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To stream a pre-recorded video to YouTube Live in 1080p using OBS, add the video to an OBS scene as a Media Source, set your video and encoder options, connect OBS to the YouTube event with its stream URL and key, then check YouTube’s preview and stream health before starting the event. You do not need a camera: OBS sends the scene output, which can be a local video file.
Before you start
- Install OBS Studio and have the video file available on the computer running OBS.
- Confirm live streaming is enabled on your YouTube channel. YouTube says first-time activation may take up to 24 hours, so enable it ahead of your planned broadcast. YouTube’s encoder setup guide
- Make sure you have the rights needed to broadcast the video. Having a copy of a video does not, by itself, establish permission to stream it.
- Use a stable internet connection with upload capacity for the chosen bitrate, plus headroom for fluctuations and other network traffic.
The exact OBS menu layout can vary by operating system and release. The workflow below uses OBS’s documented Media Source approach; the bitrate and ingest recommendations are YouTube’s current guidance, accessed in 2026.
1. Create a YouTube Live event and get its connection details
- Open YouTube Studio and create or schedule an encoder-based live stream. Set the event’s title, visibility, and other details. For a private rehearsal, an unlisted event can help limit who finds it.
- Open the event’s Live Control Room and locate its stream settings. Copy the server URL and stream key for that event. A key connects an encoder to the correct stream; treat it like a password and do not include it in screenshots, recordings, or public messages. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions and YouTube’s guidance on stream keys and encoder streaming.
- Keep the Live Control Room open for the preview and stream-health status. Check the event’s auto-start behavior or be ready to start it from YouTube after the encoder feed is arriving.
2. Put the video in an OBS scene
- In OBS, select an existing scene or create one.
- In the Sources dock, choose + and add a Media Source. Give it a recognizable name and select the local video file.
- OBS documents support for video formats including MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM. If a file does not play, try a compatible version of the media rather than assuming the YouTube connection is at fault. See OBS’s Media Sources guide.
- Check the OBS preview. Resize or position the source so the picture fills the intended 16:9 frame without unintended cropping or black bars. Confirm the audio meters move when the file plays if it contains audio.
- Choose whether to enable Loop. It is off by default; turn it on if the video should repeat. The Media Source option Show nothing when playback ends is on by default, so the source does not leave its final frame on screen after playback ends. Select the behavior that matches your plan.
OBS’s Sources dock is where you add scene elements such as video; its Quick Start Guide recommends running a test before a first stream.
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3. Set 1080p video output
In OBS settings, configure a conventional 1080p landscape canvas and output of 1920 × 1080. Match the source frame rate when practical, then choose 30 or 60 frames per second according to the source’s motion and your computer’s encoding capacity. A 60 fps output is not automatically better if the file is 30 fps or the machine and connection cannot sustain it.
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OBS exposes video and output controls in its settings, but the exact click sequence and labels can differ by operating system and version. The goal is to ensure the stream output—not just the canvas preview—is 1920 × 1080 at the intended frame rate. Avoid upscaling a smaller source and expecting it to gain detail.
4. Choose encoder settings for YouTube
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and a keyframe interval of two seconds; do not exceed four seconds. YouTube supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 ingest, though the encoder available in OBS depends on your system and configuration. YouTube’s bitrate figures below are platform recommendations, not guarantees of delivered picture quality. Source quality, encoder performance, and network stability still matter. YouTube: encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions
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| Output | Codec | YouTube minimum bitrate | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p30 | H.264 | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | H.264 | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | AV1 or HEVC | 4 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | AV1 or HEVC | 4 Mbps | 12 Mbps |
Use the recommended value for your codec and frame rate if your upload connection can sustain it reliably. These are YouTube’s published encoder recommendations accessed in 2026. Do not treat the minimum as a quality target or assume one bitrate applies to every 1080p stream.
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- Rate control: CBR.
