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What to back up before the computer fails
- OBS Profile: stream, video, and output settings.
- OBS Scene Collection: scenes, sources, and global audio sources.
- Media assets: the loop video, images, audio files, and any other files referenced by sources.
- Stream key: treat it as a secret; OBS exports may contain stream credentials.
Exporting only one of the OBS configuration items leaves a gap: a Profile does not preserve scenes, and a Scene Collection does not preserve output settings. The media used by a scene is not packaged into these exports.
Export your OBS Profile
- In OBS Studio, open the Profile menu and choose the export option for the active Profile.
- Save the resulting JSON file with a clear name that identifies the computer or stream and the backup date, such as loop-stream-profile-2026-10-03.json.
- If you use multiple Profiles, export each one you may need to restore.
A Profile export is a configuration backup, not a copy of every setting or asset on the machine. OBS describes Profiles as saving most settings, primarily those related to outputs. OBS Profiles documentation.
Export your OBS Scene Collection
- Open the Scene Collection menu in OBS and choose the export option for the active collection.
- Save it separately from the Profile export, using a matching name so the two files are easy to identify together.
- Repeat for each Scene Collection you need to preserve.
Scene Collection exports include scenes, sources, and global audio sources, but not the output settings saved in a Profile. See OBS Scene Collections documentation.
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Back up the loop video and other media separately
Copy the loop video and all other referenced assets to storage outside the computer being protected. A configuration can import correctly while its sources point to files that were moved, deleted, or never copied. Where practical, keep the original folder structure and filenames so source paths are easier to reconnect.
OBS Portable Mode does not bundle media files with the configuration. It is a Windows-specific way to keep OBS configuration with an application installation or separate instance, not a replacement for backing up the assets themselves. OBS documents Portable Mode for Windows and notes that it is not supported on macOS or Linux: Portable Mode documentation.
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Keep the backup somewhere other than the streaming computer
Copy both OBS exports and the media backup to a separate destination, such as a removable drive or a managed backup location. A USB flash drive is optional; OBS does not require one. If losing the loop setup would interrupt an important schedule, keep more than one independent copy.
You can also make an additional copy of the local OBS settings folder. In OBS, use File > Show Settings Folder to locate it. Folder locations differ by installation and operating system, so this is an extra recovery measure rather than a substitute for the in-app Profile and Scene Collection exports.
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Restore OBS on the replacement or repaired computer
- Install and open OBS, then import the saved Profile from the Profile menu.
- Import the Scene Collection separately from the Scene Collection menu.
- Restore the loop video and other source assets to their backed-up locations, or edit sources to point to their new paths.
- Inspect the stream destination and key, video and output settings, scenes, sources, and audio. A change of computer or hardware can affect device sources and encoder behavior, so do not assume the imported setup will behave identically.
- Start a test and confirm the picture and sound in the YouTube Live Control Room preview before resuming the regular loop schedule. Monitor stream quality after going live.
YouTube recommends checking the preview and monitoring stream quality; an imported configuration alone does not confirm that the encoder is sending the intended picture and sound. See YouTube’s live-streaming tips.
Protect the YouTube stream key
YouTube treats a stream key as the stream’s password and address. Do not post OBS exports publicly or send them casually, because a configuration backup may include credentials. If you believe a key has been exposed, reset it in YouTube Live Control Room and update the encoder with the replacement. Details are in YouTube’s stream settings and key guidance.
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Do not rely on YouTube’s replay as your only archive
YouTube says events shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, recommends keeping a local archive, and warns that streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. For a long-running loop, keep your own copy of the source video and any recording you need rather than treating the YouTube replay as a complete backup. See YouTube’s archive guidance.
Which backup approach should you use?
| Approach | What it helps preserve | Main limitation | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profile export | Stream, video, and output settings | Does not include scenes | One required half of an OBS configuration backup |
| Scene Collection export | Scenes, sources, and global audio sources | Does not include output settings or the referenced media files | The other required half of an OBS configuration backup |
| Manual settings-folder copy | A broader copy of local configuration | Location varies by platform and installation; it does not remove the need to protect media | An extra recovery copy |
| Windows Portable Mode | Configuration kept with an OBS installation or separate instance | Windows only; does not make referenced media portable | A Windows deployment choice, not your sole backup |
Troubleshoot common restore problems
OBS imports, but scenes are missing
Import the Scene Collection as well as the Profile. They are separate exports and preserve different parts of the setup.
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The scene appears, but the loop video is missing
The media asset was not included in the Scene Collection export. Restore the video from its separate backup, then check or update the source path in OBS.
The stream connects to the wrong destination or fails to authenticate
Review the restored stream destination and key. If the key was reset or exposed, update OBS with the current key from YouTube Live Control Room.
The picture or sound differs on the replacement computer
Check source paths, audio sources, video and output values, and hardware-dependent sources or encoder behavior. Use YouTube’s preview for a test before returning to the scheduled loop.
The stream disconnects
OBS includes an automatic reconnect setting under Settings > Advanced. Reconnection can help with continuity after a disconnect, but it does not back up or restore the Profile, Scene Collection, or media files.
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