Short answer: VLC can try to play a YouTube stream from its network URL, but the official documentation does not establish that VLC can automatically restart an ongoing live broadcast from the beginning. For an active stream, use YouTube’s DVR controls to rewind within the available history. To repeat the program after it ends, use a replay if the channel posts one.
First, decide what you mean by “loop”
These are three different behaviors, and they do not work the same way:
| What you want | What it does | What is established |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat a completed program | Play a video or playlist again from the beginning. | YouTube’s loop instructions cover videos and playlists, not ongoing live broadcasts. YouTube Help |
| Go back during a live broadcast | Pause or rewind within the live stream’s available history, then resume. | YouTube DVR supports this when available; viewers cannot seek to before the stream began. YouTube Help |
| Make VLC restart a live broadcast automatically | Return to the beginning when playback reaches the live edge. | The official documentation reviewed does not establish that VLC provides this behavior for an ongoing YouTube Live broadcast. |
Try opening the stream in VLC on macOS
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Copy the URL of the YouTube live watch page you want to view.
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In VLC, open Media > Open Network Stream, enter the URL, and select Play. This menu path is documented in VideoLAN’s VLC 3.0 guide; labels may differ in a current macOS build. The guide describes network URLs generally and does not guarantee that every YouTube watch URL will play in every VLC version. VideoLAN: Opening streams
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.#1 Best Overall
4K Full-HD USB and microSD Digital Media Player for TV Digital Signage- [Smooth 4K Ultra HD Playback] This 4K@30Hz HDMI digital media player utilizes H.265/HEVC decoding technology, enabling playback of videos up to 4096×2304 resolution compared to H.264 or 1080P, delivering a clearer and smoother picture.
- [Plug and Play] The HD media player is easy to use, requiring no WiFi or app. It supports direct playback/copying/deletion of videos, music, photos, PPTs, and PDFs from USB storage devices or Micro SD cards. Equipped with dual USB ports, this media player can also connect to a mouse/keyboard or speakers.
- [HDMI RCA Optical Outputs] This media player connects to TVs, digital signage displays, or projectors via an HDMI port for crisp 4K video playback. The player also comes with analog RCA output to hook up legacy older TVs and monitors, plus built-in optical audio port to transmit lossless digital surround sound to soundbars, amplifiers and home theater audio systems, delivering immersive high-fidelity audio without signal loss.
- [TV Projector or Digital Signage] This 4K media player supports autoplay, loop playback, and shuffle playback, and supports both landscape and portrait display modes. HDMI media player can run continuously, making it ideal for TV projector or digital signage such as restaurant welcome videos, reception videos, and art and museum installations.
- [Extensive Compatibility] This media player for TV can play media files from USB hard drives up to 8TB in capacity or micro SD cards up to 1TB in capacity. Supported file systems include FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. Supported formats include: H.265/HEVC (MKV, MOV, AVI), MPEG, FLV, RM, 3GP, MP4, WMV, RMVB, DAT, MPG, TS, M2TS, JPG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, MP3, OGG, FLAC, APE, AAC, WMA, etc.
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If playback starts, VLC is playing the stream; that alone does not mean it will restart the live broadcast at its beginning. The distinction matters if your goal is continuous replay rather than simply viewing the current broadcast.
Rewind an active stream with YouTube DVR
If you want to revisit something while the broadcast is still live, use YouTube’s player controls rather than treating VLC playback as a loop. DVR lets viewers pause, rewind, and resume within the retained live history, when the feature is available. You cannot seek to a point before the broadcast began. For streams longer than 12 hours, DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable, according to YouTube’s DVR guidance.
Rank #2
- VLC for Kindle plays most local video and audio files, as well as network streams (including adaptive streaming), like the desktop version of VLC.
- VLC for Kindle has a media library for audio and video files, and allows to browse folders directly.
- VLC has support for multi-track audio and subtitles. It supports auto-rotation, aspect-ratio adjustments, hardware acceleration and gestures to control volume.
- It also includes a widget for audio control, supports audio headsets control, cover art and a complete audio media library.
Repeat the program after the broadcast ends
Check the channel for a replay. A channel owner may post a completed live stream as a replay or publish highlights as videos, but a replay is not guaranteed. If the program is available as a video, YouTube’s loop instructions for videos and playlists are the relevant feature; they do not establish a way to loop an ongoing live broadcast in VLC. YouTube: Loop videos and playlists · YouTube: Watch live streams
Troubleshoot VLC playback
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The URL does not play: Confirm you copied the live watch-page URL and try the documented network-stream workflow. The VLC documentation covers network URLs generally, not guaranteed compatibility with every YouTube stream.
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HDMI Media Player, Black Mini 1080p Full-HD Ultra HDMI AV Output MP4 Player- 【Mini Portable Media player】-- Fits into the palm of your hand, It is a perfect travel partner for those short on space and sockets. Also compact and easy multifunction HD media player for office work and home entertainment;Aluminum alloy material, not easy to damage during carrying
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- 【HDMI or AV Output】-- Supports 1080p HDMI output, allowing you to transmit crisp, clear video and audio in a pure digital format to an HDTV; it also supports composite AV output for use with analog TVs. An analog AV cable is included. While using HDMI video output, you can also connect external speakers via the AV output. However, video cannot be output via both AV and HDMI at the same time.
