YouTube’s schedule controls the live event; it does not reopen OBS or restart your computer after a reboot. To resume a prerecorded loop automatically, set up the scheduled YouTube stream, configure OBS to loop the video and start streaming, and separately configure your computer to launch OBS after startup or login. Then test the full sequence with a real reboot.
How the automatic start works
There are three separate parts: YouTube’s scheduled event, the encoder that sends video (such as OBS), and your computer’s startup mechanism. Scheduling a stream helps promote the event and lets viewers set reminders, but the encoder still has to connect and start. YouTube’s auto-start option can let the encoder start the broadcast; it does not launch OBS or power on a computer. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions and live stream settings.
The steps below use OBS on a local computer. Exact operating-system startup settings vary, especially depending on whether the computer starts unattended or waits for a user to sign in.
1. Schedule the YouTube event and prepare its connection details
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In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and use the Manage tab to schedule a stream, or select the scheduled event you intend to use. YouTube’s encoder instructions describe the scheduling workflow.
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In the event’s stream settings, note the stream URL/server and stream key. In OBS, you can select YouTube as the service or enter the server URL and key provided by Live Control Room. YouTube recommends RTMPS when your encoder supports it; use the RTMPS URL actually shown for your stream rather than assuming an RTMP address is interchangeable. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance.
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Treat the stream key as a password. Do not expose it in screenshots, scripts, logs, or public instructions. If it is compromised, reset it in Live Control Room and update OBS. YouTube explains stream keys and encoder settings in its settings guide and troubleshooting guide.
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Decide whether the encoder should start the broadcast without a person clicking Go live. For a scheduled stream, YouTube says to wait for the preview and click Go live unless stream auto-start is enabled. If you want a manual approval step, leave auto-start off and plan to monitor Live Control Room at the scheduled time. Auto-start is a stream-level setting, not a computer startup setting.
2. Configure OBS to play a loop
For one video file
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In OBS, add a Media Source to the scene you plan to stream and select the local video file.
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Enable Loop in the Media Source properties. OBS documents local files and this option in its Media Sources guide.
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Make sure the file will still be available after reboot. A removable drive must be connected and mounted, and the file path must remain the same.
For a playlist
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Install VLC if it is not already installed; OBS requires it for the VLC Video source type.
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Add a VLC Video source, select the intended playlist files, and confirm Loop Playlist is enabled. OBS says this option is enabled by default. See the OBS Media Sources guide.
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Check that every playlist item remains at its expected path and that any storage volume containing it is available after startup.
3. Make the computer launch OBS and start streaming
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Configure your operating system to launch OBS either at system startup or after a user logs in. These are different arrangements: a login-based launch cannot happen until the required account session exists, while unattended startup depends on the OS task, permissions, and graphics session being configured for that environment.
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Add OBS’s documented
--startstreaminglaunch parameter so OBS begins streaming when launched. The parameter starts the encoder; it does not create the operating-system task that launches OBS. Follow the OBS Launch Parameters guide for your platform. -
On Windows, if you use Task Scheduler or another automated launch, OBS’s guide says to set the task’s working directory to the folder containing
obs64.exe. This matters because a task may not inherit the same working directory as a normal desktop launch.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Confirm the task opens the intended OBS profile and scene, and that OBS has access to the media files, network, and required user session.
4. Test the entire reboot path
Do not rely on a successful manual start as proof that reboot recovery works. YouTube recommends testing the encoder ahead of time, checking the Live Control Room preview, and confirming the watch page can be reached. A complete reboot drill adds checks for the computer and startup task:
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Before restarting, confirm the correct scheduled event, stream destination, visibility, stream key, and auto-start preference.
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Reboot the computer under the conditions you expect in normal use. Verify it reaches the necessary startup or login state and launches OBS.
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Check that OBS opens the correct profile and scene, can read the video or playlist, and begins sending the feed.
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In Live Control Room, confirm the preview appears and that the event reaches the expected state. If auto-start is disabled, be ready to click Go live. Check the public watch page or the intended unlisted/private destination as appropriate.
The reboot drill is an operational check of the computer, OBS, media paths, and YouTube event together; it is not a separate YouTube setting. YouTube’s advance testing advice is in its live streaming tips.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Troubleshoot a loop that does not resume
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OBS does not open: Check that the OS startup task is enabled and runs in the intended user session. For Windows automated launches, verify the working directory points to the folder containing
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OBS opens but does not stream: Confirm the launch includes
--startstreaming, OBS has network access, and the server URL and stream key still match Live Control Room. If the key was reset, replace the old key in OBS. -
YouTube shows a preview but the event does not go live: Check whether auto-start is enabled for that stream. If it is not, YouTube’s scheduled-stream procedure requires you to click Go live after the preview appears.
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The stream connects but the video is blank or stops: Check the OBS scene and source, the Media Source file path, or the VLC playlist paths. Verify the storage drive is mounted and VLC is installed when using VLC Video.
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The connection fails: Check the encoder URL and key, network connectivity, and whether the configured endpoint is the RTMPS URL provided by Live Control Room if supported by your encoder. Use YouTube’s live stream troubleshooting guide for encoder-start problems.
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A brief network interruption is mistaken for reboot recovery: Automatic reconnect after a transient connection loss and launching OBS after a full computer reboot are different problems. A reconnect feature alone does not establish that OBS will restart after the computer restarts; test both situations separately.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you want the prerecorded loop to keep running without leaving a computer on at home, StreamNeo is a YouTube-only cloud service for uploaded videos and playlists. Upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; uploads stream as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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