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You can schedule Windows Task Scheduler to open OBS and start a YouTube stream at a set time with OBS’s --startstreaming launch parameter. That schedules a launch—not a complete stop-and-restart of an OBS session that is already running. To make it work reliably, set the task’s working directory to the folder containing obs64.exe, run it in the Windows account’s interactive desktop session, and check YouTube’s auto-start and auto-stop settings.
What Task Scheduler can—and cannot—restart
OBS Studio documents --startstreaming as a launch parameter that automatically starts streaming. It also supports choosing a profile, scene collection, and scene at launch. Windows Task Scheduler can launch the program on a daily time trigger.
Those controls start OBS; they do not, by themselves, stop a stream or close an OBS process that is already running. If OBS is still open at the scheduled time, do not assume that adding --startstreaming will cleanly restart it. A stop-and-close action would need to be designed separately and tested.
Sources: OBS Project, “Launch Parameters”; Microsoft Learn, “schtasks create”.
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Prepare OBS and the YouTube broadcast
Confirm the loop works manually
Before scheduling anything, open OBS and check the profile, scene collection, scene, and media source you intend to use overnight. Start the stream manually once and confirm the loop plays and OBS sends output. If the setup needs a particular profile, collection, or scene, note its exact name for the launch arguments.
Set up YouTube’s encoder and broadcast behavior
YouTube’s encoder setup uses a stream URL and stream key; configure these in OBS and protect the key as a credential. If you are streaming to a scheduled YouTube broadcast, select the intended existing broadcast in OBS before starting. Check the broadcast’s auto-start and auto-stop choices in YouTube Studio: auto-start can make the broadcast live when encoder output begins, while with it disabled you may still need to select Go Live manually.
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Auto-stop affects what happens when encoder output ends. OBS’s YouTube guide says that with auto-stop enabled, stopping the encoder ends the broadcast and prevents reconnecting to that same broadcast. If you want a reconnect path rather than an ended broadcast, confirm the current YouTube setting and workflow before relying on it.
Sources: YouTube Help, “Manage live stream settings”; OBS Forums, “How to stream to YouTube with OBS Studio”. YouTube Studio labels and options can change; verify the settings on the broadcast you plan to use.
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Create a daily scheduled launch in Windows
- Open Task Scheduler in Windows and choose the option to create a task. Create a daily time trigger for the overnight start time you want. A daily trigger fits a recurring clock time; choose an at-startup or at-logon trigger only if the desired event is actually Windows starting or the user signing in.
- Choose the run context. OBS is a desktop app with user-specific configuration. Set the task to run under the Windows account that owns the OBS setup, and choose the interactive-only option so it runs in that user’s desktop session. Microsoft notes that interactive-only execution requires that user to be logged on.
- Set the action’s program and arguments. Use the full path to your installed
obs64.exe. Add the launch flags in the arguments field, for example:--profile "Streaming" --collection "Loop" --scene "Overnight" --startstreaming. Replace the example names with the exact OBS names on your machine; quote names containing spaces. - Set the working directory. In the action’s “Start in” field, enter the folder containing
obs64.exe. OBS explicitly calls out this working-directory setting for scheduled tasks and other automated launches. - Save and run a test. While logged into the chosen Windows account, use Task Scheduler’s Run action. Check that OBS opens the intended setup, begins sending data, and the correct YouTube broadcast becomes live. Confirm that the loop continues as expected before leaving the task unattended overnight.
OBS launch parameters are documented at OBS Project. Microsoft documents schedule types and the interactive-only run-as-user option in “schtasks create” and trigger types in “Task Triggers”.
Use the right trigger for the job
| Trigger | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Daily time | You want OBS to launch at a particular clock time each day. |
| At startup | You want the task to run when Windows starts, rather than at a nightly time. |
| At logon | You want it to run when the configured user signs in. |
Task Scheduler’s startup and logon triggers are not substitutes for a daily time trigger if the computer is already running and the stream should start at a specific overnight hour.
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Match YouTube’s settings to the restart you intend
| YouTube setting | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Auto-start enabled | Starting encoder output can take the scheduled broadcast live. |
| Auto-start disabled | You may need to press Go Live in YouTube Studio after OBS begins sending. |
| Auto-stop enabled | Stopping encoder output ends the broadcast; the OBS guide says that broadcast cannot then be reconnected to. |
| Auto-stop disabled | The end-and-reconnect flow differs; confirm the current behavior in YouTube Studio before depending on it. |
The controls govern YouTube’s broadcast state, while Task Scheduler governs when OBS launches. Neither setting turns a scheduled launch into a full stop-and-restart routine for an OBS process that is already running.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a task that does not go live
- OBS does not open: verify the executable path and that “Start in” points to the folder containing
obs64.exe. - OBS opens with the wrong scene or profile: check the spelling of the configured profile, collection, and scene names in the arguments; use quotation marks around names with spaces.
- OBS opens but does not start streaming: confirm
--startstreamingis in the arguments field, then run OBS manually to verify its stream configuration and key. - The task runs but OBS cannot use the intended setup: check that the task uses the Windows account containing that OBS configuration and runs interactively. Interactive-only tasks require the user to be logged on.
- OBS sends data but YouTube is not live: check the selected broadcast and its auto-start setting. With auto-start off, a manual Go Live action may be required.
- The broadcast ends when OBS stops sending: check YouTube auto-stop. Its enabled behavior ends the broadcast and, according to the OBS guide, rules out reconnecting to that same broadcast.
- The task fires while OBS is already running: the launch flag does not document stopping or restarting the existing process. Design and test any required stop/close action separately rather than treating the launch as a restart.
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