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On Windows, add OBS Studio’s --startstreaming launch parameter to a shortcut, then place that shortcut in the Windows Startup folder. This makes OBS launch and start sending stream data when the Windows user signs in. It does not by itself select the correct YouTube broadcast or guarantee that the broadcast goes live; configure and test those separately.
“Kids’ stream” can mean a stream intended for children or one featuring a child on camera. YouTube’s age rules matter if a child participates on camera, but the phrase alone does not establish that anyone under 16 will appear.
What automatic restart does—and does not—do
There are three separate events: Windows launches OBS, OBS begins sending data, and YouTube makes the intended broadcast live for viewers. The --startstreaming argument addresses the first two when OBS launches; it does not establish that the correct YouTube broadcast is selected or that YouTube has made it live. OBS documents the launch parameter in its Launch Parameters reference.
For an existing scheduled broadcast, OBS’s community guide describes linking the broadcast to OBS’s Start Streaming action. It also describes a YouTube Auto-start option that makes the broadcast go live when stream data arrives, and Auto-stop behavior that ends the broadcast when streaming stops. That guide was last updated October 8, 2021, so treat these details as version-sensitive and check the current controls in YouTube Studio rather than relying on exact older interface instructions. See the OBS community guide.
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Set up and test the stream before automating it
- Configure OBS and your YouTube destination. In OBS, set up the intended scene, audio sources, and streaming destination. Check that the correct YouTube account and broadcast are selected or otherwise configured in your current workflow.
- Choose how the broadcast should go live. If you use a scheduled event, check its current YouTube Studio settings. Automatic go-live when OBS starts sending data is suited to unattended operation; requiring a separate Go Live action leaves an opportunity to inspect the incoming stream first. If reconnecting to the same event matters, check whether Auto-stop would end the broadcast when OBS stops. These controls may change, and the detailed description available in the OBS guide is from 2021.
- Test manually first. Start the stream yourself and check the picture, audio, network connection, and destination broadcast. OBS recommends testing your settings and stream before relying on them; see its Quick Start Guide and Overview Guide.
Make OBS start streaming when Windows starts
Use the Startup folder
- Find
obs64.exe, normally in the OBS Studio installation folder. Create or copy a shortcut to it. - Right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, and open the Shortcut tab.
- In Target, leave the executable path in quotes and add a space followed by
--startstreamingafter the closing quote. For example:"C:Program Filesobs-studiobin64bitobs64.exe" --startstreaming. Your installation path may differ. - Press Win+R, enter
shell:startup, and press Enter. Copy the configured shortcut into the Startup folder for the Windows user who should run the stream. - Sign in to that Windows account and verify that OBS opens and begins streaming to the intended destination.
OBS’s official launch-parameter documentation describes --startstreaming as a way to start streaming when OBS launches. The shortcut and Windows Startup-folder setup combine that OBS option with Windows’ sign-in startup mechanism; they do not make the stream independent of the computer.
Use a scheduled or automated launch instead
If you use a scheduled task or another automation method rather than the Startup folder, configure its working directory—often labeled Start in—as the folder containing obs64.exe. OBS calls out this working-directory requirement for automated launches in its launch-parameter guidance. The Startup-folder shortcut is simpler to set up; a scheduled task gives you a different way to control launch conditions. The available OBS documentation does not establish that either approach is universally more reliable.
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Verify recovery with a supervised reboot test
- Save the OBS scene and settings, then reboot the computer when someone can supervise the test.
- After the Windows user signs in, confirm that OBS launches with the intended scene and begins sending data.
- Separately check YouTube Studio or the viewer-facing page to confirm that the intended broadcast—not a different event—has received the stream and is live if that is the chosen workflow.
- Check video, audio, and chat as appropriate. If the broadcast does not go live automatically, use the current YouTube controls to complete the Go Live step or correct the event selection.
A delayed network connection, YouTube service issue, ended broadcast, or wrong destination can still prevent the intended result. This follows from the difference between OBS sending data and YouTube’s broadcast state: the startup argument is not a guarantee of successful recovery. If OBS launches before the connection or broadcast is ready, manual recovery may be necessary.
Account and child-safety rules to check
YouTube Help says a channel must be verified and must have had no live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days to live stream. It also says streamers must be at least 16 years old. For streams featuring 13–15-year-olds who are not visibly accompanied by an adult, YouTube says live chat may be disabled and the account may temporarily lose access to chat or other features. Check YouTube’s current live-streaming eligibility and guidance before setting up the broadcast.
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An automated launch is not a substitute for adult supervision if a child appears on camera. Conversely, a stream intended for children does not necessarily feature a child. Set up the stream in line with the applicable YouTube rules for its content and participants; do not assume that a reboot-and-restart workflow satisfies supervision requirements.
Troubleshoot common restart failures
- OBS does not open after sign-in: confirm that the shortcut is in the Startup folder for the Windows account that signs in, and that its target points to the installed
obs64.exe. - OBS opens but does not start streaming: confirm that
--startstreamingappears after the closing quote in the shortcut’s Target field, with a space before it. Test the shortcut directly before relying on a reboot. - OBS sends data to the wrong event or destination: review the selected YouTube account, stream destination, and broadcast configuration. The launch argument does not select a broadcast for you.
- OBS sends data, but viewers do not see a live broadcast: check the current YouTube Studio controls and whether the workflow requires a separate Go Live action. Older community guidance describes Auto-start as controlling this behavior, but confirm the current setting.
- The same scheduled event cannot be used after a stop: review whether Auto-stop ended the broadcast. The 2021 OBS community guide says that ending a broadcast this way can prevent reconnecting to it; check the current YouTube event state and controls.
- The stream fails intermittently after reboot: test the connection and destination again, and confirm that the selected broadcast remains available. Automatic startup cannot ensure that Windows, the network, and YouTube are all ready at the same moment.
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