To loop a local video as a YouTube live broadcast through Restream, add it to OBS as a Media Source, enable that source’s Loop option, connect OBS to Restream, and turn on YouTube as a destination. Start the encoder from OBS, then verify the correct event and its picture and sound in YouTube Live Control Room.
This is a live broadcast sent by an encoder, not YouTube’s viewer-side Loop control for replaying a published video. The setup depends on your computer, OBS, network connection, Restream destination settings and YouTube event all being ready; it does not guarantee a 24/7 or uninterrupted stream.
Understand the OBS-to-Restream workflow
The path has three parts. OBS reads a video file from your computer and sends an encoded live feed to Restream. Restream receives that feed and forwards it to the connected YouTube channel. YouTube presents it through the live event you created or selected in Live Control Room.
The repeat happens in OBS, at the source level. When playback reaches the end of the file, the Media Source’s Loop setting tells it to play again. Restream forwards the resulting feed; it does not turn an uploaded file into a repeating source in this workflow. If the source stops, is removed from the active scene, or the computer or connection fails, the feed may stop or change.
That differs from opening an already published YouTube video and choosing Loop in the player. The viewer’s control repeats playback for that viewer; it does not send an encoder signal, create a live event, or make the video a live broadcast. YouTube explains the player-side option in its video playback controls help.
Restream’s role is routing: it lets you send OBS to selected destinations. For one local file and one YouTube channel, the extra routing step may be useful if you already manage destinations in Restream. If you only need a direct OBS-to-YouTube broadcast, consider whether Restream adds value to your particular workflow. A broader comparison of approaches is covered in this guide to making a YouTube playlist run as a live stream in India.
Check your video and YouTube setup
Before opening OBS, confirm that your YouTube channel is eligible to live stream. YouTube’s current guidance says that encoder streaming requires a verified channel and no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Check the official live-streaming eligibility instructions rather than relying on an old setup note: channel status and platform requirements can change.
In YouTube Studio, create or schedule an encoder stream in Live Control Room. Set the title, description, visibility and other event details there, or make a note of the event you intend to use. Keep the Live Control Room page available, since an OBS connection alone does not confirm that the correct event is receiving the feed.
Prepare the file you intend to loop. Check that it opens and plays through on the same computer that will run OBS, and decide whether its ending should return cleanly to its beginning. Listen as well as watch: a file may have a silent opening, an abrupt cut, an unwanted gap or audio that does not match the picture. If you are working with a playlist rather than one file, this specific Media Source workflow is not a playlist scheduler; see the guide to continuous MP4 streaming from a VPS in India for a different operating approach.
YouTube’s stream key is a credential for sending an encoder feed. Do not show it in a screen recording or share it in a public support post. If it is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube Studio before using it again. When using Restream’s account connection, you may not need to paste YouTube’s key into OBS, but you should still protect account access and any keys used for the Restream connection.
Add the file as an OBS Media Source
Open OBS and choose an existing scene or create one for the broadcast. In the Sources panel, use the add control and select Media Source. Give it a recognisable name, such as “Main loop”, so that you can distinguish it from overlays, text or other content if you add those later.
Choose the option to create a new source, then browse to the local video file. OBS’s Media Sources documentation lists formats including .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif and .webm; the exact result still depends on the file and the local playback environment. Refer to the OBS Project Media Sources guide if a format will not open or the property labels differ in your version.
Once added, make sure the source is visible in the scene and sized as intended in the preview. A file can be loaded correctly but sit behind another full-screen source, appear cropped, or occupy only part of the canvas. Select it in the Sources list and check the preview before you broadcast. If the video includes audio, confirm that its meter moves in OBS during playback and that no other source is unintentionally covering or duplicating its sound.
For a single local file, Media Source is the straightforward choice. OBS also offers a VLC Video Source, but that introduces a separate VLC dependency and is not needed merely to repeat one local video. If a MOV file does not play as expected in your setup, you can investigate compatibility or use a suitable conversion workflow; the MOV-to-MP4 conversion guide covers that adjacent task. Conversion is not a substitute for checking the result in OBS.
Enable Loop in source properties
Select the Media Source and open its properties. Turn on Loop, then apply the change. This setting controls what happens when the file reaches its end: OBS plays it again rather than treating the completed playback as the end of the source. OBS describes the property in its Media Sources documentation; it is separate from the settings that govern how a source behaves when it becomes active or finishes.
Two similarly named behaviours are worth distinguishing. Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether playback starts again when the source is made active. Show nothing when playback ends controls the display after playback ends. Neither is the Loop control. For a repeating source, verify that Loop itself is enabled rather than assuming that restarting on activation will cause automatic repeat while the source remains active.
Test the boundary between the end and beginning of the file before using it as a live source. Watch the ending, wait for playback to restart, and listen for a pause, flash, black frame or sudden audio change. A source can loop correctly as a setting while the media itself still has a quiet tail or an awkward cut. If the scene contains a background or another visual layer, check what viewers will see at that transition.
The right test length depends on the file: at minimum, observe one complete end-to-start transition. Do not infer a night-long operating result from a short preview. A computer running OBS has to keep the scene active and continue encoding and sending the feed, so power settings, a restart, a software prompt or network loss can interrupt it even when Loop is correctly configured.
Connect OBS to Restream
There are two documented ways to send OBS to Restream: connect through OBS’s Restream service/account option, or enter Restream’s server and stream key manually. The first can be quicker when account linking is available. Manual RTMP setup makes the server and key explicit and is useful when you want to manage the encoder connection directly. Both routes still require you to select and configure YouTube on Restream.
