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OBS does not control whether your computer sleeps: that is handled by the operating system. To keep a stream running, change the computer’s sleep settings for the power source you will use, then test the setup before relying on it. A dark screen alone does not mean the computer is asleep.
Why OBS cannot keep the computer awake by itself
OBS handles stream and output configuration, but the OBS documentation does not describe an OBS-level “stay awake” switch. Its launch parameters include --startstreaming for starting a stream; that does not change the operating system’s sleep policy. Configure power management in Windows, macOS, or your Linux desktop environment instead. OBS launch parameters
Prevent sleep in Windows 11
- Open Settings → System → Power & battery → Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts.
- Set the sleep timeout for the power condition you will use: On battery or Plugged in. For a stationary 24/7 setup, check the plugged-in setting; changing the battery setting alone will not cover plugged-in operation, or vice versa.
- Choose a timeout that does not let the computer sleep during the stream. You can separately choose when the display turns off; the display may go dark while the computer remains awake.
Windows can accept system-required application power requests that prevent automatic sleep, but the available documentation does not establish that OBS makes such a request in every version or configuration. Do not rely on OBS to override a sleep timeout. Settings can also vary with Windows release and device policy. Microsoft’s Windows 11 power settings guidance · Microsoft’s system-required power requests documentation
Prevent sleep on a Mac
- Open your Mac’s current battery or energy-saving settings; the exact menu location varies by macOS version.
- While connected to the power adapter, enable “Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off.”
- Set the display to turn off as desired, then verify that the Mac remains awake. Preventing sleep can increase power use, so use this setting with the Mac connected to power for an extended stream.
Apple Support: change Energy Saver settings on a Mac
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Linux: identify your desktop environment first
There is no single reliable click path or command for every Linux distribution and desktop environment. Power controls differ, so first identify your distro and desktop (for example, the environment shown in your system settings), then follow that distro’s or desktop’s official power-management documentation to disable automatic suspend while streaming. Avoid applying a command intended for a different desktop or service; it may not affect the setting that is causing your machine to sleep.
Choose the right power and display settings
| Situation | What to configure | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Computer plugged in | Prevent system sleep for the plugged-in condition. | It stays awake when idle with the display off. |
| Computer on battery | Prevent sleep for the battery condition too. | The battery setting does not impose a shorter timeout than the stream requires. |
| Want a dark screen | Set a display-off timeout independently of system sleep. | The display goes dark but the stream continues. |
| Temporary stream session | Use a session-appropriate setting if your OS provides one, and restore it afterward if needed. | The computer does not sleep during the session. |
| Persistent 24/7 setup | Set the applicable sleep timeout so it will not interrupt the stream. | The setting remains in effect under the power source used for streaming. |
Test before relying on a 24/7 stream
- Configure OBS and the operating system as you intend to use them, including the actual power source and display-off behavior.
- Start a test stream and leave the computer idle for longer than the interval that previously caused an interruption.
- Check from another device that the YouTube stream is still live after that interval. If it stopped, inspect the sleep timeout for the active power condition and confirm that the computer—not just the display—remained awake.
OBS recommends testing settings before a real stream. A short test can reveal a sleep-setting problem, but it cannot prove uninterrupted 24/7 reliability; compatible system requirements alone do not guarantee successful streaming or recording. OBS system requirements and testing guidance
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Troubleshooting: the stream stopped anyway
- The display went black and the stream ended: Check the system sleep timeout, not just the display timeout. Screen-off and system sleep are separate behaviors.
- It works while plugged in but stops on battery, or the reverse: Set the sleep timeout for the power condition that is actually active. Windows exposes separate conditions.
- You expected OBS to prevent sleep: The reviewed OBS documentation does not guarantee an OBS power request. Set the OS policy directly.
- The Mac sleeps with the display off: Confirm the Mac is on its power adapter and that Apple’s automatic-sleep prevention option is enabled for that state.
- You cannot find the named setting: Menu names and locations vary by macOS release, Windows release, and device policy. Look for the current operating system’s sleep or power settings; for Linux, use documentation specific to your distribution and desktop environment.
- The stream drops even though the computer stays awake: Sleep prevention addresses only computer sleep. It does not establish that the network, OBS, or YouTube connection will remain uninterrupted; diagnose those separately.
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