OBS and YouTube Live. Use both ideas together: make the source repeat, then make the output frame suit the source.
Compose and preview the vertical frame
A portrait file can still be framed badly. Its subject may sit off-centre, captions may run close to an edge, or an important sign may occupy a narrow strip at one side. In OBS, inspect the complete frame on the canvas and decide how much of the source to show. Scale the video to fill the portrait canvas only if filling it does not remove content you need viewers to see. If you preserve the full source with empty space around it, use a background or other simple treatment only if it helps the presentation rather than distracting from it.
For example, imagine a portrait bhajan video with the singer near the left edge and lyrics along the bottom. A centre crop applied to a wider source could remove the singer or part of the lyrics. In OBS, you can position the portrait source within a portrait canvas; with a horizontal feed being made vertical by YouTube, you need to assess the crop and available layout controls instead. Neither workflow can repair content that was placed outside the source frame in the first place.
Preview moving content, not just a still frame at the start. Watch for a person walking into the edge of the picture, lyrics changing, a ticker crossing the bottom, or a title appearing only near the end of the clip. Check the point where the file loops as well. When a loop begins with a different composition from its final seconds, a framing adjustment that works at the start may still miss important action later.
Check the audio in the same rehearsal. Confirm that sound is present, at a sensible level, and not abruptly clipped at the repeat. If your stream is intentionally silent, verify that this is deliberate. Review the preview on a phone if you can, because a portrait frame seen on a desktop monitor may not reveal how small captions or edge details feel when the video fills a mobile screen.
Before you rely on the scene, do a test or unlisted stream and inspect the viewer-side presentation. YouTube recommends testing before a stream and monitoring stream health during it. If the picture appears soft, cropped or incorrectly positioned, fix the composition or output settings before making the broadcast public rather than trying to diagnose it while viewers are watching.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
In YouTube Studio, open Create → Go live and set up or select the stream. In OBS, choose YouTube as the service if the encoder presents it as a service option, or enter the stream URL and stream key supplied in YouTube Studio. Treat the stream key as private: YouTube describes it as functioning like the stream’s password and address. Do not publish it in a scene, message or screenshot.
If you connect by entering details manually, use the server address and key provided for that stream, not values copied from an old setup without checking. YouTube recommends RTMPS, a secure extension of RTMP. Follow the current details shown in YouTube Studio, then start the encoder and check that the Live Control Room receives a preview before you begin the public stream.
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists video options including H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1, and audio options including AAC or MP3. It recommends CBR encoding and a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. Its bitrate table includes H.264 recommendations for 1080p30 and 720p30; those are YouTube’s published recommendations, not a promise that a particular connection or computer can sustain them. Choose settings that your encoder and upload connection can handle, and test the connection rather than treating a published bitrate as proof of performance.
For a portrait output, keep the resolution, frame rate and bitrate choices consistent with the output you are actually sending and with your available upload capacity. Avoid changing several settings at once if a test fails. Check whether OBS is sending the intended scene and whether YouTube is receiving the stream; then adjust one relevant setting and test again. YouTube’s encoder setup and troubleshooting guidance is the place to verify current recommendations.
If the preview does not appear or the stream seems disconnected, check both ends: OBS’s status and YouTube Studio’s stream health. The checks for a YouTube stream that reports excellent health while appearing offline offer a useful fault-finding sequence for that particular mismatch. Do not expose the stream key while asking for help; a key can allow someone else to broadcast to your channel.
Check YouTube’s vertical layouts and centre crop
YouTube’s Live Control Room can create horizontal and vertical versions together when you stream from the Live Control Room. The vertical version starts with a centre crop of the horizontal picture. That is an option, not a guarantee that all portrait content survives: anything near the left or right edge of a wide source may fall outside the crop.
In the vertical preview’s editing canvas, YouTube documents Center crop, Fit to phone width and Stacked layouts, with controls to adjust zoom and position. Preview each layout with the actual moving content. A centre crop may suit a central subject; fit-to-phone-width or stacked may suit different material, but the visible result depends on your source and the selected layout. Do not assume a layout name proves that every caption, face or action will fit.
Plan the layout before starting the stream. YouTube says the vertical format cannot be added after the stream has started. You can continue adjusting the layout while live, but that does not make it sensible to leave the initial crop unchecked: a missing edge detail or badly placed title is easier to fix before viewers arrive. Use a private rehearsal or test setup where possible, then verify the live preview in the intended format.
If your encoder supplies independent horizontal and portrait feeds, YouTube’s documented dual-stream process uses RTMP(S) and a second stream key for the vertical output. In the Live Control Room’s Stream tab, use the vertical preview’s Auto menu to select Encoder, choose RTMP(S), and select the second key for that feed. Match each aspect ratio to its corresponding key and confirm the feeds carry the compositions you intend before going live from YouTube Studio. This gives you separate compositions, but it also means configuring and checking two outputs instead of one.
For a Live Control Room stream, YouTube says viewers in the Shorts feed on mobile see the vertical version while other viewers see the horizontal one; the versions share a live chat, a go-live notification and a stream URL. Viewer behaviour and eligible surfaces are platform details that can change, so check YouTube’s current vertical live-stream guidance rather than building a plan around an assumption. The key production task remains the same: review the vertical preview for content lost at the edges.
A separate portrait feed can be useful when cropping a horizontal master would be unsuitable, while a local portrait file in OBS avoids that particular conversion by letting you compose directly for the portrait frame. If keeping an OBS computer running is the part you would rather not manage, StreamNeo can remove that specific burden by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube live stream while your computer is off. It does not decide whether the portrait composition is right, so you still need to preview the file and output before relying on it.
Before you publish the loop
Use a short rehearsal as a checklist rather than a ceremonial final step. Confirm that the intended file is selected, the loop or playlist restarts as expected, the canvas and output are portrait as planned, and text remains readable in the preview. Then start a test or unlisted stream and check what YouTube receives, including audio, stream health and the vertical layout if you are using one.
If the test reveals a crop problem, decide where to correct it. With OBS, adjust the source’s size or position on the canvas and repeat the preview. With YouTube’s vertical layout, try the documented layout and zoom or position controls before the stream starts. If you send separate encoder feeds, check both keys and aspect ratios. Making one controlled change at a time keeps it clear which adjustment fixed the frame.
Keep a note of the working scene and output settings once the test is satisfactory. That gives you a reference if you later change the source file, update OBS, or revise the title and overlays. It does not guarantee that future sessions will be identical; it makes the intended setup easier to recheck. Review current YouTube guidance whenever you set up a new stream, particularly if you depend on its vertical layouts or encoder recommendations.
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FAQ
Can I loop a portrait video in OBS without a playlist?
Yes. Add the local file as a Media Source and enable Loop in its properties. Use a VLC Video source with Loop Playlist only when you need to rotate multiple files, and remember that VLC must be installed for that source type.
Does YouTube’s default centre crop keep the whole portrait video visible?
No. YouTube’s default vertical version uses a centre crop of the horizontal picture, which can omit content near the edges. Preview the actual source and try the available layout and positioning controls; do not assume that a centre crop will preserve every face, caption or action.
Can I add YouTube’s vertical format after I start streaming?
YouTube says you cannot add the vertical format after the stream has started. Set up and review it in the Live Control Room beforehand. You can continue adjusting the layout while live, but the format itself needs to be selected in advance.
Do I need separate stream keys for horizontal and portrait encoder feeds?
YouTube’s documented third-party dual-stream process uses a second stream key for the vertical feed, with RTMP(S) selected in the vertical preview settings. Match each feed to the right aspect ratio and key, then verify both in YouTube Studio before going live.