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You can configure OBS to open when you sign in to Windows and begin streaming to YouTube by adding OBS’s --startstreaming launch parameter to a shortcut, then placing that shortcut in the Windows Startup folder. That handles only the launch and encoder-start steps: YouTube must be ready for live streaming, and OBS must capture a playlist that is playing and looping. Test the complete chain before relying on it unattended.
What this setup can—and cannot—automate
There are several separate links in the chain: Windows signs in and launches OBS; OBS starts sending its encoder output; YouTube receives that output for the intended broadcast; and the playlist video and audio reach OBS and continue playing. A successful OBS launch does not by itself guarantee that YouTube publishes the stream publicly, that the right broadcast is selected, or that the playlist is captured correctly.
The steps below use OBS Studio on Windows and YouTube as the destination. YouTube’s Studio controls and eligibility can vary by channel, so verify the actual account and broadcast rather than assuming every channel has identical options.
Set up OBS and connect it to YouTube
Choose initial stream settings
- Install and open OBS Studio. If you need help choosing starting settings, run OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard. OBS says the wizard considers available computer resources and network conditions; its result is a starting point, not a guarantee that an unknown PC or connection can sustain a particular resolution or bitrate. OBS launch parameters and documentation
- Set up the scene and sources you intend to stream. Confirm that OBS receives both the playlist image and audio. The exact capture and Windows audio-routing method depends on your setup; the sources here do not establish one universal configuration.
Connect the encoder
YouTube’s encoder workflow requires live-stream access on the channel and a connection from the encoder. Depending on what is available in your OBS version, choose YouTube as the service integration or enter the YouTube stream URL and stream key manually. Keep the stream key private. YouTube says enabling live streaming for the first time may take up to 24 hours. YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder
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Before automating startup, verify which YouTube broadcast OBS will target and whether your account requires a separate action in Studio to publish. An encoder sending data and a broadcast being public are not necessarily the same state. YouTube’s current account interface and settings are the authority for your channel.
Make OBS open and start streaming when you sign in
Add OBS’s launch parameter to a shortcut
- Create a shortcut to OBS Studio’s
obs64.exe(or edit an existing OBS shortcut). - Right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, and open the Shortcut tab.
- In Target, leave the executable path intact and add a space followed by
--startstreamingafter the closing quotation mark. For example:"C:Program Filesobs-studiobin64bitobs64.exe" --startstreaming. Your installation path may differ. - For a scheduled or otherwise automated launch, set Start in to the folder that contains
obs64.exe. OBS specifically calls out this working-directory setting for automated launches. OBS: Launch Parameters - Save the shortcut and test it by opening it manually. OBS documents
--startstreamingas the parameter to automatically start streaming.
Put the shortcut in Windows Startup
- Press
Win+R, entershell:startup, and press Enter to open the Startup folder for the signed-in Windows account. - Move or copy the tested OBS shortcut into that folder. Windows will launch it when that user signs in.
- Sign out and back in (or restart and sign in) to check that the shortcut runs under the account and conditions you will actually use.
This Startup-folder step is a standard Windows workflow; OBS’s documentation supports its launch parameter and working-directory requirement, not a built-in OBS Windows-startup toggle. A PC that is off, asleep, or waiting at a sign-in screen will not begin this sequence until Windows reaches the relevant signed-in desktop session.
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Play and loop the YouTube playlist
- Open the intended YouTube playlist in a desktop browser and start playback.
- Use the playlist box’s Loop control to repeat the playlist. YouTube documents looping through the playlist control box. YouTube Help: Loop videos or playlists on YouTube
- Confirm OBS captures the playing picture and its audio. Do not assume that opening a playlist automatically routes its sound into OBS or that a browser source, display capture, or audio device will behave identically on every Windows system.
YouTube documents playlist embedding and an autoplay parameter for website or app embeds, but that does not establish an embedded playlist as a robust or policy-approved unattended OBS workflow. Use a controlled test to validate the actual capture path.
Rehearse the full chain before leaving it unattended
- Confirm the channel is eligible for live streaming and that any first-time activation has completed.
- Start the intended playlist, verify its loop control, and check that OBS shows moving video and audible levels.
- Use a private or unlisted test, or another controlled broadcast setup available to your channel. Check YouTube Studio to confirm that the correct broadcast receives both picture and sound.
- Test a sign-out/sign-in or reboot, then verify OBS opens with the intended scene and profile, starts sending data, and targets the expected broadcast.
- Check Studio to see whether the broadcast is public, waiting for an action, or otherwise not yet published. Do not infer publication solely from OBS showing that it is streaming.
- Confirm you have the rights needed to rebroadcast every item in the playlist, including music and other third-party material.
YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. A match can interrupt or terminate a stream. Having a license does not necessarily prevent an interruption if the rights owner has not allowlisted the channel through Content ID; YouTube advises licensed creators to arrange that allowlisting with the rights owner. YouTube Help: Copyright issues with live streams
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Troubleshoot common failures
- OBS opens, but streaming does not start: Check that the shortcut’s Target contains
--startstreamingafter the executable path, and test the shortcut directly. Confirm OBS is connected to the intended YouTube service or has the correct stream URL and key. - The shortcut works manually but not from an automated launch: Set Start in to the directory containing
obs64.exe, as OBS requires for scheduled or other automated launches. Check that Windows is signing in to the same user account whose Startup folder contains the shortcut. - OBS sends data, but YouTube is not live to viewers: Check the selected broadcast and its state in YouTube Studio. Your channel may require a Studio action or may not yet have live access; first-time enablement can take up to 24 hours.
- The playlist appears but has no sound, or the picture is blank: Check OBS’s source and audio meters while playback is active, and confirm the correct window, display, or audio device is captured. The right source configuration depends on the system; test it rather than assuming a universal setup.
- The playlist stops at the end: Confirm the playlist itself is playing and its Loop control is enabled. Verify the behavior again after restarting the browser and signing in.
- The YouTube stream is interrupted or terminated: Check Studio notifications and copyright status. A third-party-content match may cause interruption; if the material is licensed, ask the rights owner whether the channel needs to be allowlisted through Content ID.
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