You can loop a prerecorded 720p video on YouTube Live with OBS Studio: add the file as a Media Source, turn on Loop, and send the broadcast to YouTube using its stream URL and key. The loop repeats the video, but your computer and internet connection must still transmit a continuous live signal. For a low-upload connection, choose a bitrate your upload can sustain, include audio and headroom in the calculation, and test the stream before making it public.
What looping does—and what it does not do
OBS handles playback: its Media Source can restart a video when it reaches the end. YouTube receives the output as a live broadcast. Looping therefore does not reduce the upload bandwidth needed to send that broadcast, nor does it keep the stream running if the computer, encoder, power, or network stops.
For one local video, use OBS Media Source. For a sequence of videos, VLC can play a playlist with its loop control; VLC must be installed. In either case, the encoder must keep sending the resulting live signal to YouTube.
Choose a bitrate your upload can support
YouTube’s encoder guidance lists these 720p video bitrates. The audio bitrate is additional, so do not treat the video figure as the total stream bitrate.
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| Frame rate | Codec | Minimum video bitrate | Recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 or 60 fps | H.264 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 30 or 60 fps | AV1 or H.265/HEVC | 2 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s listed encoder settings, not a guaranteed minimum home-internet speed. The bitrate you can sustain depends on audio, other network use, and connection stability. YouTube says to leave room for fluctuations, with 20% headroom recommended, and notes that total stream bitrate cannot exceed available upload bandwidth. Measure upload—not download—speed, and remember other devices or activity may use some of that capacity. See YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrate guidance and its streaming tips.
Example: estimating needed upload capacity
This is an arithmetic example, not a YouTube benchmark: 3 Mbps video plus 128 kbps stereo audio totals 3.128 Mbps. Adding 20% headroom gives roughly 3.75 Mbps of upload capacity for the stream, before allowing for other network use or fluctuations. If your connection cannot reliably sustain the selected bitrate, lower the bitrate and/or resolution. A stable lower-resolution stream is preferable to an unstable 720p one.
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Set up the YouTube broadcast and OBS loop
- Enable live streaming in advance. If this is the channel’s first live stream, enable the feature in YouTube Studio; YouTube says activation can take up to 24 hours.
- Create or schedule the broadcast. In YouTube Studio, create or schedule a live stream and obtain the stream URL and stream key. Keep the key private; reset it if it is compromised. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup steps.
- Connect OBS to YouTube. In OBS, enter the stream URL and key in the stream settings. Prefer RTMPS where available. Do not share or display the key.
- Add the video. In OBS, add a Media Source, select the local video file, and enable Loop. OBS documents that this property restarts the file after playback completes; see OBS Media Sources.
- Set output deliberately. Choose 720p output, a frame rate appropriate to the source and available bandwidth, and a video bitrate that fits your measured upload capacity. YouTube’s guidance specifies CBR, keyframes every two seconds (not more than four seconds apart), and AAC or MP3 audio. Its advanced settings list 128 kbps stereo audio. Supported protocols and codecs in the guidance include RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265, or AV1; select only a codec your encoder and YouTube setup support.
- Test before going public. Run a private or unlisted test using representative movement and audio. Check the Live Control Room preview and stream health before relying on the broadcast. YouTube normally detects encoder settings, but its Live Control Room supports manual settings with a custom stream key.
- Monitor the live session. Watch stream health and messages while it runs. If available bandwidth is insufficient, lower the bitrate and/or resolution and test again.
For multiple local videos instead of one file, use VLC with Loop Playlist enabled and make sure VLC’s output is what the encoder sends to the broadcast. A single OBS Media Source loop is simpler when only one file needs repeating.
When the connection cannot hold 720p
- Upload speed is below the target: lower the video bitrate; if that still does not produce a stable stream, reduce resolution. YouTube does not publish a universal upload-speed figure that guarantees a successful 720p broadcast.
- The stream works at first but becomes unstable: check whether other users or devices are consuming upload capacity, then retest with more headroom. A speed-test result is not a guarantee if the connection fluctuates during the broadcast.
- The preview is blank or the video does not repeat: confirm the correct file is selected in the Media Source and that Loop is enabled. Verify that OBS is outputting to the intended YouTube broadcast.
- YouTube reports stream errors: review the message and stream health in Live Control Room, then check encoder settings and the connection. YouTube’s live-streaming error message guide explains reported errors.
- The broadcast will not start on a new channel: allow time for first-time live-stream activation, which YouTube says may take up to 24 hours.
Copyright and keeping the stream running
Only stream video and audio you have the rights or permission to use. A video repeating continuously is still a live broadcast of its content; looping does not change the rights situation. Check YouTube’s requirements and any applicable permissions for the material before going live.
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