- Keyframe interval: 2 seconds; never more than 4 seconds.
- Ingest protocol: RTMPS is YouTube’s recommendation for encrypted transport. If selecting a custom server, use the RTMPS URL supplied by YouTube when available.
- Resolution and frame rate: 1920 × 1080 at 30 or 60 fps, matching the intended output and source as closely as practical.
YouTube detects resolution and frame rate automatically by default; its guide notes that a custom stream key can enable manual selection. Avoid changing unrelated advanced settings unless you have a specific reason.
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5. Connect OBS to the YouTube event
- In OBS, open the stream configuration in settings and select YouTube/RTMPS if that option is available. Otherwise choose a custom server and enter the server URL from the Live Control Room.
- Enter the stream key for the same YouTube event. Double-check for accidental spaces or a key copied from a different scheduled stream.
- Apply the settings, then return to the main OBS window. Keep the key private; anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to that event.
6. Test the feed, then start the event
- Start streaming from OBS while the YouTube event is open. For a rehearsal, use an unlisted event and keep the test short.
- Wait for YouTube’s Live Control Room preview to show the incoming video. Check picture framing, motion, audio, and stream health before making the event public or starting the planned broadcast.
- Start the event from YouTube if auto-start is not enabled. Confirm the live status in the Control Room.
- Keep OBS and the Live Control Room visible during the broadcast. Watch for dropped frames, warnings, audio problems, or a loss of incoming signal.
YouTube recommends checking the preview and testing before a live broadcast; OBS likewise advises a short test. Lower-latency modes can increase playback buffering. Since a pre-recorded presentation usually does not rely on real-time audience interaction, normal latency may be a sensible default.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube receives no signal | Wrong stream URL or key, a key from another event, or OBS is not sending | Confirm the event’s server URL and key in Live Control Room, re-enter them carefully in OBS, and make sure streaming is started in OBS. |
| OBS preview is black or the video does not play | Media Source is missing, points to the wrong file, or cannot decode the format | Open the Media Source properties, check the selected file and playback, and test a supported format listed in OBS’s Media Sources documentation. |
| Video stops after one play | Loop is disabled | Enable Loop in the Media Source properties if repeated playback is intended. |
| The last frame remains or the picture disappears at the end | Playback-end behavior does not match the intended presentation | Review the Media Source’s playback-end options, including Show nothing when playback ends, and decide whether to loop or transition to another scene. |
| Stream looks soft or blocky | Low source resolution, insufficient bitrate, or unstable upload | Check that output is 1920 × 1080, compare the bitrate with YouTube’s codec/frame-rate recommendation, and reduce competing upload traffic. Upscaling cannot restore detail absent from the source. |
| Stream buffers or YouTube reports health warnings | Upload instability, overloaded encoding, or bitrate beyond available capacity | Check OBS statistics and YouTube stream health; close bandwidth-heavy applications, choose a bitrate the connection can sustain, or use 30 fps rather than 60 if the source and system permit. |
| Video plays but there is no sound | The file has no audio, source audio is not being captured, or output audio configuration is unsuitable | Check that the file contains an audio track, watch OBS audio meters during playback, and verify audio in YouTube’s preview during the test. |
| Activation or event setup is unavailable | Live streaming may not yet be enabled on the channel | Enable it in YouTube Studio and allow up to 24 hours for first-time activation, as noted by YouTube. |
Copyright and YouTube policy checks
Only broadcast video and audio for which you have the necessary rights. A file you can watch locally may still contain music, footage, or other material you are not authorized to transmit live. YouTube’s rights-management treatment can depend on the content and circumstances; do not assume a live stream is exempt because the source is pre-recorded. Review the event and channel requirements in YouTube Studio before airing material you did not create or license.
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A successful technical test confirms that OBS can deliver a signal; it does not establish that the content complies with copyright rules or qualifies for monetization. Make sure the stream is not misleadingly presented as live interaction if it is simply playback.
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