To make OBS launch and begin streaming after a Windows reboot, add OBS’s documented --startstreaming parameter to a shortcut, then arrange for Windows to launch that shortcut when you sign in. That can automate the launch and the attempt to send stream data; it does not prove that the intended YouTube broadcast will go live or recover without intervention.
The reliable way to approach this is to separate Windows starting OBS, OBS sending video, and YouTube making the broadcast live. Set up each part, then verify all three in a supervised test. The word “kids” may describe the audience rather than a child appearing on camera; those situations have different considerations.
A reboot is not the same as a live broadcast
A computer restart interrupts OBS and the stream it was sending. After Windows comes back, a recovery attempt depends on more than one setting: the right Windows user must sign in, OBS must launch with the intended profile and scene, a network connection must be available, and the YouTube destination must still be usable. The --startstreaming argument addresses only the instruction to OBS to start streaming when it opens.
Think of recovery as three separate checkpoints:
| Checkpoint | What must happen | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Windows session | The computer finishes restarting and the relevant user signs in | Is the machine at the expected desktop or session, and is the correct user active? |
| OBS output | OBS opens with the intended configuration and begins sending | Does OBS show the expected scene and indicate that it is streaming? |
| YouTube broadcast | YouTube receives the feed and makes the right broadcast live | Is the correct event receiving data, and is it live to viewers? |
Passing one checkpoint does not establish that the next one passed. For example, OBS may open successfully while a saved destination points to an old event, or YouTube may receive an incoming feed without the broadcast being live to viewers. This distinction is especially important if nobody is present to notice a stalled step.
If the computer is dedicated to streaming, sign-in behaviour also matters. A Startup-folder shortcut runs when that Windows account starts a session; it is not the same as starting OBS at the moment power returns. If the machine stops at a sign-in screen, automatic launch may wait for someone to log in. Do not assume that a Windows startup entry bypasses account sign-in or every prompt that follows a reboot.
OBS on a local PC suits you when you want to control scenes and sources directly and can accept that recovery depends on that PC and its session. If the machine itself being off or unattended is the recurring difficulty, compare the operational trade-offs in this guide to cloud options for a 24/7 YouTube stream in India. That is a separate approach, not a property of the OBS launch argument.
Add --startstreaming to an OBS shortcut
OBS documents the --startstreaming launch parameter. On Windows, create or use a shortcut to OBS Studio, open its Properties, and edit the Target field. Keep the quoted path to the executable intact and append a space followed by the parameter outside the closing quote. The result should follow this pattern:
"C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe" --startstreaming
Your installation may be in a different folder, so preserve the path used by your own shortcut rather than copying the example blindly. The important details are the executable path, the closing quotation mark, a space, and then --startstreaming. OBS’s launch parameters documentation is the primary reference for the parameter; consult it if the documented options change.
Apply the change and test the shortcut by opening it while you can watch OBS. Check that the expected profile, scene, audio sources, and output settings load, and that OBS starts streaming only when you intended. If OBS shows an error or does not start the stream, remove the parameter temporarily and troubleshoot the ordinary manual setup first. The argument cannot fix a broken scene, an expired or incorrect destination, or an account issue.
There is an important limit to what this shortcut proves. It asks OBS to start streaming; it does not create a YouTube scheduled event, choose the correct event on your behalf, or demonstrate that YouTube has made a broadcast live. Before automating the action, configure and test the YouTube destination using your normal workflow. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends testing stream settings before relying on a broadcast.
A user who deliberately streams a playlist or a rotation of pre-recorded files may need to configure the media workflow separately from launch behaviour. The startup parameter does not tell OBS which content to play next or confirm that a file loop is working. For that different part of the setup, see how to stream a folder of videos to YouTube Live, then return to the startup test with the final scene and media arrangement in place.
Put the shortcut in the Startup folder
For the straightforward Windows approach, copy the configured OBS shortcut into the Startup folder for the Windows account that will run the stream. Open the Windows Run dialog, enter shell:startup, and press Enter. Place a copy of the shortcut in the folder that opens. At the next sign-in for that user, Windows should try to launch it; because the shortcut includes --startstreaming, OBS should also try to begin streaming.
The phrase “at the next sign-in” is deliberate. If a machine reboots overnight and remains at the Windows sign-in screen, a per-user Startup-folder entry has not yet had an opportunity to run. Test the actual sign-in arrangement you intend to use rather than inferring unattended recovery from a normal desktop launch. Windows may also show a prompt or behave differently under a locked-down account, so observe the startup sequence directly.
Use the Startup folder when you want a simple, visible setting tied to one user session. It is easy to inspect and remove, but offers little control over conditions such as delayed launch or whether a particular session is ready. A scheduled or automated launch can give you more control over timing and conditions, but requires careful configuration and testing. Neither method is universally more reliable; the right choice depends on how the computer is administered and when the user session becomes available.
Keep a way to recover manually. If you use this PC for other tasks, an automatic start can be surprising, and repeated sign-ins may trigger another attempt. Know where the Startup shortcut is, how to disable it, and how to open OBS without starting the stream when troubleshooting. Do not leave a test broadcast running simply because the startup entry worked once.
Set “Start in” for scheduled launches
If you launch OBS through Task Scheduler or another automated mechanism rather than a normal shortcut in the Startup folder, set its working directory. In Task Scheduler, the corresponding field is typically named Start in (optional) in the action settings. Set it to the folder containing obs64.exe, not to the executable filename itself. OBS’s launch-parameter guidance calls out the executable directory as the working directory for automated launches.
