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To loop a pre-recorded 4K video on YouTube Live with OBS, create a YouTube broadcast, add the file to an OBS scene as a Media Source, enable Loop, then set OBS to send a compatible 4K signal using YouTube’s live-encoder settings. For multiple videos, use OBS’s VLC Video source and enable Loop Playlist.
That repeats the video, but it does not make the computer, internet connection, OBS process, or YouTube broadcast immune to interruptions. If you need the channel to keep looping while your computer is off, a cloud service such as StreamNeo is an alternative.
Before you start
- Install OBS Studio and have the 4K video file available on the computer running OBS.
- Enable YouTube Live for your channel. First-time activation may take up to 24 hours, according to YouTube’s encoder setup guidance.
- Make sure your upload connection and encoder can sustain the selected resolution, frame rate, and bitrate. YouTube recommends keeping upload bandwidth at least 20% above the stream bitrate.
- For uninterrupted long sessions, use stable power and a reliable wired internet connection where practical. These lower the risk of interruption but do not guarantee continuous uptime.
1. Create the YouTube Live broadcast and get its key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Live Control Room.
- Create or select a broadcast, then configure its stream settings. YouTube allows auto-start and auto-stop to be managed in the stream settings.
- Copy the stream key and server/stream URL shown in Live Control Room. Treat the key like a password: anyone with it may be able to send video to your broadcast. Reset it in Live Control Room if it is exposed.
2. Add and loop one video in OBS
- In OBS, select or create the scene that will carry the broadcast.
- In the Sources panel, choose + → Media Source.
- Name the source if desired, then select the local video file.
- Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. The source restarts the file when playback reaches its end.
- Confirm the source is visible in the active scene and fits the canvas. Use the preview to check framing, audio, and any black bars before streaming.
OBS documents support for local media including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. A file that opens in another player may still behave differently in OBS, so test the actual source before relying on it.
3. Loop a playlist instead of one file
- Install VLC on the same computer as OBS.
- In the scene’s Sources panel, choose + → VLC Video.
- Add the video files to the playlist in the order you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist and check that the source is visible and playing in the OBS preview.
OBS requires VLC for this source. Its documentation advises matching VLC and OBS architecture; for 64-bit OBS, install 64-bit VLC.
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4. Connect OBS to YouTube
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream.
- Select YouTube or YouTube RTMPS as the service if available, then enter the stream key from Live Control Room. If using a custom server connection, enter the server/stream URL and key supplied there.
- Use RTMPS when available. YouTube recommends RTMPS, the encrypted version of RTMP.
Do not share or publish the stream key. If OBS is connected to the wrong broadcast or the key has changed, retrieve the current key from Live Control Room and update OBS.
5. Set OBS output for 4K live ingestion
Resolution and frame rate
Set the OBS output resolution to 3840 × 2160 for 4K. Choose 30 or 60 fps based on the source footage and what your encoder and connection can sustain; sending 60 fps does not create detail that is absent from a 30 fps source. YouTube supports up to 60 fps.
Bitrate, codec, and keyframes
YouTube’s live-ingestion guidance accessed in 2026 gives these 2160p bitrate values. They are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular computer or connection can encode and upload reliably.
| 2160p live format | YouTube recommended bitrate | YouTube minimum bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 30 fps, H.264 | 42 Mbps | 11 Mbps |
| 60 fps, H.264 | 50 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 30 fps, AV1 or H.265 | 30 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 60 fps, AV1 or H.265 | 35 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
In OBS’s output settings, use CBR and set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds; YouTube says not to exceed 4 seconds. Select a codec supported by your OBS encoder and hardware. AV1 or H.265 has lower YouTube bitrate recommendations in these combinations, but those recommendations do not establish whether your particular hardware can encode that codec at 4K.
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OBS hardware encoders can move encoding work from the CPU to a specialized GPU component and reduce CPU load. Available encoders depend on operating system and GPU generation, and older hardware encoders may produce lower quality than newer ones at the same bitrate. Test your own setup rather than assuming a specific 4K performance level.
Audio and color
YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio as supported for live ingestion. For ordinary SDR video, use YouTube’s Rec. 709 guidance. HDR is optional and requires compatible source/device capabilities and additional configuration: YouTube’s HDR documentation describes OBS support from version 30.1 and HEVC Main 10 settings. It is not required to stream 4K.
6. Test the full signal before relying on it
- Start a private or otherwise appropriate test broadcast with representative video motion and audio.
- Check the Live Control Room preview and stream-health messages for problems such as insufficient bitrate or dropped frames.
- Watch the stream from a viewer’s perspective and confirm the loop restarts as expected.
- Monitor OBS and YouTube during the test. YouTube recommends testing before going live and keeping 20% upload-bandwidth headroom over the stream bitrate.
At 2160p, YouTube does not offer its low-latency option; 4K streams use normal latency. YouTube transcodes live streams into multiple output formats for viewers, so the viewer’s delivered quality can differ from the signal OBS sends.
What “continuously” means with OBS
OBS’s Loop property repeats the media file. It does not by itself restart OBS after a computer restart, repair a failed internet connection, or guarantee that YouTube stays connected indefinitely. The official guidance cited here does not establish a universal maximum runtime or guaranteed reconnect behavior for this exact OBS workflow. Treat a 24/7 stream as a system you must monitor and maintain, not as a property of the Loop checkbox.
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- 【Package Content & Note】 1x HD Audio Capture Card , 1x USB 3.0 to USB C Adapter (A-side 3.0, B-side 2.0), 1x user manual. Please note that you need to restart the OBS Studio software after the audio setup is complete, otherwise it will result in no sound output. When using an adapter, if the device is recognized as USB 2.0, try using the other side with the USB-C port. Simply flip the capture card and reconnect it to be recognized as USB 3.0
Copyright and YouTube monetization are separate from technical looping. Only stream material you have the rights to use, including music and visual elements. Repeated or reused content may also be assessed under YouTube’s channel monetization policies; looping footage is not a shortcut around those rules. Review YouTube’s current policies for the channel and content you plan to broadcast.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and fixes
The video plays once and stops
Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a playlist, use VLC Video and enable Loop Playlist.
The VLC Video source is missing or does not work
Install VLC and match its architecture to OBS. For 64-bit OBS, use 64-bit VLC; then restart OBS and check the source again.
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YouTube receives no video or the wrong broadcast
Confirm OBS is connected to the intended YouTube service/server and that the stream key matches the broadcast in Live Control Room. Replace an outdated key with the current one; reset it if it may have been exposed.
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The stream is unstable or YouTube reports health warnings
Check the OBS output bitrate against the selected codec/frame-rate recommendation, and verify that sustained upload capacity leaves YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. Reduce the output demand if the connection or encoder cannot sustain it, then test again.
The picture is not actually 4K
Check both the video file’s dimensions and OBS’s output resolution. Set output to 3840 × 2160 and verify the Live Control Room preview and viewer playback; YouTube’s transcoding and processing can affect when output options appear.
The stream stops during a long session
Check whether the computer slept, OBS closed, power or network dropped, or YouTube ended the broadcast under its configured settings. OBS looping does not resolve these failures; restore the computer/connection, reconnect OBS with the correct key, and review YouTube’s auto-start/auto-stop settings.
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Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is #1 for a hands-off way to keep prerecorded video looping on YouTube: it runs from the cloud, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and includes a free first day.
- Upload your recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud, so no computer or home connection has to stay on.
Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB storage per slot pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and support from the StreamNeo team. Quality is streamed as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly access is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube, and the free day does not remove the need to follow YouTube’s copyright and content policies. Start your free StreamNeo day.
Quick Recap
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