To start an OBS stream after a Hetzner Windows VPS reboots, configure three separate things: Windows must launch OBS, OBS must launch with --startstreaming, and YouTube must allow the encoder to start the broadcast. These settings do not guarantee that every scheduled YouTube event will go live without a person: YouTube’s documented encoder workflow may still require checking the preview and clicking Go live.
What this setup does—and what it does not guarantee
This guide assumes a Hetzner Cloud VM running Windows with OBS Studio installed. Hetzner’s Windows installation instructions concern eligible licenses on its Cloud platform; Windows Server is not supported on CAX Arm64 Cloud servers. Hetzner describes Cloud servers as virtual machines, not as guaranteed streaming workstations, so confirm that your chosen server, Windows edition, license, and resources suit your OBS sources before relying on it. Hetzner’s Windows on Cloud documentation and Cloud overview describe the relevant platform context.
The startup chain has three independent links:
- Windows launch: a startup shortcut or scheduled task starts OBS.
- OBS launch: the
--startstreamingparameter tells OBS to begin streaming. - YouTube broadcast: the stream’s YouTube settings determine whether encoder activity starts the broadcast or whether a manual action is still needed.
A VPS reboot can also interrupt a session. If your scene captures an interactive desktop, game, or other user-session source, do not assume a task running before sign-in can capture it correctly. Test with the exact OBS profile and sources you intend to use.
Connect OBS to the right YouTube stream
- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select the intended stream.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube’s stream settings into OBS’s streaming configuration. YouTube explains that the key identifies the stream and directs the encoder feed. Treat it like a password: do not share it, include it in screenshots, or expose it in public logs. See YouTube stream settings and the encoder workflow.
- Review YouTube’s auto-start setting. When auto-start and auto-stop are enabled, YouTube says the encoder can start or stop the stream. These are YouTube broadcast controls; they do not start OBS or Windows. Check the selected stream’s settings rather than assuming they are enabled.
Reusing stream settings can carry over the stream’s configuration, including auto-start and auto-stop selections. Confirm those options for the stream you will actually use.
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Tell OBS to start streaming when launched
OBS documents --startstreaming as the launch parameter for automatically starting a stream. For OBS launched by a scheduled task or other automated means on Windows, OBS also says to set the working directory—the shortcut’s Start in field—to the folder containing obs64.exe. See OBS launch parameters.
- Find the installed
obs64.exelocation. Common installations place it underC:Program Filesobs-studiobin64bit, but verify the actual path on your VPS. - Use that executable as the program Windows launches, and add
--startstreamingas the argument. - Set Start in to the directory containing
obs64.exe, not to the executable filename itself. - Run the shortcut or task manually once and confirm that OBS opens the expected profile and begins connecting to YouTube.
Keep the stream key in OBS’s configuration rather than placing it in the command line or a script that might be exposed. If OBS opens but does not connect, check that the correct profile and service configuration are selected and that the stream key has not changed.
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Choose how Windows launches OBS
| Method | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Startup shortcut | A simpler setup where OBS should launch in the signed-in user’s interactive session. | It depends on the relevant user signing in. Put the OBS executable in the shortcut’s target, add --startstreaming, and set the shortcut’s working directory to the folder containing obs64.exe. |
| Task Scheduler | More control over triggers and restart behavior, if you have verified the task in the target Windows version. | OBS’s documentation establishes the launch argument and working-directory requirement, but not one universally correct task configuration for every Windows Server version or source type. Configure the executable, argument, and Start in directory, then test the actual task and session behavior. |
For either method, decide whether OBS needs a signed-in desktop. A task that runs before sign-in is not proof that a desktop capture, game capture, or other interactive source will be available. If the stream depends on such a source, test after a real reboot using the same sign-in sequence you plan to use in production.
Know whether YouTube will start the broadcast unattended
There is a meaningful difference between a persistent or reused stream configuration with YouTube auto-start enabled and a scheduled event. YouTube’s encoder instructions describe a scheduled-stream flow in which you wait for the preview and click Go live. Therefore, OBS starting and sending video is not by itself proof that a scheduled event will become public without human approval. Check the YouTube encoder workflow for the event flow, and validate the exact configuration you intend to run.
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- If someone can approve the scheduled event, include the preview check and Go live action in the operating procedure.
- If the stream must start without a person, test the selected stream’s auto-start behavior end to end; do not infer it from OBS launching successfully.
- After a reboot, verify both the encoder connection in OBS and the broadcast state in YouTube Studio.
Test the whole reboot-to-broadcast chain
OBS recommends testing settings before the first real stream. YouTube advises setting up the encoder ahead of time, checking the Live Control Room preview, testing with realistic audio and video, and monitoring stream health. Use a private or unlisted test where appropriate for your channel; confirm the visibility and event settings before sending anything live. See the OBS quick start guide and YouTube live tips.
- Start OBS manually with the intended profile and confirm the correct video, audio, and YouTube destination.
- Check the YouTube Live Control Room preview and stream health before a public broadcast.
- Reboot the VPS, then follow the intended Windows sign-in or scheduled-task path.
- Confirm Windows launched OBS, OBS began sending the encoder feed, and YouTube shows the expected preview or broadcast state.
- For a scheduled event, verify whether a human Go live action is required in that configuration.
Troubleshooting automatic startup
- OBS does not open after reboot: Check the startup shortcut or task trigger, the executable path, and whether the chosen method requires a user to sign in.
- OBS opens but does not start streaming: Confirm the launch arguments include
--startstreaming, OBS has the intended profile, and its stream configuration is valid. - OBS starts but reports a connection or authentication problem: Recheck the YouTube stream URL and key in OBS, and confirm the key still belongs to the selected stream. Keep the key private.
- The scheduled stream has a preview but is not live: Check whether that event’s workflow requires clicking Go live. Auto-start is a YouTube stream setting, not a guarantee that every scheduled event skips approval.
- Sources are missing or blank after an unattended launch: Check whether the task ran in the required interactive user session and repeat the test after a full reboot. A pre-sign-in task may not have access to the desktop or game source you expect.
- The task behaves differently from a shortcut: Verify the task’s executable,
--startstreamingargument, and working directory. OBS specifically calls for the directory containingobs64.exewhen launched by scheduled or other automated means. - The server cannot run the intended Windows setup: Recheck the Hetzner product, license eligibility, Windows edition, and CPU architecture. Hetzner states that Windows Server is unsupported on its CAX Arm64 Cloud servers.
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