22 Jul 2026 · 6 min read
Short answer: yes. Streaming a pre-recorded video over RTMP as a live broadcast is permitted, and 24/7 loops are an established genre on YouTube rather than a loophole. The rules that will actually catch you out are about what is in the loop.
The question comes up constantly because looping feels like it ought to be against the rules. It is not. A live stream is defined by how it is delivered, not by whether the footage was captured a second ago or a year ago. When you push a file over RTMP, YouTube treats it exactly as it treats a webcam: as a live broadcast.
The format is common enough that YouTube has presented it as a legitimate content strategy at its own live streaming events. Lo-fi radio channels, ambient scenery, replays and rolling showcases all work this way.
Every enforcement story worth reading comes down to one of four things, and none of them are "it was a loop".
The clip is too short. Repeating fifteen seconds forever is the fastest route to being treated as low-effort repetitive content. Loop something with length to it.
The audio is not yours. A loop is continuous exposure. Copyrighted music will mute, demonetise or strike the stream, and it will do it again on the next pass.
It pretends to be attended. Staged chat, or a title implying you are sitting there responding, is misrepresentation. A loop that is openly a loop is fine.
Undisclosed AI. If part of the video is AI-generated, say so in the description. That is a platform rule, not a stylistic preference.
Being allowed to stream something is not the same as being allowed to earn from it. YouTube's rules on reused and repetitious content apply to monetisation, and a channel that is nothing but an unedited loop is a weak candidate. If revenue is the goal, the loop should be a shop window for a channel that does other things, not the whole channel.
Pick a video long enough to stand a few hours of watching. Clear the soundtrack. Title it honestly. Then the fact that it repeats is simply not the interesting part.
Loopcast does not moderate what you broadcast and cannot check your rights to it. Your channel stays your responsibility, and YouTube's own live streaming policies are the authority on what is permitted.
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