Before updating OBS or Windows on a PC that runs a 24/7 YouTube stream, export the active Profile and Scene Collection separately. Then preserve the media, graphics, scripts and plugin-specific data those exports may refer to, and verify the copies before maintenance begins.
The Profile export covers stream, video and output settings; the Scene Collection export covers scenes and sources. Neither export alone is a complete copy of a working setup, so treat them as two parts of a backup rather than a single restore file.
What to back up before updating
Start by recording which Profile and Scene Collection are currently active. In OBS, check the Profile menu and the Scene Collection menu rather than assuming the names match or that the one you last edited is the one currently in use. Write both names down with the date and the purpose of the setup, such as “main devotional stream” or “test layout”. This small note helps you recognise the right files if you need to restore them later.
The distinction matters because OBS stores different kinds of configuration in these two exports. The Profile includes stream, video and output settings. Depending on your setup, those may include the stream destination or connected account, canvas dimensions, and output configuration. The Scene Collection records scenes and sources, including global audio sources. It does not hold the Profile’s output settings. OBS describes each separately in its Profile documentation and Scene Collection documentation.
| Backup item | What it is for | What to check separately |
|---|---|---|
| Profile export | Stream, video and output settings | Scene layout, referenced files and plugin-specific data |
| Scene Collection export | Scenes and sources, including global audio sources | Output settings, referenced files and plugin-specific data |
| Referenced assets | Media or graphics used by sources | Copy the actual files and confirm their paths |
| Supporting notes | Names, purpose and restore context | Record anything that would be difficult to infer later |
If you use more than one Profile or collection, export each one needed for the channel, not only whichever happens to be active. For example, a channel may have a main collection and a simpler test collection, while a separate Profile is used for a different output mode. Give each export an unmistakable name so you do not later import the test configuration by mistake.
Also decide what “ready to update” means for your operation. A channel carrying bhajans, a study loop or local information may be serving viewers overnight, so maintenance requires a deliberate stop rather than an assumption that OBS can keep broadcasting through an update. Arrange a window, tell anyone else who operates the channel, and leave enough time to reopen the software and check the configuration before restarting.
Export the active Profile
In OBS, open the Profile menu and choose Import/Export, then export the Profile settings to a JSON file. Use a location you can find later, and include the Profile name in the filename, for example Main-Devotional-Profile-before-update.json. OBS explicitly presents Profile export as a way to back up settings or use them in another OBS installation; it is preferable to relying only on a hand-copied configuration folder.
A Profile is the place to preserve the settings that govern how OBS sends and encodes the broadcast. It is separate from the visual arrangement of scenes. The export should therefore be understood as a settings record, not a package containing every asset the broadcast displays or every plugin’s private data. The OBS Profiles guide explains the categories involved, including stream, video and output settings.
Take care with account and stream details. If OBS is connected to a YouTube account, the Profile description includes stream settings, but do not assume that every credential or sign-in state will behave identically after an operating system update or on another machine. Keep account recovery details and any required access information in the appropriate secure place; do not put passwords or stream keys into filenames or an unsecured note alongside the exports.
If you have separate Profiles for a normal broadcast and a test configuration, export both if both are needed. Name the files so the distinction is visible without opening them. A useful naming pattern includes the channel or machine, Profile name, and the fact that the copy was made before maintenance. Keep names simple and avoid overwriting a prior known-good export until the new copy has been checked.
Export the active Scene Collection
Open the Scene Collection menu and export the active collection separately. Name this file with the collection’s title, such as Main-Devotional-Scenes-before-update, and put it next to the Profile export. If OBS offers a format or destination choice, use the export option provided in that menu and keep the resulting file intact rather than editing it.
A Scene Collection represents the scenes and sources that make up the broadcast: for example, a “starting soon” scene, a devotional image with audio, a scripture-reading layout, or a transition between programme blocks. It also includes Global Audio Sources from Settings → Audio. That is useful, but it does not make the collection a self-contained archive of every image, video or audio file that a source points to. The official Scene Collections guide makes the boundary clear: output settings are not part of the collection.
This is why exporting only scenes can leave you without the output configuration you need, while exporting only a Profile leaves you without the scene layout. Neither one substitutes for the other. For a multi-channel or multi-format operator, repeat the export for every relevant collection and label each one in a way that connects it to the intended Profile.
If a collection contains scenes that are no longer used, you do not need to clean it up as part of the backup step. An update window is a poor time to combine maintenance with redesign: first preserve what is known to work. You can remove unused sources or reorganise the layout later, after a verified backup and a separate test.
Preserve media, graphics and other dependencies
An exported scene description can point to files without carrying the files themselves. Check every source that relies on a local image, video, audio clip, browser-source asset, logo or lower-third graphic. Copy those assets into a clearly named folder and make sure the copy is included in the backup destination. For a church stream, that may include a logo PNG and a local background image; for a lofi station, it may include a loop video and cover art.
Pay attention to file paths. If a source refers to a file on the desktop, a downloads folder or a removable drive, the same path may not exist after an update, move or restore. A copied scene file does not automatically fix a source whose media is missing or whose path has changed. Keep an inventory of important sources and the paths they expect, then check the files are present where you intend to keep them.
