Twitch · OBS Media Source

How to loop background music for Twitch streams

Twitch does not loop your bed for you — OBS does. Use a Media Source (or VLC source), turn Loop on, and give it a file whose seam is already clean. A hard-cut MP3 will click every time the source restarts, live.

Make a stream-safe bed

OBS Media Source is the loop engine — not Twitch

On a typical Twitch setup the chain is: file → OBS source → stream mix → Twitch. Twitch receives whatever OBS sends. Infinite background music means configuring the source correctly and feeding it a file that can restart without a discontinuity.

Configure Media Source for a bed

In OBS: Sources → + → Media Source.
Uncheck “Local File” only if you know you need a URL; for beds, use a local seamless file.
Check Loop.
Optional: Restart playback when source becomes active if you hide/show the source between scenes and want a predictable downbeat (know that restart will expose a bad seam instantly).
Set audio monitoring / tracks so the bed is in the stream mix but not feeding your headset twice unless you want that.

VLC Video Source is the alternative when you need a playlist. Same seam rule applies to every item in that playlist.

Why streamers hear a gap at the “loop”

File ends with padded silence from an MP3 export.
Loop unchecked — OBS finishes the file and sits on the last frame/silence.
Scene switch recreates the source and starts from sample 0 against a loud intro.

Prepare the bed with Loop Music so the restart is silent, then keep Loop enabled.

Levels while you talk

A perfect seam at −3 dB under speech still ruins the stream. Duck the bed (sidechain/compressor or manual riding) so commentary wins. Seamless looping fixes the join; gain staging fixes intelligibility.

Click still there with Loop on? Diagnose the click.

Twitch / OBS music FAQ

Media Source, VLC, and DMCA are different problems — seam first.

Media Source vs VLC Video Source for music?

Media Source is enough for a single local file with Loop enabled. VLC helps playlists and some formats.

Either way, a mismatched seam still clicks. Fix the file before blaming the source type.

Why is there a gap every few minutes on stream?

Often trailing silence in the file, or Loop disabled so OBS hits the end and stops until restart.

Inspect the file tail, re-export seamless, confirm Loop is checked, and watch the source when you switch scenes.

Does a seamless loop avoid Twitch DMCA?

No. Seamless only fixes audio quality. Rights and Content ID / DMCA are a separate licensing question.

Use music you have rights to stream; looping does not change ownership.

OBS can loop — only a clean file sounds infinite

Media Source + Loop + seamless export. Then mix levels for voice.

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