To start a YouTube loop stream after Windows boots, create an OBS scene with a looping local Media Source, then arrange for Windows to open OBS after sign-in with the --startstreaming argument. YouTube going live is a separate step: the selected broadcast and its Auto-start setting determine whether an encoder connection becomes visible to viewers.
Treat this as a sequence to verify on your own installed versions, not a set-and-forget guarantee. Older OBS community posts describe the launch argument, but its behaviour, executable location and Windows startup options can differ; only a complete reboot-to-live test proves your setup.
What starts automatically, and what does not
There are three distinct actions in this setup. OBS can open, the local video can play and repeat, and OBS can send an encoder feed to YouTube. YouTube must also have the intended broadcast selected and configured to go live when that feed connects, or you may need to take a separate Go Live action.
Keeping those actions separate makes troubleshooting easier. A looping preview only proves the source is playing. An OBS status showing that it is streaming indicates the encoder has connected, but does not by itself prove viewers can see an active live broadcast. Check the broadcast state in YouTube as well.
This arrangement can be useful for a bhajan channel, a study loop or a local information screen when you already have a Windows PC and want it to run the stream. A local computer still depends on Windows completing its startup, the user session and OBS opening correctly, plus a working network connection. A reboot, update, sign-in prompt or changed setting can interrupt that chain. If you are comparing a local-file approach with a broader channel workflow, this guide to creating a 24/7 YouTube stream of Himalayan wind and chimes offers another example of planning a continuous loop.
Create a looping OBS Media Source
Start by making the stream itself work manually. Open the OBS scene you intend to use, add a Media Source, and select the video file stored on the Windows computer. OBS documents Media Source as a way to play media files and lists common formats and source properties in its Media Sources guide.
Enable the source’s Loop property. This makes playback repeat when the file reaches its end. It is not the same as Restart playback when source becomes active: that property controls what happens when the source becomes active, whereas Loop controls whether the file repeats after finishing. Check both only according to the behaviour you want; do not assume the restart option makes a file repeat forever.
Make a deliberate choice about the file’s location. If the source points to a removable drive or a folder you later move, OBS may not find it at startup. Keep the file in a stable local folder, and avoid renaming or replacing it without reopening OBS to check the source. The source guide also explains OBS’s general approach to adding and managing sources: see the OBS sources guide.
Save the scene collection and profile you intend to use. Then play the source in OBS and watch beyond the file’s endpoint: verify that it starts again, the picture fills the intended canvas, and sound is present if the clip includes audio. This is a useful point to review your output choices too; the OBS resolution guidance for a 24/7 playlist channel covers how to think about a stable picture format without changing the startup sequence.
Set Windows to launch OBS after sign-in
For a simple setup, make a shortcut to the installed OBS executable and put that shortcut in the Windows startup location for your user account. Windows startup behaviour and navigation can vary by release, so use the current Windows interface to locate the startup folder rather than following a click path copied from an old tutorial. The important result is that the shortcut runs after the account signs in.
There is a meaningful distinction between launching after sign-in and launching before anyone signs in. A startup-folder shortcut normally belongs to a user session; it does not prove OBS will start at the Windows login screen or survive a sign-in issue. If the machine is dedicated to streaming, plan for that account to sign in as expected and test the real sequence. Avoid changing account security or automatic-login settings casually just to remove a prompt.
A scheduled task is another possible launch mechanism and can give more control over the trigger and launch context. Its options are not universal recommendations: choices such as whether a task runs only when the user is logged on alter what OBS can interact with and how it behaves. If you use this route, understand the trigger and account context on your own Windows installation, then test. A basic user startup shortcut is easier to inspect; a task is worth considering only when you have a specific reason for needing its additional control.
Before adding a streaming argument, make sure the shortcut opens the correct OBS installation and loads the expected scene collection and profile. A computer with more than one OBS installation or several user accounts can open a different configuration than the one you tested. Launch it manually from the shortcut once and inspect the scene before proceeding.
Pass OBS the --startstreaming argument
OBS community discussions document the --startstreaming launch argument for asking OBS to begin streaming when it opens. The examples are old, so use them as evidence that the argument has been used, not as a current universal Windows recipe. The OBS forum discussion of automatic start is one historical reference; confirm the behaviour on the version actually installed on your PC.
In the shortcut’s properties, the target field typically contains the executable path. The argument belongs after that executable path, separated by a space, with the path kept correctly quoted if it contains spaces. Do not replace the executable path with a guessed one from a forum post: locate the OBS installation you actually use, and preserve any existing arguments that your setup needs. Windows shortcut and task interfaces vary, so focus on the target and argument rather than expecting every screen to match a screenshot.
Once the shortcut is adjusted, use it to open OBS while you are present. Confirm that OBS opens the right profile and scene, the Media Source is visible and looping, and the streaming state changes as expected. If OBS does not start streaming, remove the argument temporarily and confirm that OBS itself still launches normally; then revisit the exact executable path, spacing, quoting and installed-version behaviour. Do not make a boot test your first test of a changed shortcut.
The argument can request that OBS start sending the feed, but it cannot guarantee that the right YouTube broadcast is selected or that YouTube has made it live. That is why the next configuration and the final end-to-end test matter. If the file is a folder of separate clips rather than one continuous video, the setup is different; see how to loop a folder of videos in OBS using VLC before adapting this single-file procedure.