Scripts and plugins need their own thought. A collection may contain a source created by a plugin, while the plugin itself, its scripts or its custom settings may be stored separately. The official OBS export descriptions do not promise to include every plugin’s private configuration. Record which non-standard components are essential and preserve their configuration or installer information using the vendor’s own documentation where needed. Do not assume an exported Profile or collection will recreate them.
Portable Mode is not a shortcut around this check. OBS says its Windows Portable Mode keeps configuration in the application directory, but linked scene media is not automatically made portable; paths may need adjustment. See the OBS Portable Mode guidance if you deliberately use that arrangement. A normal installation should be backed up according to what it actually references, not on the assumption that configuration exports bundle all dependencies.
Some sources use online pages or remote assets rather than local files. Note the URL or account dependency and consider whether access will still be available after the update. This is not a reason to copy material you do not have rights to use; it is a reminder that a configuration can depend on something outside the export and outside the PC.
Keep exports together and off the PC
Create one dated backup folder with a plain name, such as OBS-before-update-2026-10-04. Put the Profile JSON, Scene Collection export, referenced asset folder, and a short text note in it. The note can list the active names, the PC, the OBS version if known, and any unusual dependencies. Keep credentials out of the note. The purpose is to make the restore set understandable to you or another operator, not to duplicate sensitive account information.
Copy that folder to a destination separate from the PC being updated. A USB flash drive or external SSD is a practical option, but it is only useful for the files you actually copy onto it. A second copy elsewhere can be sensible if the stream is important to a business or organisation. The point is separation: if the update goes wrong or the machine becomes inaccessible, a backup stored only on that same machine may not help.
| Destination | Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Same PC, separate folder | Quick to create and use | It remains exposed to problems affecting that PC |
| Removable drive | Can be kept disconnected and moved | It only contains the assets explicitly copied to it |
| Separate backup location | Offers another copy away from the machine | Requires you to confirm the copy completed and is accessible |
Do not interpret this as a requirement to buy particular storage hardware. Use a destination you can identify, access, and keep separate from the maintenance target. If the backup contains sensitive material, consider who can access the removable or remote copy and follow your organisation’s handling practices.
An always-on stream needs a little more planning than a desktop app update. Pick a maintenance window, stop the broadcast cleanly, and avoid leaving viewers with a silent or frozen scene while the PC restarts. If the work is part of a wider channel workflow, the guide to how 24/7 lofi radio channels work provides context for planning a continuous programme, while the OBS setup guide for a church sermon stream covers the sort of source and output choices that may be part of the setup you are preserving.
Verify the backup before maintenance
Before starting the update, confirm that both exports exist and are in the folder you intended. Check the filenames against the Profile and Scene Collection names you wrote down. If your file manager shows a zero-byte or obviously incomplete file, do not treat it as a backup. Avoid changing an export’s contents; the verification task is to confirm that the files were created and copied, not to edit them.
Then inspect the asset folder against your source inventory. Look for the local logo, background, video and audio files that the stream depends on. Where practical, open representative files to confirm they are readable. Check that any script or plugin configuration you identified has been preserved separately. No single glance at the JSON or collection export proves that every external dependency is present.
A more complete check is to import the exports into a separate OBS test setup or another suitable installation, if one is available and doing so will not disturb the live configuration. Confirm that the intended Profile and Scene Collection appear, then inspect critical scenes and sources. This is a practical verification step, not a promise that every plugin or media path will work on the updated PC. A test import can expose an omitted file or a collection/Profile mismatch before the maintenance window.
After the update, open OBS and confirm the intended Profile and Scene Collection are loaded. Check the stream destination or connected account, output settings, video dimensions, audio meters, and the critical sources used in the current programme. If available, perform a private or unlisted test or another safe preflight before resuming publicly. Confirm the expected picture and sound, then watch the stream long enough to identify obvious playback or audio problems. Keep the exports until the updated configuration has been checked during a normal stream cycle.
For 24/7 operation, do not plan around a guarantee of zero interruption. OBS’s backup documentation explains what its exports contain; it does not promise that a Windows or OBS update can happen without downtime. If you are considering moving continuous playback away from a PC that must be switched off for maintenance, the overview of keeping a YouTube stream live without leaving your PC on explains that operational choice. StreamNeo can remove the need to leave this particular PC running for the broadcast by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube live stream, but it does not preserve or restore your local OBS setup.
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FAQ
Does a Profile export back up my scenes?
No. A Profile covers stream, video and output settings, while scenes and sources are in a Scene Collection. Export both if you need to preserve the working OBS configuration, then separately preserve files and plugin data the setup relies on.
Does a Scene Collection include my images, videos and audio?
It records scenes and sources, but you should not assume it packages every local file those sources reference. Copy the underlying media and graphics separately, and check paths so the sources can find them after maintenance or a move.
Should I copy the whole OBS folder instead?
Use the in-app Profile and Scene Collection exports as the core documented backup for those configuration types. A manual copy may be a secondary fallback, but it does not remove the need to preserve linked assets or verify that the copied configuration is usable.
Can I update the PC while the channel stays live?
Do not assume an update will preserve an active broadcast without interruption. Plan a maintenance window, stop cleanly, then check the Profile, collection, sources, audio and output before restarting. OBS’s export guidance is about backup scope, not a guarantee of uninterrupted updating.