How to Stream 24/7 Looping Video on OBS Studio

This guide provides a straightforward, step-by-step walkthrough on how to configure OBS Studio to broadcast a continuous, 24/7 looping video stream to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook Live. You will learn how to set up your video source to loop endlessly, configure your stream settings for long-term stability, and optimize your system to handle uninterrupted broadcasting.

Step 1: Add a Looping Media Source

To stream a video continuously, you must configure OBS to repeat the video file automatically once it ends.

1. Open OBS Studio.
2. In the Sources dock at the bottom of the screen, click the + (plus) icon and select Media Source.
3. Name the source (e.g., “Looping Video”) and click OK.
4. In the properties window, check the box next to Loop. This is the most important step, as it tells OBS to restart the video immediately after it finishes.
5. Click Browse and select the video file from your computer.
6. Uncheck Close file when inactive to prevent the stream from freezing if the source is accidentally hidden.
7. Click OK. The video will now play in the preview window and loop indefinitely.

Step 2: Configure Stream Settings

Next, you need to connect OBS Studio to your streaming platform of choice.

1. Click Settings in the bottom-right corner of OBS.
2. Go to the Stream tab on the left.
3. Select your streaming platform (e.g., YouTube, Twitch) from the Service dropdown menu.
4. Paste your Stream Key (obtained from your streaming platform’s creator dashboard) into the designated field.
5. Click Apply.

Step 3: Optimize Settings for 24/7 Stability

Running a stream continuously for days or weeks puts a constant load on your hardware and network. Adjust these settings to ensure maximum stability:

• Encoder: Go to Settings > Output. Under the Streaming tab, set your Encoder to a hardware encoder like NVIDIA NVENC (for NVIDIA graphics cards) or AMF/H264 (for AMD graphics cards). This offloads the processing power from your CPU to your GPU, preventing system crashes.
• Bitrate: Set a moderate bitrate. For a 1080p stream at 30fps, 4,000 to 4,500 Kbps is sufficient. For a 720p stream, 2,500 to 3,000 Kbps is highly recommended for 24/7 streams as it reduces bandwidth consumption and the risk of network drops.
• Video Resolution: Go to Settings > Video. Consider lowering your Output (Scaled) Resolution to 1280x720 and your Common FPS Values to 30. Lower resolution and framerates require significantly fewer system resources.
• Automatic Reconnection: Go to Settings > Advanced. Under the Network section, ensure Enable Auto-Reconnect is checked. Set the Retry Delay to 10 seconds and Maximum Retries to a high number (e.g., 100). This ensures your stream goes back online automatically if your internet connection temporarily drops.

Step 4: Prepare Your PC for Continuous Streaming

Before starting the stream, adjust your computer’s power settings so it does not interrupt the broadcast.

1. Disable sleep mode. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Power & sleep and set “Screen” and “Sleep” to Never.
2. Disable automatic Windows Updates during your planned stream time to prevent the computer from restarting on its own.
3. Ensure your computer has a stable, wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi.

Once these configurations are complete, click Start Streaming in the main OBS window to begin your 24/7 broadcast.