To replace a video without ending your YouTube live event, keep OBS and its stream output running, then change or advance the video source inside OBS. Use a Media Source for a single local file or a VLC Video source for a prepared playlist. YouTube documents that stopping content from the encoder ends the stream; changing a source inside OBS is the practical way to keep the encoder feed active, but neither platform guarantees a gap-free transition.
What must stay running
Your video file is content that OBS renders into an outgoing feed; YouTube receives that feed through the live event’s ingest connection. Keep the same YouTube event and stream settings, and do not stop OBS’s stream output or end the event in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder instructions say, “To end the stream, stop sending content from your encoder.” YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the connection between the encoder, stream URL, and stream key.
The source-change approach follows from that encoder-and-source model, but it is not a documented promise of zero interruption. The exact transition depends on your OBS setup, and a brief visual or audio gap is possible.
Choose how to load the replacement video
One file at a time: Media Source
OBS Media Source plays a local media file in a scene. OBS lists common formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM; it also provides loop and restart-playback options. This is the simplest choice when you will select files as needed. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
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Several files in sequence: VLC Video
OBS’s VLC Video source can play a playlist and loop the playlist. VLC must be installed, and its architecture must match the OBS installation. This is useful when the next videos are already known and you want OBS to advance among them. The same OBS guide covers VLC Video.
Replace the source without stopping the stream
- Configure the YouTube event. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and set up the event and stream key. Keep the event and ingest settings you intend to use for the session. A stream key connects the encoder output to YouTube; consult YouTube’s live stream settings help if you need to locate or manage it.
- Add your file source in OBS. In the scene that will be streamed, add a Media Source and select the current local file, or set up VLC Video with the playlist. For a single file, review whether looping or restarting playback when the source becomes active suits your transition.
- Start OBS output and confirm the preview. Enter YouTube’s stream URL and key in OBS, start streaming, and wait for the preview in Live Control Room before going live. YouTube’s encoder guide describes this sequence.
- Change or advance the source in OBS. While OBS continues streaming, select the replacement file in the media source or advance the VLC playlist. Avoid stopping the OBS stream output or ending the YouTube event. Source-edit controls vary with OBS version and scene configuration, so confirm the exact operation in your setup before relying on it live.
- Check picture and sound immediately. Watch the Live Control Room preview and listen to the outgoing audio. Make sure the new file has usable audio and that the previous source is not still audible underneath.
Test the transition before using it live
Rehearse with an unlisted or test stream. YouTube recommends testing, previewing, monitoring stream quality, and checking archive integrity. During the rehearsal, observe the transition in Live Control Room, listen continuously, and confirm that any local recording is still being written. See YouTube’s live streaming tips and the OBS Sources Guide.
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YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive guidance does not establish whether changing an OBS source is seamless; it is still sensible to check the recording after a test.
Common problems and fixes
- The YouTube event ends or disconnects: Check whether OBS output was stopped or the event was ended in Live Control Room. Keep the encoder feed running while changing the source.
- The new file does not appear: Confirm that the intended OBS source is active in the streamed scene and points to the correct local file. If you use VLC Video, confirm VLC is installed and that its architecture matches OBS.
- There is no sound, or old sound continues: Check the replacement file’s audio and the active audio sources in OBS. Mute or remove any source that should not accompany the new video.
- The transition briefly freezes or shows a gap: The official OBS and YouTube pages do not guarantee a zero-frame transition. Test the same source change and file combination before the live event, and choose a prepared playlist if you need to advance among known files.
- The local archive is missing or incomplete: Check the recording after a rehearsal rather than assuming that a visible live preview proves the local file is intact. YouTube also cautions creators to verify archive integrity.
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