There are two ways to make a video loop. You can tell the player to start again when the video ends, which works only in that player. Or you can build the repeat into the video file, so it loops wherever it is played or shared. This guide covers both on computers, phones and the web, and shows how to avoid the jump that appears when a clip restarts.
Player menus change between versions, so if a label on your screen differs slightly, look for the nearest match. LoopVideo is not affiliated with any of the apps mentioned here.
Option 1: turn on loop in the player
If you only need a video to repeat on your own screen, a kiosk or a presentation, use the player's loop setting. Nothing about the file changes.
| Where the video plays | How to loop it |
|---|---|
| QuickTime Player (Mac) | Choose View > Loop, then play |
| VLC (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Click the loop button in the playback controls until it repeats the current item |
| Media Player (Windows 11) | Turn on the repeat button in the playback controls |
| YouTube on a computer | Right-click the video and choose Loop |
| YouTube app | Open the player settings, then Additional settings > Loop video |
| PowerPoint | Select the video, then on the Playback tab tick Loop until Stopped |
| iPhone Photos | Loops by default; see the iPhone section below |
On a web page you control, add the loop attribute to the video element. For
a background video, use autoplay muted loop playsinline together, because
most browsers block autoplay with sound. The details are in
how to make a looping video background for a website.
Option 2: make a video file that loops
A player setting does not travel with the file. Send the video in a chat, upload it to a social network or copy it to a TV and it plays once. When the repeat has to stay with the video, put it inside the file.
You can do this in your browser with LoopVideo, without installing anything:
- Open the LoopVideo workspace and upload the clip. MP4, MOV and WebM files up to 5 minutes and 300MB are supported.
- Choose how many times it should play, from 1 to 5; it starts at 2.
- Check the After preview at the moment the clip starts over.
- Download the MP4.
The repeat is processed in your browser, so the video is not uploaded to a server, and it needs no sign-in or credits. The download keeps the original sound, which plays again with each repeat.
Desktop editors can do the same by placing the clip on the timeline several times and exporting. For a longer result built from a short clip, including slowing it down or adding a reversed copy, see how to make a video longer.
Option 3: loop it on your phone
iPhone. The Photos app replays videos automatically. If yours stop at the end, open Photos, tap your account in the top-right corner and turn on Loop Videos. That only affects playback on your phone; to share a video that repeats, make a looping file as above. Live Photo effects and iMovie are covered in how to loop a video on iPhone.
Android. Gallery apps differ between phone makers, and many have no loop setting. A player app such as VLC usually has a repeat option, or you can make a looping MP4 in the browser with LoopVideo, which works on mobile browsers too. On a phone, short, lower-resolution clips process more reliably.
Instagram. Reels replay on their own, while Stories play each video once. See how to loop a video on Instagram.
Why does my loop jump?
A loop shows the last frame and then, immediately, the first. If the scene has moved, the light has changed or the camera has panned, viewers see a cut every time the video restarts. Repeating the clip more often does not help; each repeat brings the same jump.
There are three ways to deal with it:
- Pick a better clip. Short shots with a fixed camera, steady light and continuous motion, such as water, smoke or a spinning product, often loop well on their own.
- Trim to matching moments. Cut the clip so it ends on a frame that looks close to where it starts.
- Add a transition back to the start. The AI seamless loop in LoopVideo generates a bridge of about five seconds from the final frame back to the first, so the end flows into the beginning.
AI requires sign-in, and email accounts must be verified. The one-time free AI trial, where available, adds a visible LoopVideo watermark; one paid credit produces a watermark-free result. AI cannot add new scenes, and results vary by clip, so watch the join before you publish. The whole process is explained in how to make a video loop seamlessly.
Loop a video as a GIF
GIFs loop by themselves, which makes them handy for chats, documentation and README files. Convert the finished video with the video to GIF converter; it runs in your browser and the GIF it creates loops forever. To control how many times a GIF plays, read how to make a GIF loop forever or a set number of times.
FAQ
How can I make a video loop automatically?
Turn on the player's loop or repeat setting, or make a looping file. On the
web, add loop (and autoplay muted playsinline for autoplay) to the video
element.
How do I loop a video without software?
Use a browser tool. LoopVideo repeats a clip 1 to 5 times in your browser and downloads an MP4, with no installation, sign-in or credits.
Can I loop only part of a video?
Most simple players loop the whole file. Trim the part you want in an editor first, then loop or repeat the shorter clip.
Does a looped video stay looped when I upload it?
Only if the repeat is inside the file. A player setting stays on your device; the platform decides how the uploaded video plays.
Is there a limit on how many times I can repeat a clip?
LoopVideo repeats a clip up to 5 times per export. For more, repeat the downloaded result again, keeping the 5 minute input limit in mind.