For account linking, open Settings in OBS and go to Stream. Choose Restream.io as the service and use the account connection flow. Restream says this connects OBS with the stream card labelled Default RTMP. The available labels and sign-in steps can change, so follow the current prompts in the applications. Restream’s OBS setup instructions describe the account method and manual alternative.
For a manual connection, create or open an encoder RTMP stream in Restream and copy the server and stream key shown for that stream. In OBS, set the service to a custom server, enter the Restream server address and paste the matching key. Use the key for the intended Restream stream card, not a key from another event or account. Treat it as a password: anyone with the relevant credentials may be able to send a feed to that connection.
| Connection path | When it is useful | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS account connection | You want to link the account from OBS and use Restream’s default RTMP stream card. | Confirm OBS is linked to the intended Restream account and that you have selected the right stream card and destinations. |
| Manual RTMP server and key | You want to enter the encoder endpoint and connection key yourself. | Copy the server and key from the same Restream stream, paste them carefully, and protect the key. |
After selecting either path, apply the settings and check that OBS shows the expected service or server configuration. Restream’s current guidance for OBS output recommends settings such as CBR rate control and a two-second keyframe interval. Treat that as Restream’s recommendation, not a universal setting for every file, destination or current YouTube requirement. Check YouTube’s current encoder guidance and the event’s requirements if you need to adjust output settings; do not change multiple values at once without a reason.
Enable YouTube and start the broadcast
In Restream, open the encoder stream you plan to use and enable the connected YouTube channel as a destination. An account can have more than one channel or event in view, so check the channel name rather than relying on a remembered selection. Set or confirm the title, description and thumbnail as appropriate. If Restream offers destination-specific metadata, check whether it will override what you expect YouTube to display.
Return to OBS and check the scene preview, Media Source, audio meter and stream settings. Start streaming from OBS. Then look at the Restream stream page to confirm it is receiving the feed, and open the intended YouTube Live Control Room event. Wait for the preview and confirm that the correct video and audio are present before relying on the public event. YouTube recommends monitoring the live preview and stream quality in its live-streaming tips.
Check the event status and visibility. A feed arriving at Restream is not proof that YouTube is receiving it, and a YouTube preview appearing is not proof that the event title or visibility is what you meant. Confirm the selected event, destination channel and audience-facing details in Live Control Room. If your stream is scheduled, use the event’s available controls to take it live as appropriate; the precise workflow depends on the event setup and current YouTube interface.
For a small business, devotional channel or study station, a long broadcast also needs an operating plan. Decide who will notice a stopped feed, how the stream will be restarted and whether someone can check the event while the usual operator is away. A local OBS computer is part of that plan: its power, updates, network and unattended operation matter. If keeping a computer running is the main constraint, compare a cloud-based recorded-video approach such as streaming recorded language lessons without a VPS. StreamNeo addresses the specific burden of keeping your own computer on by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube live stream, but it is YouTube-only and does not remove the need to check your content and channel setup.
Verify the live event and troubleshoot
Use the preview and the stream itself as separate checks. Confirm that the expected scene is visible, the audio is audible, the file returns to its beginning, and the YouTube event is the one you prepared. Keep an eye on OBS and Restream while the broadcast begins. If the video is black, first check that the Media Source is visible and not hidden behind another source. If it plays once and stops, reopen its properties and verify Loop rather than relying on the source’s restart or end-display options.
If OBS appears to send but Restream does not show an incoming feed, check the selected service or custom server, the key, and whether OBS is using the intended Restream stream card. If Restream receives the feed but YouTube does not, check that the correct YouTube destination is enabled and that the channel is connected. In Live Control Room, verify that you are looking at the intended event. Avoid exposing keys while asking for help; describe the error or share a redacted screenshot instead.
If the image appears but audio does not, inspect the Media Source audio meter in OBS and the relevant audio settings, then check the YouTube preview. If the stream looks unstable, review the connection and OBS’s stream status as well as Restream’s incoming status. A source loop cannot correct a weak or interrupted network connection. Make changes one at a time and observe the result, so you can identify whether the issue came from the file, OBS output, Restream connection or YouTube event.
YouTube Live DVR is a viewer control, not the source loop. Where DVR is available, viewers may pause or rewind and then resume within a live stream; that does not alter the broadcaster’s Media Source. YouTube says DVR may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. If viewers need replay access or your event has different requirements, check the current YouTube DVR guidance rather than promising that every viewer can rewind.
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FAQ
Is this the same as looping a YouTube video?
No. This workflow sends a local file from OBS as an encoder-based live broadcast through Restream to YouTube. The Loop control in a YouTube player repeats an already published video for an individual viewer and does not create a live stream.
Do I need VLC to loop one video in OBS?
No. OBS’s Media Source is suitable for a local video file and has its own Loop property. VLC Video Source is a separate option; it is not a required step for this single-file workflow.
Why does the YouTube preview not appear when OBS is streaming?
Check that OBS is connected to the intended Restream stream, that YouTube is enabled as a Restream destination, and that the correct event is open in Live Control Room. Also confirm your channel is eligible to live stream and review any status or error shown by OBS, Restream or YouTube.
Does enabling Loop guarantee a continuous 24/7 broadcast?
No. Loop only tells OBS to repeat the file at its end. The computer, source, encoder, network, Restream connection, YouTube event and platform requirements can all affect whether the broadcast continues, so monitor it and plan for interruptions.