How to Put a Pre-Recorded Video on TikTok LIVE

Short answer: yes, you can run a TikTok LIVE from a video you recorded earlier — and keep it looping around the clock without leaving a computer on. TikTok has no "broadcast a saved file" button, so the trick is to feed your video to TikTok's live servers the same way OBS would, using an RTMP stream key. A cloud tool handles the looping for you.

It's genuinely easy once it's set up. The one fiddly part is getting the key in the first place, and TikTok makes that harder than YouTube does — we'll be honest about that as we go.

The 60-second version

1. Get TikTok LIVE access and your stream key + server URL (how to do that).

2. Export your video vertical (9:16), 1080×1920.

3. Upload it to Streamloop, add TikTok as a Custom RTMP destination, and hit go live.

4. Streamloop loops it 24/7 from the cloud — your laptop can be closed.

Can you really go live on TikTok with a pre-recorded video?

Yes. TikTok LIVE accepts an incoming RTMP feed, and TikTok's servers don't care whether that feed is a live webcam or a file playing on a loop — it's just video arriving at a stream key. This is the same pipe that OBS, Streamlabs, and every "go live from PC" tool uses.

A few honest caveats up front, because they shape everything below:

• You need LIVE access first. TikTok only hands a stream key to eligible accounts — roughly 1,000 followers for gaming creators (more for everyone else), or access through a Creator Network or application. Our stream key guide covers every route, including with a small following.
• TikTok is stricter than YouTube about this. TikTok issues a fresh stream key each session and favors gaming creators for desktop access. A truly hands-off 24/7 channel is easiest on YouTube; on TikTok it takes a little more attention. We'll be straight about that.
• TikTok is vertical. A landscape video will sit in a small letterboxed strip. Export 9:16.

If you're streaming to YouTube as well, the YouTube 24/7 guide is a smoother path — but plenty of creators run looped vertical content on TikTok successfully.

What you'll need

• TikTok LIVE access — An eligible account — about 1,000 followers for gaming creators (more otherwise), or access via a Creator Network or application. See your options →
• A TikTok stream key + server URL — The credentials that let outside software broadcast to your account. Here's how to find them →
• A video file — MP4, MOV, MKV, or AVI. Exported vertical (9:16).
• A way to loop it 24/7 — This is where Streamloop comes in — it plays your file on repeat from the cloud.

Why not just use OBS on your own PC?

You can — OBS plus a media source on loop will technically work. The catch is what "24/7" actually demands:

• Your computer has to stay on and awake the entire time. Sleep, a Windows update, or a dropped Wi-Fi connection kills the stream.
• You're burning your own electricity, CPU, and upload bandwidth non-stop.
• If you want to change the video or restart after a crash, you have to be at the machine.

For a one-hour stream, that's fine. For a channel that's meant to be live while you sleep, it's a chore. That's the entire reason cloud looping tools exist: the video lives on a server, the server pushes it to TikTok, and your own devices stay free. Streamloop is built for exactly this — upload once, loop indefinitely, no OBS and no PC left running.

How to stream a pre-recorded video to TikTok LIVE with Streamloop

Step 1 — Prepare your video

TikTok LIVE is vertical, so export your clip tall (9:16) — the same shape as a normal TikTok video. If your editor asks, 1080×1920 at 30 frames per second looks great, and that's already the default in most apps like CapCut, so you usually don't have to change a thing. Save it as an MP4 if you get the choice.

Want music or a voiceover over the visuals? You can add a separate audio track in Streamloop, or build a playlist of a few clips so the loop doesn't feel repetitive.

Step 2 — Get your TikTok stream key

This is the one part that happens on TikTok's side, not Streamloop's. You'll grab two things: a Server URL (something like rtmp://push.live.tiktok.com/live) and a Stream Key.

We wrote a full walkthrough — including what to do if you don't have stream-key access yet — here: How to get a TikTok stream key (RTMP URL) →

Keep both handy; you'll paste them in the next step.

Step 3 — Upload your video to Streamloop

Create a free account at streamloop.app, create a new loop, and upload your video file. You can drag a file in directly, or import it from Google Drive or Dropbox if it already lives in the cloud.

Step 4 — Add TikTok as a Custom RTMP destination

In your loop's settings, open the destination picker and choose Custom RTMP (Twitch, Facebook, etc.) — TikTok works through this same option.

• RTMP URL: paste TikTok's server URL (e.g. rtmp://push.live.tiktok.com/live)
• Stream key: paste the key you copied from TikTok

Tip: TikTok generates a fresh stream key each time you open a new LIVE session. If your stream won't connect, the most common reason is an expired key — generate a new one on TikTok and update it in Streamloop.

Step 5 — Set your quality and go live

Pick your stream quality and frame rate (1080p / 30 fps is a solid TikTok default), then start the stream. Streamloop sends your looping video to TikTok's servers, and your LIVE goes up. Because it's running in the cloud, you can close your laptop — the loop keeps going.

What settings should you use for TikTok?

Keep it simple — TikTok LIVE is a vertical phone feed, so you don't need cinema-grade settings:

• Shape: vertical (9:16)
• Resolution: 1080×1920 (Full HD)
• Frame rate: 30 frames per second (bump to 60 only for fast motion or gaming)

That's really all that matters. There's no point chasing 4K here — a vertical phone screen won't show the difference and it only eats bandwidth. Save the 4K for a YouTube loop instead.

The honest limits of 24/7 on TikTok

This is the part most guides skip. TikTok can run a looped pre-recorded LIVE, but it's the least "set it and forget it" of the major platforms:

• Stream keys rotate per session. Unlike a permanent key, TikTok issues a new key when you start a new LIVE. If TikTok ends your session, you'll need a fresh key to restart.
• Third-party streaming is gated. TikTok increasingly limits RTMP/"go live from software" access — some accounts only get it through a LIVE agency or TikTok's application program. (Details in our stream-key guide.)
• TikTok favors gaming creators for desktop access. Per TikTok's LIVE Studio Help Center, gaming creators unlock PC/stream-key access at 1,000 followers, while non-gaming creators need 10,000. If your loop isn't gaming-related, expect a higher bar to get (and keep) the stream key in the first place.
• Very long, unattended streams can trip safeguards. Marathon broadcasts sometimes get disconnected. Check in on your stream rather than assuming it'll run untouched for a week.

What this means in practice: Streamloop will happily loop your video and reconnect on its side, but TikTok's session and key behavior is the limiting factor, not the looping. Treat a TikTok 24/7 LIVE as something you monitor, and keep YouTube in mind if you want a true always-on channel.

What people loop on TikTok LIVE

If you've got LIVE access, a pre-recorded loop is a low-effort way to stay live:

• Lofi / chill music with a calm animated background
• Replays or highlight reels of your best moments
• Ambient scenes — aquariums, fireplaces, rain, nature
• Product showcases or menus for a small business
• Countdowns and "starting soon" loops before a real live event