- 【USB 2.0/3.0 Compability】-- Drive external USB 2.0/3.0 storage devices such as USB flash(up to 512G)/SD card(up to 128G) and hard drive(partition should be MBR, up to 8TB), you can also delete or copy files in the USB drive(FAT or FA32) directly, Also plays subtitle files as well as loop videos
- 【Support Multiple Formats of Files and Playback Modes&Multi-functional Remote Control】-- Supports most video, audio, and image formats on the market, supports random playback of video and image modes, and supports loop playback. Supports repeat, zoom, fast forward, fast rewind, rotation, breakpoint playback method, start from scratch playback method and time selection playback method. It is also equipped with a convenient remote control for easy navigation of menu screens (ASIN: B0C9PZPFL8)
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Playback used to work but stopped: Check that VLC is current. VideoLAN notes that changes to YouTube’s transmission protocols can prevent VLC from playing some YouTube content. Its support page describes replacing
youtube.luaas a workaround, but the advice is old and version-sensitive; do not treat it as a guaranteed fix. VideoLAN support: YouTube playback -
You cannot rewind far enough: YouTube DVR only allows seeking within available retained history. You cannot go earlier than the start of the live broadcast, and streams longer than 12 hours may have limited or unavailable DVR rewind.
Rank #4
Micca G3 2K Quad-HD USB and microSD Media Player, 4K HDMI, Digital Signage- MAKE YOUR TV SMARTER - Enhance any TV with the ability to play videos, music, and photo slideshows from a USB drive or MicroSD Card! It’s so simple and intuitive - anyone can use it. The Micca G3 is amazingly compact and affordable, get one for each TV in the house!
- PLAYS 2K QUAD-HD VIDEOS - Works with TVs old and new! Smoothly plays videos up to 2560x1440@60fps, upscaled to UHD 4K/60Hz HDMI output. Sharp and clear video and audio in pure digital format, compatible with 4K and 1080p TVs, projectors, and monitor displays. Composite AV output for use with analog TVs or for sending sound to a stereo system.
- DUAL USB AND MICRO SD READER - Play media files from USB flash drives and USB hard drives up to 8TB, or microSD cards up to 1TB. Supports FAT/FAT32, exFAT and NTFS file systems. Compatible with wireless air mouse remotes for non-line-of-sight control so that the player can be hidden away!
- SIMPLE DIGITAL SIGNAGE - Automatic video playback with endless repeat and looping, and the ability to resume from the last stopping point. Configurable 90/180/270 degree video output rotation. Great for digital signage applications such as restaurant menu boards, lobby welcome videos, art and museum installations.
- MEDIA FORMAT SUPPORT - Videos: MKV, MP4/M4V, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB, M2TS, TS files encoded with H.265/HEVC, H.264/AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC1, up to 2560x1440, 60fps, 100mbps. Subtitles: SRT, PGS, IDX+SUB. Music: MP3, WAV, FLAC. Photos: JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG
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The stream ended and there is nothing to replay: The channel may not have posted a replay. Availability depends on the channel owner.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your actual goal is to keep your own YouTube channel live with uploaded videos, rather than replay someone else’s live broadcast in VLC, StreamNeo runs the stream from the cloud: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; videos stream as uploaded at any quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MAKE YOUR TV SMARTER - Enhance any TV with the ability to play videos, music, and photo slideshows from a USB drive or MicroSD Card! It’s so simple and intuitive - anyone can use it. The Micca 4K is amazingly compact and affordable, get one for each TV in the house!
- PLAYS 4K ULTRA-HD VIDEOS - Works with TVs old and new! Smoothly plays videos up to 4096x2304@30fps over UHD 4K/60Hz HDMI output. Sharp and clear video and audio in pure digital format, compatible with 4K and 1080p TVs, projectors, and monitor displays. Composite AV output for use with analog TVs or for sending sound to a stereo system.
- DUAL USB AND MICRO SD READER - Play media files from USB flash drives and USB hard drives up to 8TB, or microSD cards up to 1TB. Supports FAT/FAT32, exFAT and NTFS file systems. Compatible with wireless air mouse remotes for non-line-of-sight control so that the player can be hidden away!
- SIMPLE DIGITAL SIGNAGE - Automatic video playback with endless repeat and looping, and the ability to resume from the last stopping point. Configurable 90/180/270 degree video output rotation. Great for digital signage applications such as restaurant menu boards, lobby welcome videos, art and museum installations.
- MEDIA FORMAT SUPPORT - Videos: MKV, MP4/M4V, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB, M2TS, TS files encoded with H.265/HEVC, H.264/AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC1, up to 4096x2304, 30fps, 200mbps. Subtitles: SRT, PGS, IDX+SUB. Music: MP3, WAV, FLAC. Photos: JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