Configure YouTube Auto-start for the intended broadcast
Connect OBS to the correct YouTube channel, either through the available account connection or by entering YouTube’s live server URL and stream key in the encoder settings. YouTube’s instructions for creating a live stream with an encoder describe the connection details. Treat the stream key as private: anyone who obtains it could send a feed to your channel, so do not include it in screenshots or public notes.
If you use a scheduled broadcast, verify that OBS is connected to the intended event, not an older test or another scheduled stream. The event’s Auto-start setting controls whether the encoder connection starts the broadcast automatically. The OBS guide to streaming to YouTube explains the distinction between connecting the encoder and taking a Go Live action; if Auto-start is off, expect to start the event separately rather than assuming OBS’s launch argument overrides the event setting.
Check the YouTube side while making a controlled test. Confirm the selected event, its visibility and the displayed live state. A stream appearing in OBS is not enough to establish that the event viewers should see is live. If you have more than one channel or broadcast planned, identify which account and event the encoder is using before enabling automatic behaviour.
Auto-start is a convenience for a configured event, not a substitute for testing or a promise that every reboot will result in a live broadcast. YouTube’s controls, OBS’s connection and your Windows startup can each change independently. Keep a record of which event is intended to receive the feed, and check the current YouTube controls if the interface or event workflow has changed.
Test the full reboot-to-live sequence
First test the pieces while you are at the computer. Open OBS from the startup shortcut or task, verify the correct scene, and wait long enough to see whether the Media Source repeats. Confirm OBS connects to YouTube, then check YouTube itself for the intended event’s live state. This staged test tells you whether a failure is in the file, OBS launch, encoder connection or broadcast behaviour.
Next, save your work and restart Windows deliberately. Do not count a manual OBS launch as a boot test. Let Windows complete the same sign-in path you expect during ordinary use, then observe whether the correct OBS instance opens and whether the feed reaches the correct event. Check from YouTube’s side, preferably using the channel’s live view or another viewer session, rather than relying only on the OBS preview.
Write down what passed and what did not. For example: “OBS opened after sign-in; the file looped; OBS connected; the scheduled event did not go live.” That points to the event or Auto-start behaviour, rather than the Media Source. If OBS never opened, inspect the Windows trigger and shortcut. If OBS opened but did not send, check its launch argument and connection. If the feed connected but the event stayed offline, verify the selected broadcast and Go Live requirements.
Run the test when practical after changing the video file, scene collection, account connection, YouTube event, startup method or OBS version. The point is not to reboot after every minor adjustment, but to establish that the whole chain still behaves as intended after changes that could affect it. The OBS Quick Start Guide recommends checking output settings and testing before relying on a stream; your boot test adds the Windows and YouTube steps that a normal manual start does not exercise.
There is also an operational choice: keep a local PC running and manage its startup, or use a hosted approach that does not depend on your own Windows machine staying on. A cloud service can remove the need to leave a home computer running, but check its current features, suitability for your channel and terms before choosing it. For a local setup, this guide to running a 24/7 bhajan stream on an Indian broadband connection is useful context for thinking about the network as part of the chain. StreamNeo addresses the specific burden of keeping this Windows computer switched on by letting you upload a video and connect your YouTube stream key for a cloud-run broadcast; it is YouTube-only, and you should still verify your file and channel setup.
Recover and retest after updates
A Windows update or restart may leave the machine at a sign-in screen, change startup timing or require a reboot before the user session begins. An OBS update may change the installed executable path or startup behaviour. Neither an old forum example nor a previous successful test guarantees that the next boot will follow the same route.
After an update, check the basics in order: sign in as the intended account, open the shortcut or task, confirm the correct scene and profile, check that the file is still available, and inspect the encoder and YouTube event state. If the startup shortcut points to an executable that was moved, update it to the installed location. If the scene changed or the source is offline, repair that before expecting the stream to work unattended.
Keep a simple recovery note beside the streaming PC: where the video file lives, which OBS scene and profile to use, which YouTube event is intended, and how to confirm the live state. Do not write the stream key in a place where others can read it. If you need to enter or replace it, use YouTube and OBS’s current account or encoder controls and protect it as a credential.
Retest after a significant update or configuration change, and do so while you can observe the result. If the stream fails, return to the first failed link in the chain rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings. A boot-to-live workflow can reduce repetitive manual steps, but it still needs a human check when the operating system, OBS configuration, network or YouTube event changes.
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FAQ
Does OBS automatically go live as soon as Windows starts?
It can be set to launch after sign-in, and the --startstreaming argument has been documented in OBS community discussions. Whether viewers see a live broadcast also depends on the connected YouTube event and its Auto-start or Go Live behaviour, so test all of it together.
Does the Media Source Loop option restart the file at startup?
Loop repeats the media after it reaches the end. Restart playback when source becomes active is a separate property that controls playback when the source becomes active; neither property launches OBS or connects to YouTube.
Why does OBS say it is streaming when YouTube is not live?
The encoder connection and the broadcast’s live state are separate. Check that OBS selected the intended event and whether that event has Auto-start enabled; if not, YouTube may require a separate Go Live action.
Will this keep streaming after every Windows or OBS update?
No setup should be treated as guaranteed across every reboot or update. Startup context, paths, scene settings, network access and event behaviour can change, so observe and retest the full sequence after changes that may affect it.