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If a YouTube playlist stops when your computer sleeps, prevent the computer from sleeping during playback. You can still let the screen turn off: screen-off and system sleep are separate settings. If you are broadcasting to YouTube from an encoder on that computer, keep the computer awake so the encoder can continue sending its feed. Also check YouTube’s separate Sleep Timer, which can pause playback even when the computer stays awake.
First, identify what stopped
“YouTube Live playlist stream” can mean watching a playlist in a browser or producing a live broadcast from software on your computer. The fixes differ:
- Watching: system sleep can suspend the computer, while YouTube’s Sleep Timer can pause the video independently.
- Broadcasting: if an encoder running on the computer is sending the stream, that host needs to stay awake and connected. YouTube documents encoder-based streaming and connecting an encoder with a stream URL and key; keeping the host awake is the practical implication of that workflow (YouTube live streaming tips; Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder).
Notice whether the interruption happens when the display goes dark or only after a set duration. A dark display alone does not mean the computer has gone to sleep.
Change Windows 11 sleep settings
- Open Start > Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts. Microsoft gives this path in its Windows 11 power settings guidance.
- Under the relevant power condition, change Make my device sleep after to a longer interval or Never for the duration of the session.
- Set Turn my screen off after separately. If you want a dark screen, keep a screen-off timeout while making sure the device sleep timeout will not interrupt playback or encoding.
- Check both On battery and Plugged in settings. Laptops can use different timers depending on their power source.
Available options can differ by hardware and device policy. On battery, Battery Saver and sleep-related network behavior may also affect background activity; changing a network option is not a substitute for preventing sleep when playback or an encoder must continue (Microsoft battery-saving tips).
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Change Mac sleep settings
- On a Mac laptop, open System Settings > Battery and inspect the controls for the power state you are using.
- When the Mac is connected to a power adapter, enable Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off if that option is available.
- On a desktop Mac, check the sleep and wake controls in Energy settings.
Apple notes that labels and available settings vary by Mac and macOS release. Preventing or delaying sleep can increase power consumption, so use it for the session and restore your usual behavior afterward if appropriate (Apple: Set sleep and wake settings for your Mac).
Check YouTube’s Sleep Timer
If the computer remains awake but playback pauses, check the player timer. On desktop, open the video, select Settings > Sleep Timer, then adjust or disable the timer. YouTube says this feature pauses the video after the selected duration; it is separate from the computer’s sleep controls and does not control a creator’s outgoing encoder feed (YouTube: Set a sleep timer).
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If you are sending a live broadcast
For a software encoder running on the computer that sleeps, keep that computer awake and its network connection active throughout the broadcast. Confirm that the encoder is still sending and monitor the stream in YouTube. YouTube recommends monitoring the stream; if viewers on different connections report the same issue, check the encoder and outbound connection as well (YouTube live streaming tips).
A standalone hardware encoder is a different production setup, not a fix for ordinary viewer-side playlist playback. The material cited here does not establish a universal sleep setting or encoder-specific sleep rule for every device.
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Troubleshoot in this order
- Separate screen-off from sleep. If the display goes black, check whether the computer itself is still awake before changing other settings.
- Check the active power profile. On a laptop, verify the timeout for the current state—battery or plugged in.
- Check the YouTube timer. A pause after a predictable interval can be caused by Sleep Timer even if the system is awake.
- For an encoder, check both ends. Confirm the local encoder is running and YouTube is receiving the stream; investigate the encoder and outbound connection if the issue affects viewers across different connections.
- If playback still stops while the computer is awake, investigate browser, network, or service-specific causes separately. The platform guidance linked above does not identify those causes.
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