The Tool Desk
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What locking your PC does—and does not—mean
A lock screen hides access to your Windows session; it does not, by itself, mean you have signed out. Sleep or hibernation suspends the computer, while switching to another Windows user changes the active session. These states can affect OBS differently.
The OBS Project’s official documentation explains how to add local media to a scene, but does not promise that OBS will render correctly under every Windows lock, graphics-driver, or power configuration. Community reports include freezing after switching users and discussions of screen sleep; they are useful warnings, not proof that every same-session lock will stop a stream. OBS Media Sources · OBS forum: switching Windows users · OBS forum: screen sleep
The practical answer
- A same-session lock may leave the stream running, but test your own system rather than assuming it will.
- If the PC sleeps or hibernates, OBS may stop producing the stream because the computer is no longer actively encoding.
- Signing out or switching users is a separate risk: a community report describes a stream freezing after switching away from the Windows user running OBS.
YouTube’s encoder guide covers setting up an encoder stream, but it does not certify behavior on a locked Windows workstation. YouTube: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder
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Set up a prerecorded video in OBS
Use a Media Source for a video file stored on the computer. OBS’s documentation lists common formats including MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and WebM, and describes a Loop option. Exact controls can vary with OBS version and source configuration; consult the current Media Source properties in your installation. OBS Media Sources
- Add the source: In the OBS scene where the video should appear, select Sources → + → Media Source. Give it a name and choose OK.
- Select the file: In the Media Source properties, enable Local File if needed and browse to the video. Keep the file at that path for the whole stream; moving or renaming it can break playback.
- Choose playback behavior: Enable Loop to repeat the file when it finishes. Check options such as restarting playback when the source becomes active and what to show when playback ends, so they match your intended stream.
- Check the scene and sound: Confirm the video fits the canvas, plays, and produces the expected audio in OBS before you start the broadcast.
- Connect OBS to YouTube: Follow YouTube’s current encoder setup flow in YouTube Studio to create or select the live stream and connect OBS using the stream key. Treat the key like a password: do not show it on screen or share it.
- Confirm the live feed: Start streaming from OBS and check YouTube Studio for an incoming, moving feed and the expected audio before locking the PC.
For OBS scene and source concepts, see the OBS Sources Guide.
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Test whether your locked-PC setup works
- Start OBS in the Windows session that owns the scene and stream configuration. Verify in YouTube Studio that the video is moving and audio is present.
- From that same session, lock the workstation without signing out or switching users.
- Use another device to check the YouTube Studio preview or the stream itself. Look for continuing motion and audio, not merely an indication that the connection remains open.
- If playback freezes, unlock the PC and determine whether the cause was sleep, hibernation, a session change, a graphics or driver issue, or the media source itself. Change one condition at a time and retest.
Keep the computer connected to power and the network, and prevent sleep and hibernation for the planned stream duration. These safeguards reduce obvious interruptions but cannot turn the lock-screen behavior into a universal guarantee.
Why an OBS stream can fail after you leave
- The PC slept or hibernated: Check Windows power settings and ensure sleep and hibernation will not activate during the broadcast.
- You switched users or signed out: Keep OBS in the same Windows session. A forum report describes freezing after switching users; it does not establish that every lock causes the same failure. Read the community thread.
- The source stopped or lost its file: Reopen Media Source properties, verify the local file path, and test playback and Loop before going live.
- YouTube no longer receives a moving feed: Check OBS’s streaming status and YouTube Studio’s incoming feed. A connected session alone does not prove the video is still being rendered.
- Power or network was interrupted: Check that the PC remained powered and online. A lock screen does not protect against a disconnected network or power loss.
If the stream must run without an interactive PC session
YouTube’s encoder guide names standalone encoder hardware, including the AJA HELO Plus and PlayToStream, as options for scheduling prerecorded media without a computer. This avoids depending on an OBS session on your PC, but requires a separate device and its own setup. Check current availability, pricing, and workflow requirements with the manufacturer or seller; the YouTube guide does not establish current prices. YouTube encoder guide
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a prerecorded YouTube stream to continue without leaving your home PC on, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos and playlists. Upload a recording, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It runs from the cloud, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and streams the uploaded file as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot. The first day is free with no card; the monthly option is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
Quick Recap
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