To change a local video’s playback speed in OBS, open the Media Source properties and adjust Speed. OBS documents a range of 1% to 200%, with 100% as normal speed; use Loop separately when you want that file to repeat after it finishes.
Looping and restarting when a source becomes active are different behaviours. Both affect playback inside OBS, not YouTube’s encoder settings. Here is how to set each control and check what your scene will send.
Where Media Source playback speed applies
The Speed setting belongs to an individual Media Source in OBS. It changes how quickly that source’s selected local media file plays in the scene. It is not a setting for the YouTube live stream itself, and it does not configure stream resolution, bitrate, or latency.
That distinction matters when you are preparing an always-on channel. If a bhajan video, study session, or ambience clip looks too slow or fast in your OBS preview, check the source’s playback rate. If the YouTube stream looks soft or drops frames, those symptoms call for a separate look at the encoder workflow and stream health, not a change to the Media Source’s Speed field.
The ordinary Media Source is a practical fit when you want to play one local file. OBS also offers a separate VLC Video source for playlists. Its playlist controls are not the same as the single-file Media Source controls, and OBS says VLC must be installed for that source type to be available. If your aim is one file repeating, start with Media Source rather than adding a playlist workflow you do not need.
If your plan is to use several files in sequence, see this guide to playing videos from multiple folders in OBS. A folder or playlist raises different questions from a single clip: which source type handles the list, what happens at the end, and how you verify the sequence before it goes live.
Open the Media Source properties
In OBS, select the scene where the video should appear. Add a Media Source if that scene does not already have one, or select the existing source in the Sources list. Open its properties and choose the local media file you want to play. The exact placement of controls can vary with OBS versions, so use the properties for the selected source rather than relying on a screenshot from a different release.
Take a moment to confirm that you have selected the intended source. A scene can contain more than one video or audio source, and changing the wrong source may leave the visible output unchanged. You can use the preview and source list together: select the item you expect to show, then confirm its properties refer to the intended file.
For a first test, use a clip you are comfortable watching from beginning to end. Keep the test private or off-air until you have checked the picture and sound. The guide to testing a loop privately before starting a 24/7 stream covers the broader rehearsal; here, the point is to confirm that the chosen Media Source behaves as you expect before relying on it in a live scene.
Set Speed within the documented range
In the Media Source properties, set Speed to the percentage you want. OBS Project documents the control as ranging from 1% (0.01x) to 200% (2x). Values outside that documented range are not part of the setting described in the official Media Sources documentation, so do not assume a larger or smaller value is supported.
A percentage is a rate relative to ordinary playback. For example, if the file is set to 100%, it plays at its normal rate; a value above that plays faster, and a value below it plays more slowly. This explains the control without suggesting anything about how the YouTube encoder handles the outgoing stream. The speed setting changes playback of the selected source in OBS.
Use the value that suits the material rather than choosing a number because it appears to make a loop more convenient. A chant, spoken lesson, or music performance can sound noticeably different when played faster or slower. The official documentation gives the range, but it does not establish that pitch will be preserved or that every media file and computer will behave identically at every setting. Listen to the result in your own scene before streaming.
If you are working with a recording where timing matters, decide whether changing the rate is actually the right fix. Speeding up a long class recording may shorten its playback, but it also changes the pacing of the material. For a daily programme, you may be better served by choosing a file or sequence that fits the intended schedule rather than expecting a playback-rate adjustment to make it fit precisely.
Understand the 100% default
OBS lists 100% as the default Speed value. That is the normal-speed setting for a file. If you have not changed the control, or want playback at its ordinary rate, leave it at 100%. This is also a useful reference point when troubleshooting: check the displayed value before assuming another source setting is responsible for unusually fast or slow playback.
Default values do not prove that a source is correctly configured for your particular stream. Someone may have altered the setting earlier, or you may have selected another Media Source than the one currently visible. Confirm both the value and the selected source. If the preview still looks wrong at 100%, inspect the file choice and the other settings rather than repeatedly changing Speed without a clear reason.
Playback rate can also affect the feel of audio and visuals together. A devotional song that plays at normal speed may be suitable for a calm continuous channel, while an accelerated version may not be. Preview the actual scene with sound enabled, at a listening level that lets you notice changes, and make a deliberate choice. Do not assume that the setting will preserve pitch or that the file will remain synchronised to a particular clock schedule; the cited OBS documentation does not promise either.
Enable Loop to repeat the file
If one local file should start again after it reaches the end, enable Loop in the Media Source properties. OBS documents Loop as off by default. With the setting enabled, the source repeats its media when playback completes. This is the control to use for a single video that should keep returning to its beginning while the source continues to play.
Loop does not select a file, change its playback rate, or decide when the source is shown in a scene. It deals with what happens at the end of that file. After turning it on, preview through the end of the clip if you can, so you can check the transition in your actual scene. The result can depend on the media and your scene composition; the documentation identifies the repeat behaviour, not a guarantee that every transition will look seamless.
