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Either MP4 or MOV can work: OBS lists both as supported file types for its built-in Media Source on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Choose based on whether the actual file’s video and audio codecs work in your OBS setup—not on the extension alone—and test playback before going live. The file’s container is separate from the settings used to encode your outgoing YouTube stream.
MP4 vs. MOV in OBS: what to choose
For a pre-recorded clip played inside an OBS scene, MP4 and MOV are both supported. OBS describes MP4 as the de facto standard for internet video and MOV as its sister format, with differences in codec compatibility and a historical preference for MOV on Mac platforms. Neither extension guarantees that every file will play correctly: the codecs and audio tracks inside the container matter. See OBS’s Audio/Video Formats Guide.
| Question | MP4 | MOV |
|---|---|---|
| Supported in OBS Media Source? | Yes; listed for Windows, macOS, and Linux. | Yes; listed for Windows, macOS, and Linux. |
| Best reason to choose it | A common internet-video container, or the format your editor exports compatibly. | The format your editor exports compatibly, including workflows with a Mac preference. |
| Does the extension guarantee playback? | No. Check the file’s video and audio codecs if it fails. | No. Check the file’s video and audio codecs if it fails. |
OBS’s Media Sources documentation lists both formats. This concerns opening existing files as sources; it is not a recommendation that the live broadcast itself be sent as MP4 or MOV.
Add a pre-recorded clip as an OBS source
- In OBS, select the scene where the clip should appear. In the Sources dock, click + and choose Media Source.
- Create a new source or select an existing one, then choose the local video file. OBS’s built-in Media Source supports MP4 and MOV.
- Enable Loop only if you want the clip to repeat. Enable Restart playback when source becomes active if it should start from the beginning whenever that scene becomes active. The source also offers hardware decoding when available and an option to hide the source after playback.
- Preview the scene. Check the full picture, audio, timing, and whether playback behaves as intended when switching scenes.
For playlist playback or when the built-in source cannot play a particular file, OBS offers a VLC Video source. VLC must be installed; with 64-bit OBS, install the matching 64-bit VLC version. Consult OBS’s Media Sources guide for source details.
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Keep the local file format separate from YouTube encoder settings
MP4 or MOV describes the container of the local clip. It does not set the codec, bitrate, frame rate, or keyframe interval of the outgoing live stream. Configure those in your streaming workflow separately, following YouTube’s current live encoder settings guidance.
- YouTube’s guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video options.
- It lists AAC or MP3 audio and CBR bitrate encoding.
- It recommends a two-second keyframe frequency, not exceeding four seconds.
Choose settings appropriate to your encoder and stream, and check YouTube’s live guidance for the current recommendations rather than treating the local file’s extension as a streaming setting.
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Test the complete workflow before the broadcast
- Play the clip in the OBS scene and verify both video and audio.
- Switch into and out of the scene to confirm that playback starts, loops, or ends as you intended.
- Run a test with movement and audio similar to the planned event. YouTube recommends representative testing and monitoring stream health; review its encoder settings and stream health guidance.
Troubleshoot a clip that will not play correctly
- OBS does not play the file: Do not assume the extension proves compatibility. Check the video and audio encoding in the file; container and codec compatibility differ. Try the VLC Video source if a playlist or broader media support is needed, with the matching VLC architecture for your OBS installation.
- The picture works but audio does not: Check the file’s audio encoding and track, then test the source in OBS before the event. MP4 or MOV alone does not establish that the audio track is compatible.
- The clip repeats or restarts unexpectedly: Review the Media Source’s Loop and Restart playback when source becomes active options and align them with the scene behavior you want.
- The source plays but the live output settings are unsuitable: Review the outgoing encoder settings independently of the clip container, including bitrate mode, codec, audio codec, and keyframe interval, against YouTube’s current guidance.
Do not confuse playback with recording or a scheduled-stream trailer
OBS’s warning about MP4/MOV finalization applies to recording directly into those containers: an interrupted write may leave a conventional file unfinalized and unrecoverable. It does not cancel OBS’s support for playing existing MP4 or MOV files. OBS recommends MKV for many local recording cases and describes remuxing when a more compatible output container is needed; it also documents fragmented and hybrid MP4/MOV recording options in its formats guide.
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YouTube’s scheduled-stream trailer is a separate feature for eligible creators, not a clip inserted into an OBS scene. See YouTube’s live stream settings guidance for trailer eligibility and supported video types.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a 24/7 YouTube stream of uploaded recordings rather than an OBS scene for a particular event, StreamNeo is a different option: upload a video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; uploads stream as made up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free day.
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