YOUTUBE LIVE GUIDE
How to loop an MP4 on YouTube Live
You have a single MP4 or a short clip, and you want it to play on YouTube Live over and over. It is a common need for focus BGM, sleep visuals, or an MV for AI-generated music — but the moment you try it, you hit walls like "I have to leave my PC on" or "the stream keeps dropping."
This page lays out three ways to loop an MP4 on YouTube Live — OBS, ffmpeg, and Relaymo — and compares them honestly. If you want something that runs unattended around the clock, you will know which one to pick by the end.
Walls you hit when looping an MP4
- Looping through OBS means keeping a PC powered on the whole time — the electricity bill and fan noise add up.
- If the stream drops while you are asleep or away, no one is there to reconnect, so it just stays down.
- When all you have is a 10-second or one-minute clip, setting it up to fill hours of runtime is surprisingly fiddly.
- ffmpeg's -stream_loop is hard to get right — one typo and the stream won't start or dies immediately.
- When a PC or server restarts, the streaming process disappears and can leave orphaned, zombie ffmpeg processes behind.
Three ways to loop an MP4 to YouTube Live
Looping the same MP4 feels simple, but the effort and reliability change a lot depending on whether you run it on your own PC, your own server, or in the cloud. Here is an honest comparison.
OBS media source set to loop
Add your MP4 to OBS as a media source, check the loop option, and stream from your PC. It is the go-to method — free to start and fully customizable on screen.
What it does
- Free to start, with plenty of guides available
- Full control over on-screen layout, overlays, and logos
- Looping an MP4 is just a single checkbox
Limitations
- Your PC has to stay on for the entire stream
- If the stream drops, there is no auto-recovery — you reconnect by hand
- Sleep, updates, and restarts on the PC easily interrupt the stream
Fine for a few hours or when you can keep an eye on it. Not suited to running unattended 24/7.
Running ffmpeg with -stream_loop yourself
Use ffmpeg's -stream_loop option to repeat the MP4 and push it to YouTube over RTMP. Put it on a server and you no longer need a PC, with fine-grained control.
What it does
- On a server it keeps streaming even with your PC closed
- Fine-grained encoder settings, easy to keep CPU load low
- Great fit for audio-only music or BGM streams
Limitations
- The command is complex and easy to break with a small mistake
- Auto-reconnect and restart handling are yours to build
- You are left cleaning up zombie processes and other ops chores
For people comfortable on the command line. Stable operation assumes you build your own scripts and monitoring.
Upload the MP4 to Relaymo and let it loop
RecommendedJust upload the MP4, and the cloud auto-loops it while streaming 24/7. Your PC can be closed or off and the stream keeps running. Short clips are auto-extended to any length you set.
Upload the MP4
Upload the MP4 or short clip you want to loop, right from the browser. No special software to install.
Build a playlist
Arrange your clips into a playlist. Even short material auto-loops and fills your target length without gaps.
Connect your YouTube channel
Connect the channel you want to stream to. Choose loop, one-time, or a scheduled stream.
Press start
Hit start and the stream runs in the cloud. From there it keeps looping even with your PC closed.
What it does
- Loops 24/7 even with your PC closed or turned off
- Auto-reconnects if the stream drops, and auto-recovers after a server restart
- Auto-loops short clips to fill whatever length you set
If you want your MP4 looping on YouTube Live 24/7 without leaving a PC on, Relaymo — where you just upload and go — is the shortest path.
Loop your MP4 for freeWhere looping an MP4 works best
Playing a single MP4 on repeat pairs especially well with these kinds of video and audio.
Work & focus BGM
Prepare one calm video with BGM and let it loop for long focus-streaming sessions.
Sleep & ambient sound
Loop a quiet video or nature sound and keep it up as an all-night sleep stream.
MVs for AI music & AI covers
Loop an MV for a track or cover you made with AI as an always-on channel stream.
Always-on music videos
Loop a favorite MV 24/7 so there is always a live playing whenever viewers arrive.
Store & waiting-room BGM
Loop a single ambient video for a shop or waiting room to set the mood.
So which should you choose?
If you only stream for a short while, or you want to fine-tune the on-screen layout, OBS is plenty. If you are comfortable on the command line and can build your own server ops and monitoring, running ffmpeg with -stream_loop is a real option. Both are free to start, but keeping them stable unattended around the clock is on you.
If your goal is simply "have an MP4 and keep it looping" and "don't stop when my PC is closed," Relaymo is the shortest path. Upload, pick a stream type, and it handles auto-looping, auto-reconnect, and auto-recovery after a restart. The less you want to babysit operations, the better it fits.
Frequently asked questions
Can I loop a really short MP4, like 10 seconds?
Yes. Relaymo auto-loops short clips and fills your target length without gaps, so you don't need to prepare hours of footage.
Is it okay to close my PC while streaming?
Relaymo streams from the cloud, so your PC can be closed or off and the stream keeps going. With OBS or a local ffmpeg setup, that machine has to stay on.
What happens if the stream drops midway?
Relaymo auto-reconnects up to a limit you set and auto-recovers after a server restart, so it rarely stays down even when left alone.
Can I also upload it as a normal video instead of a live stream?
Yes. From the same playlist you can export an MP4 up to about two hours and upload it as a regular video, using one source for both live and normal posts.
Can I try it for free?
Yes, it is free to start. When you need more channels, concurrent streams, or storage, you can move up to a paid plan.