A single-file loop is not the same as a list of different recordings. If you want a sequence of songs or classes, you may need a playlist source instead. OBS documents Loop Playlist for the separate VLC Video source: it restarts the playlist after the list runs out of media. That source requires VLC to be installed. For one local file, the built-in Media Source Loop setting is the simpler documented fit.
The decision is about what should happen at the end of playback, not how a live broadcast runs indefinitely. A loop can keep a clip repeating within OBS, but it does not replace checking that the source remains present in your scene or that the YouTube stream is healthy. For a wider discussion of the trade-offs in a single-file channel, see building a 24/7 channel from one video.
Distinguish Loop from restart-on-activation
Restart playback when source becomes active is a separate property from Loop. OBS documents it as on by default. It controls whether playback starts again when the source becomes visible in the current scene. It does not mean that the file will continuously repeat after it ends; that is what Loop is for.
Consider a scene with an introductory clip that appears only when you switch to a particular scene. Restart-on-activation can make that clip begin at its start when the source becomes visible. If the clip ends while the source remains active, the restart setting alone does not turn the clip into a continuous loop. Conversely, Loop repeats the file at its end, but it is not a substitute for deciding what should happen when the source is made active again.
For a source intended to run continuously in one scene, think through both questions separately: should it repeat when the file ends, and should it begin at the start whenever it becomes visible? Turn on Loop if the first answer is yes. Choose the activation setting to suit scene changes. This is useful for a channel that alternates between a holding screen and a video, because the source’s start behaviour may matter when you return to that scene.
| What you want | OBS control | What it governs |
|---|---|---|
| Change the rate of one local clip | Speed | Playback rate of that Media Source file; documented from 1% to 200% |
| Replay the clip after it ends | Loop | Repeats that single file; documented default is off |
| Start again when the source appears in the current scene | Restart playback when source becomes active | Playback start behaviour on scene visibility; documented default is on |
| Repeat a list of files | VLC Video source and Loop Playlist | Playlist behaviour, using the separate VLC source type |
The table is a way to keep three similar-sounding ideas apart, not a recommendation to enable every control. Configure only the behaviour your scene needs, then test a scene change and an end-of-file transition where relevant.
Check the resulting OBS output
Before going live, preview the scene at the selected speed and listen to its audio. Check that the picture is the intended file, that the pace makes sense, and that the sound is present and acceptable. If the file should repeat, observe what happens at the end; if it should restart when shown, switch away and back in a controlled test. A short inspection at the beginning cannot establish how every later transition will behave.
Your test should reflect how you intend to use the scene. For a devotional loop, listen for whether the altered pace still fits the music. For a study channel, watch whether speech remains comfortable to follow. For ambience, check whether the visible motion and audio suit the purpose. These are editorial checks, not guarantees about all files, codecs, or systems. The OBS documentation specifies the available range and controls, but not identical outcomes for every source file.
Keep the YouTube live workflow separate. YouTube’s guidance covers the encoder settings and the stream being sent to its service; it recommends testing with audio and movement similar to what you plan to broadcast, then monitoring stream health and messages during the event. See YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance. Changing Media Source Speed is not a way to set those encoder properties.
OBS gives you direct control over a local source, but it also means the computer and OBS session remain part of the ongoing operation. If you are trying to avoid leaving your own computer on to keep an uploaded file running, StreamNeo removes that particular day-to-day burden: you upload the file once, add your YouTube stream key, and it runs as a YouTube live stream without your computer staying on.
The published OBS notes describe this local source behaviour; check the OBS Media Sources documentation if you need to confirm the property names or details against the current guidance. For a wider set of operational criteria, the article on features to look for in a live streaming platform can help you decide whether a local OBS setup or a different workflow fits your channel.
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FAQ
How do I change the playback speed of an OBS Media Source?
Select the Media Source in the scene, open its properties, and change Speed. OBS documents a range of 1% (0.01x) to 200% (2x), with 100% as normal speed. Preview picture and audio at the chosen value before streaming.
How do I loop a video in OBS?
For one local file, enable Loop in the Media Source properties. OBS documents Loop as off by default; when enabled, it repeats the file after playback completes. A playlist uses a separate VLC Video source and its Loop Playlist setting.
Does restart-on-activation make the video loop?
No. Restart playback when source becomes active governs what happens when the source becomes visible in the current scene. Loop governs whether the file repeats when it reaches the end, so configure that separately if continuous repetition is what you want.
Does Media Source Speed change YouTube’s live settings?
No. Speed changes playback of the local media file inside OBS. YouTube’s encoder workflow, including stream quality settings and monitoring, is separate; consult YouTube’s current official guidance for that workflow.