You can run a lofi radio stream from OBS on Windows 11 by preparing an eligible YouTube channel, building an OBS scene with a rights-cleared visual and music source, connecting YouTube Live, and testing the encoder before going live. But OBS on a home PC is not guaranteed to stay online unattended, and YouTube warns that a stream longer than 12 hours may not be archived at all. If you need the channel to keep playing while your PC is off, use a cloud service such as StreamNeo instead.
Before you set up the stream
Gather the pieces that determine whether the broadcast can start and continue:
- A YouTube channel eligible for live streaming. YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days, and the creator must be at least 16. Check readiness in YouTube Studio; if live streaming is not enabled, follow the status shown there rather than assuming a fixed activation time.
- OBS Studio, downloaded from the official OBS Project site, and its Quick Start Guide.
- A visual source, such as a still image or subtle animation, and music you have permission to use in a live broadcast and its replay.
- A stable internet connection with upload capacity comfortably above the chosen video bitrate.
OBS provides the scene and encodes it; YouTube receives the live signal. Every link in that chain—including the Windows PC, power, internet, audio source, and OBS—must remain available for a desktop stream to continue.
Prepare YouTube Live and protect your stream key
- Open YouTube Studio and check the channel’s live-stream eligibility and any restrictions.
- In YouTube Studio, create or open the live stream setup and select the current streaming workflow. Interface labels can change, so follow the options displayed in your account.
- Choose the YouTube integration in OBS, or use the stream-key connection method offered by the current YouTube and OBS setup. Keep the stream key private: anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your channel.
- Do not start the public broadcast yet. First configure the scene and output, then send a test signal and verify it in YouTube Studio.
Build an OBS scene for lofi radio
Add the visual
Create a scene for the radio stream and add your chosen visual source. A static illustration or low-motion animation is usually enough for a lofi format; choose a canvas size that matches the output resolution you intend to stream. Keep important visual elements within the frame and check how the scene looks in OBS preview.
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Add music and check the audio path
Add the music source you are authorized to broadcast. Play it and watch OBS’s audio mixer to confirm that the source registers and that levels do not peak or distort. Listen to the audio in the preview, too. A moving audio meter alone does not prove that viewers can hear a clean signal.
Before relying on a long broadcast, test the complete scene—including the music, visual, and transitions you plan to use. The available guidance does not establish a particular Windows media-loop method or plugin as the right choice for every setup, so verify your chosen source behaves as intended in your OBS version.
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Choose YouTube-compatible OBS output settings
YouTube’s published ingest guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 video, up to 60 fps, CBR, AAC or MP3 audio, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds). YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted ingestion. For stereo audio, its listed settings are 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps.
For a mostly static lofi scene, 720p30 can be a reasonable starting point if you want to conserve bandwidth; choose 1080p30 if you want more image detail and your PC and connection can sustain it. These are starting points, not guarantees for a specific computer or internet plan.
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| H.264 format | YouTube minimum bitrate | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
These figures are YouTube’s published H.264 ingest minimums and recommendations, not measurements of your connection. Select CBR and a two-second keyframe interval in OBS, then set the resolution and bitrate to match both encoder capacity and stable upload speed. Run an upload-speed test and leave headroom rather than using all available upload bandwidth for the stream.
Test the stream before going live
- Start OBS preview and check the image framing, audio levels, and whether the music is audible and clean.
- Send a private or otherwise non-public test using content with similar audio and movement to the planned broadcast.
- Check YouTube Studio’s stream health and messages. Resolve warnings or a weak signal before beginning the intended live session.
- Watch the test long enough to see whether the PC, OBS, network, and audio source remain stable. A speed test by itself does not establish uninterrupted performance.
YouTube specifically advises creators to test before a live stream and monitor stream health during the event. A successful short test is useful, but it does not guarantee a Windows desktop will run unattended for 24 hours.
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What a 24/7 OBS stream requires in practice
For a desktop broadcast, OBS and the scene must keep running on the Windows PC. Power loss, a network outage, an OS restart or sleep state, an OBS error, or a source stopping can interrupt the broadcast. Plan to monitor the machine and the YouTube stream, and decide how you will respond if either drops. The available guidance does not establish a tested Windows 11 power configuration, restart recipe, or recovery plugin that guarantees continuous operation.
If you prefer a hosted or VPS setup, treat it as a different operating arrangement—not automatic reliability. A remote machine still needs its own configuration, monitoring, and recovery plan. Compare that operational work with keeping a local PC available before choosing.
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Plan for YouTube replays separately
A 24-hour live broadcast is not the same thing as a 24-hour replay. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived; if a stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all. If replay availability matters, arrange a local recording with enough storage or use shorter sessions. Neither approach guarantees that YouTube will retain a replay, and a local recording requires its own storage and checks.
Check music rights before broadcasting
Use music whose permission covers the uses you intend: a live YouTube broadcast, an archived replay, the relevant territories, and monetization if applicable. YouTube’s terms place responsibility for necessary rights on the content provider. YouTube also scans live streams for third-party content; a detected match can lead to a warning, interruption, or termination. A license does not always prevent a live interruption: the rightsholder may need to allowlist your channel.
YouTube’s Audio Library is an official place to look for music, but check each track’s terms for your intended use. Creator Music availability and terms can depend on region, so confirm what is offered in your account. Do not assume that music being available to stream or download elsewhere means it is cleared for a continuous live broadcast and replay.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or make a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. The cloud loops the video, so your computer and home internet do not have to stay on. It supports the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card.
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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. Every slot includes 10 GB of storage, pooled across active slots, and support from the StreamNeo team. StreamNeo streams to YouTube and plays uploaded videos; it is not a camera-based live broadcast service.
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