To loop a pre-recorded video on YouTube Live with OBS Studio 30, add it to a scene as a Media Source and enable Loop in the source properties. Set OBS’s stream output to match YouTube Live’s encoder guidance, then test the entire path before relying on it for a long broadcast.
If you want the video to begin only after OBS has connected, use a holding scene first and switch to the video scene when you are ready. Making a source visible starts or resumes its playback according to its settings; it does not make a YouTube event public or tell YouTube that the event is live.
Add the prerecorded video as a Media Source
Create a scene for the picture you want viewers to see, or select the scene you already use for the broadcast. In the Sources panel, add a Media Source, give it a recognisable name such as Main loop, and select the video file on your computer. OBS documents the source and its controls in its Media Sources guide.
A Media Source is the straightforward choice for a single local file. OBS lists common formats such as MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and WebM. The format name alone does not guarantee that every file will decode correctly on every computer, so test the actual file in OBS rather than assuming that it will work because another player opens it.
After adding it, check the canvas. If the source is larger or smaller than the canvas, use the preview’s transform options to fit it, then look for cropping, black bars or an unintended stretch. If the original is a landscape video and you want a portrait layout, decide how to handle the empty space deliberately; stretching the image can distort faces, text and artwork. A separate guide explains converting a 16:9 video to 9:16 for Shorts, though a standard YouTube Live layout may call for a different composition.
Check audio as well as picture. Play the source and watch OBS’s audio meters to see whether its sound is reaching the expected mixer channel. Listen through the monitoring arrangement you normally use, and make sure you have not accidentally added a second copy of the same sound. A file that appears on the canvas can still be silent, too quiet, or routed differently from the microphone or other audio you intend to include.
Keep the file in a stable location. If you move or rename it after setting up the source, OBS may no longer find it. For a channel that runs overnight, avoid relying on a removable drive that might be disconnected or a folder that is routinely cleaned up. Make a note of the file path and confirm that the account running OBS can access it.
Enable Loop in source properties
Open the Media Source properties and tick Loop. That setting tells OBS to play the file again when playback reaches the end. It is off by default according to the OBS documentation, so confirm it explicitly rather than relying on what you remember from another scene or profile.
Loop and Restart playback when source becomes active do different jobs. Loop handles the end of the file. Restart playback when source becomes active controls whether playback starts again from the beginning when the source becomes visible and active in its scene. If you want a continuous repeat and want each scene handoff to begin at the opening frame, enable both. If you want the video to resume its position after hiding and showing it, do not enable restart without first checking that this is the behaviour you need.
The distinction matters when you use a holding scene. If the video source is hidden while the holding scene is on screen, switching to the video scene can activate the source. With restart enabled, playback begins at the start; with it disabled, playback behaviour depends on the source’s current state. Test the particular combination of scene visibility and source settings you intend to use.
Looping one file is not the same as scheduling several videos. For a playlist, OBS offers a VLC Video source with playlist controls, including loop and shuffle. It requires VLC to be installed, and OBS notes that a 64-bit OBS installation needs 64-bit VLC. If you have had trouble with a playlist ending or moving to the next file, the playlist troubleshooting guide covers that separate case. For a single video, Media Source avoids introducing playlist configuration you do not need.
Configure stream output for YouTube Live
In YouTube Live Control Room, prepare the event and copy its stream URL and key into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the key as a credential: do not put it in a public screen capture, and reset it if you believe someone else has obtained it. YouTube describes event and key management in its live stream settings help. The key and URL route OBS’s encoded feed; the Media Source controls local playback. They are separate controls.
For the encoder, use YouTube’s live encoder settings as the reference, and match the bitrate row to the codec, resolution and frame rate you actually choose. YouTube recommends RTMPS, lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 as supported video codecs, and specifies constant bitrate (CBR) encoding with a two-second keyframe interval; its guidance says not to exceed four seconds. H.264 is a broadly applicable choice when it is available in your OBS encoder, but use the figures for the codec selected rather than copying a row for another codec.
The published bitrate recommendations for 30-frame-per-second output are:
| Output and codec | YouTube-listed minimum | YouTube-listed recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30, H.264 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30, H.264 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p30, AV1 or H.265 | 2 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
| 1080p30, AV1 or H.265 | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s encoder recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular computer or internet connection can sustain the stream. The numbers above are from YouTube Help’s current published guidance, which does not state a publication year on the page; check the page again when configuring the stream because recommendations can change. If you select a different frame rate or resolution, consult the matching guidance rather than assuming these rows apply.
In OBS, set the output resolution and frame rate to a combination your system can encode consistently. YouTube Live Control Room automatically detects resolution and frame rate by default, but that does not remove the need to choose appropriate OBS output settings. A higher resolution can make on-screen lyrics or small text clearer, but it asks more of the encoder and connection. A lower setting can be a more practical choice if the picture is mostly static or the available upload capacity is limited.
YouTube recommends AAC or MP3 audio and lists 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps as recommended advanced settings for stereo audio. Check OBS’s audio output settings against that guidance, and listen to the result in a test. If the stream includes devotional music, ambience, local announcements or spoken introductions, clean and intelligible sound is part of the programme, not a setting to leave until the last minute.
Use a holding scene before playback if needed
A holding scene is useful when you do not want the opening of the video to play while you are still connecting OBS to YouTube. Create a simple scene with a still image, title card or other appropriate placeholder, and leave the looping video source out of it. Start OBS’s stream from that scene; after the connection is established and you have checked the YouTube preview, switch to the scene containing the Media Source.
