To rotate prerecorded videos continuously on YouTube Live, put them in an OBS playlist, enable Loop Playlist, and send OBS’s output to YouTube using a stream key. The playlist controls playback; OBS is the encoder that makes it a live broadcast. A playlist on YouTube by itself does not create a 24/7 live stream.
What you need for a rotating YouTube live stream
- A YouTube channel eligible to livestream. YouTube says the channel must have live streaming enabled and meet its current channel requirements; first-time enablement can take up to 24 hours. See YouTube’s live streaming tips.
- OBS Studio and the video files you want to play. OBS’s VLC Video source supports playlists of multiple files; a Media Source can loop a single file. See OBS Project’s Media Sources documentation.
- A stable internet connection with enough upload capacity for the stream, plus time to test and monitor the broadcast.
Keep playback running on the computer where OBS is open. If the computer, OBS, or network connection stops working, the feed can stop; YouTube recommends testing and monitoring streams.
Build and loop the playlist in OBS
- Open OBS and select the scene that will contain the broadcast.
- In the Sources panel, select +, choose VLC Video, and create or select the source.
- Open the source’s properties and add the video files you want to rotate. Arrange them in the sequence you want them to play.
- Enable Loop Playlist so playback restarts after the final file. Leave Shuffle Playlist off for a fixed sequence; turn it on if you want randomized playback.
- Check that the source is visible in the active scene. OBS documents that a media source normally stops when it is not visible and restarts when it becomes visible. Avoid hiding or switching away from the source if that behavior would interrupt your intended playback.
- Confirm that the video fits the canvas and that its audio is audible in the OBS mixer. Preview the whole scene, not only the source properties.
For one video rather than a multi-file playlist, add a Media Source and enable its separate Loop control. Do not confuse that setting with VLC Video’s Loop Playlist option. OBS documents these controls in its Media Sources guide.
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room and create or schedule a live stream. If this is your first livestream, enable live streaming in advance; YouTube says activation may take up to 24 hours.
- In the stream setup, copy YouTube’s stream URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service if available, and enter the connection details. If you use a custom server option, use the server URL provided by YouTube.
- Treat the stream key as a password. It tells your encoder where to send the feed and allows YouTube to accept it; do not share it publicly. You can reset it in YouTube if it is exposed.
- In OBS, select Start Streaming. Return to Live Control Room and wait for the incoming preview. Check the picture, playlist order or shuffle behavior, and audio before selecting YouTube’s control to go live.
- During the broadcast, watch YouTube’s stream health and check that OBS continues to play the files and send audio and video.
YouTube’s setup details are in Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Set stream quality and upload headroom
Choose output settings that your connection can sustain consistently. YouTube’s general encoder guidance recommends RTMPS, a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. Use YouTube’s current recommendations for the resolution and bitrate you select rather than assuming a setting that works for one connection will work for every connection. See YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
YouTube recommends upload bandwidth with 20% headroom above the total stream bitrate. For example, if the configured stream bitrate is 10 Mbps, plan for at least 12 Mbps of available upload capacity for the stream, beyond competing network use. This is YouTube’s recommendation, not a guarantee that the connection will remain stable. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
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Plan for archives and rebroadcast rights
A 24/7 live broadcast is not guaranteed to become one complete replay. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived, while a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. If a replay matters, plan shorter broadcast sessions that fit YouTube’s stated archive guidance or maintain a separate recording workflow. See Archive live streams.
Having a video in a playlist or being able to play it does not establish permission to rebroadcast it. Use material you own or have the necessary rights to stream, and check YouTube’s applicable copyright and monetization policies before scheduling a continuous channel.
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Troubleshoot playlist rotation and live delivery
- The list stops after the last video: Open VLC Video source properties and enable Loop Playlist. For a single-file Media Source, enable its separate Loop option.
- A video does not play when expected: Check that its file is available and that the source is visible in the active scene. OBS’s default visibility behavior can stop playback when the source is hidden.
- YouTube does not receive a signal: Confirm OBS is streaming, the server URL is the one from the current Live Control Room stream, and the stream key matches. Keep the key private; reset it if necessary.
- The preview has video but no sound: Check the source’s audio level and mute state in OBS’s mixer, then listen in the YouTube preview before going live.
- The stream health is poor or the picture keeps breaking up: Test the connection and ensure upload capacity has headroom above the stream bitrate. Reduce the configured bitrate or resolution if the connection cannot sustain the current output, then test again.
- The stream ends or becomes unavailable: Check the computer, OBS, and network connection. A local OBS setup depends on all three remaining operational, and YouTube recommends monitoring the stream.
- You cannot find a complete replay: Check the stream’s duration. YouTube cautions that broadcasts longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a computer and home connection to run OBS continuously, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded videos from the cloud. It does not stream from a camera or to platforms other than YouTube.
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