24/7 live streaming is a live broadcast that runs non-stop, with no planned end. In most cases, a computer or a server plays a playlist of pre-recorded videos and sends it to YouTube, Twitch or another platform as one continuous live stream. Viewers see a normal live stream with a live chat, whenever they open it.
How a 24/7 live stream works
A 24/7 live stream has three parts:
- Your videos. Music sets, lessons, old streams, podcast episodes or ambient scenes that you made or have a license to stream.
- A playlist. The videos play in the order you choose, or shuffled. When the last video ends, the playlist starts again.
- Something that sends the playlist to the platform. This is an encoder: a program such as OBS that turns the video into a live feed. It sends the feed over RTMP (the protocol YouTube and most platforms accept for live video) to the address and stream key your platform gives you.
The platform does not know or care that the videos were recorded earlier. It receives a live feed, shows it with a "LIVE" badge and opens the live chat. If you want to know more about the protocol, read what RTMP is and how it works.
The hard part is the third item. The encoder must run all the time. If the computer that runs it sleeps, restarts for an update or loses power, the stream stops.
What people stream 24/7
Most 24/7 channels play content that people leave on in the background or drop into at any hour:
- Lofi and music radio. Music with a visual loop, for study, work or sleep. See how to start a lofi hip hop stream on YouTube and how to start an internet radio station.
- Sleep and ambient. Rain, nature and calm scenes.
- Church and worship. Sermons and worship sets for people who missed the service.
- Education. Lessons and tutorials in a fixed order.
- Podcasts. Past episodes, grouped by theme.
- Gaming replays. Tournament footage, speedruns and highlights.
For more formats, read our list of evergreen streaming ideas.
Why run a 24/7 live stream
It is live in every time zone. A scheduled stream reaches the people who are awake at that hour. A 24/7 stream is on when a viewer opens it, at 3 a.m. in Tokyo or at 7 p.m. in London.
Old videos go live again. Videos you already made play in front of live viewers, who can chat while they watch.
It can earn money. If your channel is in the YouTube Partner Program, YouTube can show ads during a live stream, and viewers can use features such as Super Chat. The same monetization policies apply as for any other video.
What YouTube asks of a 24/7 live stream
YouTube has no separate rules for 24/7 streams, but four rules matter more when a stream never ends. Each fact below comes from YouTube Help, read in September 2026.
Live streaming must be turned on. Your channel must be verified and have no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. YouTube says that enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours. Our guide to YouTube live stream requirements has the full list.
YouTube may not save it as a video. YouTube can archive a live stream that is shorter than 12 hours. For a longer stream, YouTube Help says it may not be captured at all. The live stream itself keeps going. Keep your own copies of every file you stream.
Monetized content must not be repetitive. YouTube's monetization policies exclude content that is "mass-produced, generic, repetitive". So stream a playlist of several different videos, not one short clip on repeat.
You need the rights to every file. YouTube checks live streams for copyrighted music and video, and a copyright strike on a live stream can stop your ability to stream. Use music you made, own or have a license for. Our guide to royalty-free music for streaming lists where to get it.
Three ways to run a 24/7 stream
You can run the encoder on your own computer, on a rented server, or let a cloud service do the streaming.
OBS on your own PC. OBS is free, so a spare computer costs only electricity. The computer must stay on, awake and online every hour of every day. A power cut, a crash or a system update stops the stream until you restart it. Our 24/7 live streaming setup guide covers the hardware and the OBS settings.
OBS on a VPS. A VPS (a virtual private server, a computer you rent in a data center) costs about $15 to $60 a month. Power cuts and outages at home no longer stop the stream. You still install, update and restart OBS yourself, over a remote desktop. Read how to stream video from a server for that setup.
A cloud streaming service. The service's servers run the encoder. You upload the videos in a browser, and there is nothing on your side to restart. Prices and limits differ a lot between services, and some stop a looped stream after a number of hours or loops. The comparison of 24/7 streaming tools on our homepage shows the price and the longest run on eight tools, checked in September 2026.
Video settings for a 24/7 stream
If you run your own encoder, use the settings YouTube recommends for H.264 over RTMP:
| Resolution and frame rate | Recommended bitrate (H.264) |
|---|---|
| 1080p, 30 fps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 12 Mbps |
| 720p, 60 fps | 6 Mbps |
| 720p, 30 fps | 4 Mbps |
YouTube also recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe every 2 seconds, and AAC audio at 128 kbps. Your upload speed must stay above the bitrate you choose, at all hours. For more detail, read our guides to bitrate for streaming and upload speed for streaming.
Prepare the files before they go into the playlist. Use the same resolution, frame rate and audio sample rate for every video, so the stream does not change format between videos. For music and calm scenes, 1080p at 30 fps is enough. 60 fps raises the recommended bitrate from 10 to 12 Mbps and adds little to slow footage.
How to start a 24/7 stream without a computer that stays on
With 247 LiveStream, our servers do the streaming, so your computer is only needed to upload the videos:
- Upload your videos. Add the video and music files from your computer, in your browser.
- Put them in a playlist. Choose the order or shuffle it. When the last video ends, the playlist starts again.
- Connect YouTube and go live. Paste the stream key from YouTube Studio, then start the stream.
You can add, remove or reorder videos while the stream is live. The stream runs until you stop it, and it can also go to Twitch, Kick or any other platform that accepts an RTMP feed. The price is on the pricing section, and you can build and test a stream for free before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 24/7 stream a real live stream?
Yes. The platform receives a live feed and shows it as a live stream. Viewers watch, chat and subscribe as on any other live stream.
Does my computer need to stay on?
It depends on where the encoder runs. If OBS runs on your computer, the computer must stay on and online. If a VPS or a cloud service runs the stream, your computer can be off.
How long can a 24/7 stream run?
YouTube Help publishes no maximum length for a live stream (September 2026). It says only that a stream longer than 12 hours may not be saved as a video. Some streaming tools set their own limits, such as a number of hours or loops, so check the tool before you choose it.
Can I use one video on repeat?
You can, but YouTube's monetization policies exclude repetitive content, so a channel that wants ad revenue should stream a playlist of several different videos.
Who is responsible for copyright?
You are. Stream only videos and music that you made, own or have a license to stream.
More answers are in the FAQ on our homepage.