To restart an EC2-hosted YouTube stream after a reboot, configure two separate things: the instance’s startup mechanism must run again on boot, and OBS must launch with its streaming-start option. On Windows, the recurring setting depends on whether the instance uses EC2Launch v2, EC2Launch v1, or the older EC2Config service. On Linux, the default user-data behavior is first-boot only; configure a subsequent-boot mechanism or use an operating-system service. These steps can start OBS, but they do not prove that YouTube will resume the same live session.
Understand what has to restart
A reboot-recovery setup has two layers. First, an EC2 startup agent or operating-system service must run a launch action after the machine boots. Second, that action must start OBS in the intended environment and tell OBS to begin streaming. OBS’s --startstreaming launch parameter handles the second layer; it is not a reboot scheduler.
Neither setting alone confirms that OBS loaded the intended profile or stream key, that networking was ready, or that YouTube resumed an existing live event. Treat “OBS started” and “YouTube is live again” as separate checks.
Choose the startup method for your operating system
Windows EC2: identify the launch agent first
Before changing user data, determine which launch agent is installed on the AMI: EC2Launch v2, EC2Launch v1, or the older EC2Config service. The persistence control is not interchangeable across these agents.
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| Windows launch agent | Recurring user-data mechanism documented by AWS | Execution detail to consider |
|---|---|---|
| EC2Launch v2 | For a YAML task, set its frequency to always. |
Make sure the launch context is suitable for the OBS installation and profile you intend to use. |
| EC2Launch v1 | Use the -SchedulePerBoot option. |
Confirm the task is scheduled for each boot rather than only the initial launch. |
| XML user data | Include <persist>true</persist>. |
This setting is for the applicable XML user-data mechanism; it is not a universal EC2 setting. |
| EC2Config | Do not assume the v1 or v2 settings apply. Check the configuration and documentation for the installed older service. | Behavior depends on the installed agent and its settings. |
AWS notes that Windows user-data execution may run as Local Administrator or System depending on password-generation conditions. A process launched as a service or system process may not have the same interactive desktop and user profile as an OBS installation configured by signing in normally. Match the startup method and account to the OBS installation, saved profile, and session requirements; do not assume that a boot task can see the same settings as your interactive desktop.
Linux EC2: default user data is not a reboot trigger
AWS documents that Linux user-data scripts and cloud-init directives run only during the initial launch by default. To run something on subsequent boots, configure the relevant cloud-init behavior for later boots or use an operating-system service as the startup mechanism. A user-data script runs as root and does not accept interactive input. The AWS documentation cited here does not provide a service-unit recipe, so do not treat a first-boot user-data script as a complete recurring setup.
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Whichever approach you choose, the process must launch in the environment in which OBS can read its intended configuration and operate. A command executed as root or from a non-interactive boot context may not behave like OBS started in a logged-in desktop session.
Configure OBS to begin streaming when launched
- Set up OBS first. Open OBS in the account and environment that the boot task will use. Select the intended profile and confirm its stream configuration before automating launch. Keep the stream key private: do not put it in public user data, scripts that others can read, screenshots, or logs.
- Use OBS’s launch parameter. Start OBS with
--startstreaming. OBS describes this parameter as “Automatically start streaming.” It tells OBS what to do when it launches; it does not make the launch recur after a reboot. - On Windows, set the working directory. For an automated or scheduled OBS launch, OBS documents setting the working directory to the folder containing
obs64.exe. This avoids relying on the working directory inherited from a manual desktop launch. - Connect OBS launch to the recurring boot action. Use the persistence option appropriate to the installed Windows launch agent, or a configured subsequent-boot mechanism or OS service on Linux. Ensure the task invokes OBS in the account and session where the required configuration is available.
- Test a reboot deliberately. After configuring the startup action, reboot the instance and inspect the startup output and OBS behavior. Do not infer successful YouTube recovery solely from the fact that a process launched.
Verify the boot task and the live session separately
If OBS does not appear, start with the startup agent’s output. AWS documents these useful locations:
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- Linux:
/var/log/cloud-init-output.log - Windows with EC2Launch v2:
C:ProgramDataAmazonEC2Launchlogagent.log - Windows with EC2Launch v1:
C:ProgramDataAmazonEC2-WindowsLaunchLogUserdataExecution.log
Check whether the recurring task ran, whether it attempted to launch OBS, and whether it ran under the expected account. Then inspect OBS itself and the YouTube live control room to determine whether the stream is actually active. The startup logs establish what the boot mechanism did; they do not establish YouTube session state.
What this setup cannot guarantee about YouTube
AWS’s startup documentation and OBS’s launch-parameter documentation explain how to run a startup action and start OBS streaming. They do not establish YouTube’s reconnect window, how long a live session is preserved after an encoder disconnect, or whether OBS restarting will resume the same live event. Do not promise session continuity based on these settings. Check current official YouTube Live guidance for the event and workflow you use, and verify the resulting status in YouTube Studio after a real test.
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Troubleshoot the common failure points
| Symptom | Likely area to check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The action runs after initial launch but not after reboot. | The user-data mechanism is still configured for first boot only, or the wrong launch-agent persistence control was used. | Identify the installed agent and apply its matching recurring setting. On Linux, configure subsequent-boot behavior rather than relying on the default first-boot user-data run. |
| No OBS process appears after reboot. | The boot task may not have run, may have failed, or may have launched in an unsuitable account or environment. | Inspect the applicable AWS startup log, then verify the launch action’s account, path, and session assumptions. |
| OBS launches but does not start streaming. | The OBS launch parameter may be missing, the wrong OBS configuration may load, or the environment may differ from the one configured interactively. | Confirm --startstreaming is passed to OBS and that the intended profile and stream configuration are available to the launched process. |
| A Windows scheduled launch fails to find or start OBS. | The working directory may not point to the folder containing obs64.exe. |
Set the task’s working directory to the OBS executable’s containing folder, as OBS documents for automated or scheduled launches. |
| OBS reports a streaming attempt, but YouTube does not show the expected live event. | Process startup and YouTube session recovery are distinct; the startup sources do not establish session resumption. | Check the live control room and current YouTube Live guidance. Do not assume a rebooted encoder resumes the same event. |
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