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Use an OBS Profile for stream, video, and output settings; use a Scene Collection for the loop’s scenes, sources, and global audio sources. Portable mode is a separate Windows option that keeps OBS configuration beside the application—it does not replace either one, and it does not automatically carry linked media files.
Which OBS option should you use?
Choose based on what you need to change or keep isolated:
- Different streaming or output configuration: create or switch an OBS Profile.
- Different scenes, source arrangement, or audio sources: create or switch a Scene Collection.
- A separate OBS configuration stored with the application: use Portable Mode on Windows.
- Moving the loop to another computer: plan for the media files and verify their paths as well as moving the OBS configuration.
These roles follow the OBS Project’s feature descriptions; its documentation does not provide a loop-stream-specific preset or tested recipe.
What a Profile saves
An OBS Profile saves most OBS settings, primarily those related to outputs. The OBS Project lists Stream settings—including Connected Account—Video settings, including Base/Canvas Resolution, and all types of Output settings. Profiles do not store scenes. You can create, duplicate, rename, remove, and import or export Profiles as JSON. See the OBS Project’s Profiles guide (dated 2022-01-14).
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For a loop stream, use a Profile when the same scene setup needs different stream destinations or video and output configurations. Changing a Profile alone will not create or change the scenes that play the loop.
What a Scene Collection saves
A Scene Collection saves the scenes and sources added to that collection, along with Global Audio Sources configured under Settings → Audio. It does not save output settings; use a Profile for those. The OBS Project describes using separate collections for different streams or, for example, an overlays-free collection for recording. Collections can be imported, including collections from OBS Studio and migrations from OBS Classic, XSplit Broadcaster, or Streamlabs Desktop; OBS also says it adjusts collections created on another operating system. See the Scene Collections guide (dated 2022-01-14).
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For a loop stream, put the loop’s scene layout and its sources in the appropriate collection. If you change only output settings, a new collection is unnecessary.
What Portable Mode changes—and what it does not
Portable Mode makes OBS load its configuration directory from the same path as the application. The OBS Project presents it as a way to relocate an OBS setup or run multiple instances without their Profiles and Scene Collections crossing over. It is not another type of Profile or Scene Collection: it changes where OBS keeps its configuration.
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According to the OBS Project’s Running in Portable Mode guide (dated 2024-07-23), Portable Mode is supported on Windows and not supported on macOS or Linux. On Windows, use the ZIP build and either place an empty portable_mode or portable_mode.txt file in the root directory, or launch bin/64bit/obs64.exe with --portable.
Portable configuration does not make media portable
OBS warns: “At this time, files used within the scene collection (images, media) are not portable, even when in portable mode.” A collection may still point to a loop video or image at a path that does not exist on the destination computer. When relocating the setup, OBS says to modify the Scene Collection JSON file manually or use a generic path common on all devices. In either case, check that the media itself is available at the referenced location on the destination machine.
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A practical setup and relocation workflow
- Build the loop’s scenes and sources. Put the loop layout and its sources in a Scene Collection. Configure any Global Audio Sources under Settings → Audio.
- Set the streaming configuration. Put the stream, video, and output settings in a Profile. Keep in mind that the Profile does not include the scenes.
- Choose whether you need Portable Mode. On Windows, use the ZIP build and add an empty
portable_modeorportable_mode.txtfile in the application folder, or launchbin/64bit/obs64.exe --portable. Use it when you want the configuration stored beside the app or isolated from another OBS instance. - Move and verify media separately. Copy the loop assets to a location available on the destination machine, then check the Scene Collection’s source paths. Portable Mode alone does not update or package those files.
- Test the intended startup configuration. OBS documents launch parameters for choosing a Profile, Scene Collection, or scene. Confirm the chosen configuration and sources before relying on a loop stream.
Starting OBS with a particular configuration
The OBS Project’s Launch Parameters page (dated 2021-05-30) documents these options:
--collection "name"selects a Scene Collection.--profile "name"selects a Profile.--scene "name"selects a scene.--portableor-puses Portable Mode.--startstreamingstarts streaming automatically.
The page documents the parameters, but their behavior with a particular loop, account-login persistence, or recovery after a stream interruption is not established by that documentation. Treat automatic stream start as a setting to verify in your own setup rather than assuming that a launch command guarantees a reliable loop.
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