This is an operational handoff, not a special YouTube trigger. The holding scene keeps the file from being shown before you choose to switch scenes. YouTube’s event state and public availability are managed separately in Live Control Room; neither making the media source active nor switching to its scene makes an event public by itself. Confirm the event’s intended visibility and status in YouTube rather than inferring it from OBS’s preview.
Before the handoff, decide what viewers should see and hear in the holding scene. A blank canvas may look like a failed stream, while a clear “starting shortly” card can explain the pause. If the holding scene has audio, such as a short piece of background music, check that it will not overlap unexpectedly when the video scene becomes active. A quiet or muted holding scene makes the transition easier to verify.
If you are running a channel continuously, plan for the end of the file as carefully as its start. Looping the file prevents a gap at its end, but it does not resolve an internet interruption, a computer sleep event or a YouTube event ending. If you are deciding whether a home computer is the right place to run a long broadcast, compare the practical trade-offs in home PC versus cloud hosting for a YouTube channel. This setup guide is specifically about OBS playback and encoding, not a promise that the machine or connection will remain available unattended.
Understand source activation versus going live
OBS separates the state of a media source from the state of a broadcast. A source can start playing when it becomes visible in an active scene. The stream, meanwhile, is sent to YouTube using the configured URL and key, and YouTube manages the event’s connection and visibility. These actions can happen near one another in your workflow, but they are not interchangeable.
That distinction answers a common question: “How do I make the video start when my stream goes live?” OBS does not infer that a source should wait for YouTube to make the event public. If you start in the video scene, its playback can begin as the source becomes active while OBS is connecting. If you need to avoid losing the opening during that period, use the holding-scene handoff described above. If you need a precise start cue, verify the YouTube preview and event state yourself, then switch scenes.
The reverse assumption is risky too. Seeing the video move in the OBS preview only confirms local composition and playback; it does not establish that viewers can see the event. Likewise, a healthy YouTube connection does not prove that the intended Media Source is visible, looped or audible. Check both sides: source state in OBS and stream status in YouTube Live Control Room.
StreamNeo addresses a different operational pain when keeping a local computer on and reconnecting a broadcast is the part you want to avoid: it turns an uploaded video into a YouTube stream without leaving this OBS scene-and-source workflow running on your desktop. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a replacement for OBS when you need a live camera, a custom multi-scene production or destinations beyond YouTube.
Test playback and stream output
Run a test before you rely on the scene for a long session. First, play the Media Source in OBS and let it reach the end. Confirm that it begins again, that Loop remains enabled in the properties, and that the picture and sound stay in sync. Then test the visibility behaviour: hide the source or switch to the holding scene, return to the video scene, and check whether restart-on-activation produces the result you intended.
Next, test the stream path using the intended scene order. Start with the holding scene if that is how the real broadcast will begin. Confirm OBS is sending a picture, inspect YouTube’s preview and stream-health messages, then make the planned scene switch. Check the first seconds of the video in the preview. If the start is missing, adjust the handoff; do not try to solve a source-timing problem by changing the stream key or assuming YouTube will start the local file for you.
Use movement and audio similar to the actual programme during testing. A static title card is not a meaningful test of a music video with motion, and a silent preview will not reveal audio routing faults. YouTube advises testing before going live and monitoring stream health and messages during the event. Its streaming tips also recommend leaving 20% upload-bandwidth headroom above the total outgoing stream bitrate. That margin is a recommendation, not a guarantee: other devices, Wi-Fi changes and household traffic can still affect the connection.
For a practical preflight, check each item rather than relying on one green indicator:
- The file is accessible from its saved location and plays in OBS.
- Loop is enabled, and restart-on-activation is set according to your scene plan.
- The video fits the canvas and the expected audio reaches the mixer.
- OBS’s codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate and keyframe interval match the applicable YouTube guidance.
- Your upload connection has room for the outgoing stream and the test includes realistic picture and audio.
- The YouTube preview and stream-health messages look acceptable, and the holding-scene handoff begins playback when you expect.
OBS’s overview guide recommends testing scenes and stream performance before a first live stream. For a 24/7 channel, repeat the parts of the test that matter after changing the file, encoder, scene collection, network or computer. Keep a brief setup note with the selected file path, scene order and output settings. That makes it easier to spot what changed if a broadcast behaves differently overnight.
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FAQ
Does Loop restart the file when I show the source?
Loop repeats the file when playback reaches its end. Restart playback when source becomes active is the separate option for starting from the beginning when the source becomes visible and active. Enable both if you want the file to repeat continuously and start from its opening whenever you bring that source into view.
Does activating the source make my YouTube event public?
No. Source activation controls media playback in OBS. YouTube’s event visibility and live status are managed separately, so check Live Control Room rather than treating a visible source or moving preview as proof that the event is public.
Should I use Media Source or VLC Video?
Use Media Source for one local video file. VLC Video is intended for playlists and provides playlist controls, but it requires VLC to be installed; follow OBS’s bitness note when matching VLC to your OBS installation.
How can I stop the opening from playing during connection?
Start OBS in a holding scene that does not contain the video source. After the stream is connected and the YouTube preview is ready, switch to the scene with the looping video, then verify that playback begins as expected.