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To loop a church service video on an actual YouTube Live broadcast, play the video in an encoder such as OBS and enable its loop setting. YouTube’s own Loop control only repeats playback for someone watching an uploaded video; it does not send a video file out as a live broadcast.
Before you start
- Your YouTube channel must be verified and must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. See YouTube’s live-streaming requirements and setup guidance.
- Install OBS and have the service video file available on the computer that will run the broadcast. OBS documents support for formats including .mp4, .ts, .mov, .flv, .mkv, .avi, .gif, and .webm.
- Have a reliable internet connection with enough upload bandwidth and headroom for your encoder’s output. A looping file does not prevent network interruptions.
- If this is a church service recording, confirm you have the rights to stream the video, music, and other material. YouTube’s copyright and monetization rules still apply to prerecorded content.
Loop one church service video in OBS
- Create a scene: In OBS, add a scene for the broadcast if you do not already have one.
- Add the video: In the scene’s Sources area, select + → Media Source. Give it a name, choose the local video file, and confirm.
- Enable looping: Open the Media Source properties and check Loop. OBS lists this setting as off by default; enabling it makes the media start again after it reaches the end. See the OBS Media Sources documentation.
- Check what happens at the end: OBS also provides a separate Show nothing when playback ends property. Loop is the setting that repeats the file; if you leave Loop off, review the end-of-playback behavior so the scene does not go blank unexpectedly.
- Check the picture and sound: Play the source in OBS and confirm that the video fits the canvas, audio is audible, and the beginning and end transition as expected. Make sure any service audio you intend to broadcast is included in the source or captured by your OBS audio setup.
Loop a sequence of service videos
For multiple files, use an OBS VLC Video Source rather than adding separate Media Sources if you want OBS to play them as a playlist. VLC must be installed for this source to be available. OBS documents the VLC source for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- In the scene’s Sources area, select + → VLC Video Source.
- Open its properties and add the service videos to the playlist in the order you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist if it is not already selected. The documented OBS property is enabled by default.
- Preview the sequence, including the transition from the last file back to the first, and check the audio across every item.
See the OBS documentation for Media Sources and VLC Video Source if the source or property labels differ in your version.
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Single video or playlist?
| Setup | Best for | Repeat setting | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source | One service video | Loop repeats that file | Local media file and OBS |
| OBS VLC Video Source | An ordered set of service videos | Loop Playlist repeats the list | VLC installed, plus OBS |
If the congregation only needs to replay an uploaded video, rather than watch a continuing broadcast, use YouTube’s viewer-side Loop control instead. On desktop, right-click the video player and select Loop; on Android, use Settings → Additional settings → Loop video. Playlist playback has its own repeat controls. These options do not create a YouTube Live broadcast. See YouTube’s instructions for looping videos or playlists.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room: Create or configure an encoder stream for the broadcast. YouTube recommends setting up in advance so you can test and check the preview.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key: YouTube provides these in the Live Control Room. The stream key works like a password that identifies where the encoder sends the feed. Treat it as a credential: do not show it in screenshots, recordings, or public instructions.
- Enter the connection details in OBS: Open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service if available, and enter the stream key. If your configuration asks for a server URL, use the stream URL shown in YouTube Studio. OBS and YouTube labels can change, so use the values displayed for your stream rather than copying someone else’s key or address.
- Start the encoder and check YouTube’s preview: In OBS, start streaming. Before sharing the public link or beginning the service, confirm the Live Control Room preview shows the intended video and audio.
- Test the viewer experience: Check that the event is accessible from the channel or watch page and on a mobile device. Monitor both audio and video quality while the stream is running. YouTube’s guidance is available in Get started with live streaming and YouTube live streaming tips.
Plan for long broadcasts and archives
A stream can keep looping in OBS while its connection to YouTube is healthy, but that does not guarantee that the broadcast remains online. YouTube notes that network disruption can break a stream, so test the connection and monitor the Live Control Room rather than assuming a running media source means the stream is healthy.
For broadcasts longer than 12 hours, YouTube says the stream may not be captured as an archive at all. It also says DVR may be limited or unavailable beyond 12 hours. If keeping a recording matters, make a local recording as well as streaming. Read YouTube’s current guidance on archiving live streams and DVR on live streams.
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Troubleshooting
- The file stops at the end: Open the Media Source properties and enable Loop. For a sequence, use a VLC Video Source and check Loop Playlist.
- The playlist source is unavailable: Install VLC, then restart or reopen OBS and check the Sources menu again.
- The scene goes blank when playback ends: Confirm that Loop is enabled. If you intentionally do not want to loop the file, review Show nothing when playback ends to control the end state.
- YouTube does not receive the encoder feed: Check that the stream key and stream URL match the current stream in YouTube Studio, then verify OBS is streaming and review the Live Control Room status. Do not publish or reuse a stream key that may have been exposed.
- The preview has no audio or the wrong video: Check the selected file, OBS source visibility, audio meters, and the Live Control Room preview before going public.
- The broadcast drops even though the video keeps playing locally: Check the network connection and available upload bandwidth. The encoder’s local playback and the internet connection to YouTube are separate parts of the setup.
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