This is a separate setting from the program path and its arguments. The program field identifies what Windows should run; the arguments field carries --startstreaming; and Start in sets the working directory. Copy the actual OBS installation folder from your shortcut or installation rather than assuming the example path above applies. If you change or reinstall OBS later, recheck that the scheduled action points to the current location.
A scheduled task may let you choose how and when a task runs, but its behaviour depends on the task’s triggers, account permissions, and session conditions. Do not assume a task configured for one sign-in scenario will also work before sign-in or after every kind of restart. Keep its configuration narrow and comprehensible, and test under the same account and restart conditions you expect to use. If a prompt asks for credentials or a different run mode, understand what it means before relying on it for an unattended stream.
OBS is a local application, so a task does not remove the dependencies on the computer, network, account, or YouTube broadcast. A scheduled launch is useful only if it starts the right OBS configuration at a point when that configuration can reach its destination. If you want to understand the distinction between keeping OBS on a PC and using a remote always-on workflow, this comparison of cloud GPU setups explains a different operating model; it is not required for the documented Windows method.
Test whether OBS and YouTube recover
Before enabling startup automation, make one complete manual test. OBS advises testing your settings and stream before relying on them. Confirm the scene, media, microphone or other audio, and output quality. Check that the selected YouTube channel and destination are the intended ones, and that you understand whether the broadcast will go live automatically or wait for a separate action.
Then test startup in stages:
- Close OBS normally, reopen it with the modified shortcut, and verify the scene and sources.
- Confirm that OBS begins sending to the intended YouTube destination. Watch both OBS’s status and YouTube Studio rather than treating one as proof of the other.
- Check whether the broadcast is actually live to viewers. If it is a scheduled event, verify the current controls and state in YouTube Studio before depending on unattended operation.
- Put the shortcut in Startup or configure the scheduled task, then conduct a supervised reboot test under the account and sign-in conditions you expect to use.
- Record what happened at each checkpoint and correct one issue at a time. Disable the automation after testing if you do not want it to run during ordinary computer use.
OBS’s community guide describes a distinction between a scheduled broadcast configured for Auto-start, where incoming OBS data can trigger the broadcast to go live, and a workflow requiring a separate Go Live action. It also describes Auto-stop as affecting whether the broadcast ends when OBS stops and whether a later reconnect can use that event. This is community guidance last reported updated in 2021, not a current guarantee about YouTube’s controls. Verify the current behaviour in your own YouTube Studio and OBS versions rather than relying on an old menu name or assuming an event can be reused.
The trade-off is worth making explicit. A workflow that goes live when stream data arrives is more suited to unattended operation, but offers less opportunity for a person to preview the incoming stream before viewers see it. A separate Go Live step leaves room for a human check, but that step cannot happen automatically unless the current workflow and controls support it. Choose based on the content and the risk of an incorrect scene going live, then test the selected path.
Even a successful reboot test is evidence about that test, not a promise about the next one. A future reboot may coincide with a delayed network connection, a YouTube service issue, a changed account session, or a broadcast that has ended. In those cases OBS may open and attempt to send data while the broadcast still needs attention. For connection symptoms, this guide to OBS dropped frames during a 24/7 stream can help separate output and network troubleshooting from the startup configuration.
StreamNeo removes the specific dependency on keeping this computer switched on by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that runs after setup, but it is YouTube-only and does not decide whether a child should appear on camera or whether a broadcast is appropriate.
When you have checked both the technical recovery path and the content plan, compare the operating options before choosing how to run it.
Check the channel and child-safety context
A “kids’ stream” might mean a devotional, story, music, study, or other channel intended for a young audience. It does not by itself mean a child is visible or participating on camera. Decide which case applies before you plan unattended operation: audience classification and the presence of a child on camera are not interchangeable questions.
YouTube Help says a channel must be verified and must not have live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days to live stream. It also says a person must be at least 16 to live stream. 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. These are YouTube’s stated rules, not a guarantee that a particular stream or account will be approved. Check YouTube’s current live-streaming guidance before you rely on this summary.
If a child appears on camera, have an adult oversee the stream and check the current age-related guidance and account requirements. An unattended reboot routine is not a substitute for adult supervision. If the content is for children but no child appears, do not infer that the age rules for a child streamer apply solely from the intended audience; check the relevant YouTube controls for the broadcast and its audience designation.
Do not make an automated setup more powerful than it is. It can save a routine launch step, but it cannot review a scene, notice a private notification on screen, judge whether the right broadcast is selected, or provide supervision. Keep the scene appropriate before enabling automatic launch, remove desktop capture or alerts that should not be shown, and decide who will check the stream if the computer or broadcast needs help.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Does --startstreaming make a scheduled YouTube broadcast live?
It tells OBS to start streaming when OBS launches; it does not create the broadcast or prove that YouTube has made it live. The broadcast’s current settings and state determine whether incoming data is enough or whether a separate action is required. Check the current workflow in YouTube Studio and test it before relying on automation.
Will the Startup folder launch OBS before I sign in?
A shortcut in a user’s Startup folder is associated with that user’s sign-in session. If Windows is waiting at the sign-in screen, do not assume that the per-user shortcut has run. Test the computer’s actual restart and sign-in sequence under supervision.
Should I use the Startup folder or Task Scheduler?
Use the Startup folder when a simple launch at user sign-in meets your needs. A scheduled task can provide more control over launch conditions, but it adds configuration such as the working directory and account context. Test whichever method you choose in the conditions you expect; neither guarantees recovery.
Does “kids’ stream” mean a child must be on camera?
No. The phrase can describe a channel’s intended audience, and that is different from a child participating on camera. If a child does appear, check YouTube’s current age guidance and ensure an adult oversees the stream.