You can run a YouTube livestream from OBS on a Windows PC, but keeping it live around the clock depends on the computer, power, internet connection, and a recovery plan—not just OBS settings. Create an encoder stream in YouTube Studio, connect OBS with the stream URL and key, choose settings that your tested upload connection can sustain, and monitor stream health. Plan for YouTube’s archive limit: a single stream lasting more than 12 hours may not be captured.
Before you start: check YouTube and Windows requirements
Make sure the channel can livestream
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. The person livestreaming must be at least 16. If this is the channel’s first livestream, enable live streaming ahead of time: initial activation can take up to 24 hours. See YouTube’s live-streaming requirements.
Check the PC, but don’t treat minimum compatibility as a guarantee
OBS lists Windows 10 or Windows 11 and a DirectX 10.1-compatible GPU as its Windows baseline. OBS cautions that meeting those requirements does not guarantee the computer can stream or record. Actual load depends on the encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. Review the OBS system requirements and test the intended setup rather than assuming a PC that opens OBS will handle a permanent broadcast.
Plan for the parts outside OBS
A 24/7 setup also relies on stable upload bandwidth and power. A router or ISP outage, Windows restart, power loss, or OBS crash can interrupt the broadcast. Test how your particular machine and YouTube event behave after each kind of interruption before relying on unattended operation; there is no universal restart procedure established here that guarantees the same event will resume automatically.
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Create a YouTube encoder stream and connect OBS
- Open YouTube Studio and create or schedule a stream. In the Live Control Room, choose the encoder workflow and set the stream details and visibility appropriate to your use.
- Copy the server URL and stream key. In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube if available, or choose a custom service and enter the server URL and key from YouTube Studio. Do not share the stream key: anyone who has it may be able to broadcast to your channel.
- Configure your scene and encoder. Add the video or other sources you intend to broadcast, then choose an encoder and settings that your PC and connection can sustain. Use YouTube’s current encoder guidance as a starting point.
- Start OBS streaming and check the preview in Live Control Room. Wait for YouTube to receive the feed and inspect its stream-health messages before making the broadcast public or launching the scheduled event.
- Confirm the broadcast is live in YouTube Studio. Starting the encoder sends the feed; use Live Control Room to manage the scheduled broadcast and verify that viewers can see it.
YouTube’s setup walkthrough is at Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Choose OBS settings for the connection you actually have
Use the YouTube recommendations as a starting point
YouTube recommends RTMPS for secure ingest, constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval, and no more than four seconds between keyframes. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video, and AAC or MP3 audio. The H.264 bitrate recommendations below are platform guidance, not a promise that a particular internet connection can sustain the feed.
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| H.264 output | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
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| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
| 1440p at 30 fps | 21 Mbps |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 34 Mbps |
These values are specifically YouTube’s H.264 recommendations; do not treat them as universal for every codec, connection, or scene. The full current guidance, including codec and ingest details, is in YouTube’s encoder settings and bitrate documentation.
Set a sustainable target, then test it
- Pick resolution and frame rate based on the detail and motion viewers need, while allowing headroom for upload variation. If the connection cannot sustain the target, reduce resolution or bitrate.
- Choose an encoder your hardware can handle. OBS notes that encoder choice, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity all affect system load; a demanding scene can perform differently from a static screen.
- Test upload capacity and run a sample with representative video motion and audio. Watch YouTube’s stream-health messages during the test and the live broadcast.
- Confirm audio is present and balanced, the video is moving as expected, and the connection remains stable before depending on the stream unattended.
Keep OBS running—and test recovery instead of assuming it
Reduce avoidable interruptions
For a Windows PC doing the encoding, keep the machine powered, connected to the network, and able to run OBS for the intended period. Check power settings and any scheduled Windows restarts or updates that could interrupt the session. These measures reduce foreseeable interruptions but do not guarantee uptime.
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Test failure and restart scenarios
Before leaving the stream unattended, test what happens if the internet connection drops, the PC loses power, OBS closes, or Windows restarts. Check whether OBS reconnects and whether YouTube continues the same event or requires action in Live Control Room. The outcome can depend on the event and configuration, so do not promise automatic recovery without validating it on your own setup.
Keep a way to check the PC and YouTube stream health remotely if nobody will be present. A second device can help you verify whether the broadcast is still visible, but it does not itself restore a failed encoder or connection.
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Decide whether one continuous stream or saved replays matter more
YouTube may not archive a stream longer than 12 hours
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived and warns that if a stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all. YouTube also recommends keeping a local archive backup. If preserving replays matters, schedule separate sessions shorter than 12 hours and record locally; do not rely on YouTube to archive one uninterrupted 24-hour event. Read YouTube’s archive guidance.
Long streams can also affect rewind
YouTube DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. That is a separate consideration from whether an archive is created; check YouTube’s DVR guidance if viewers need to rewind while the stream is live.
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Troubleshoot common 24/7 OBS problems
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive the feed | Incorrect server URL or stream key, or encoder not started | Compare OBS stream settings with the current event in YouTube Studio. Keep the key private and confirm OBS is actively streaming. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health or the feed disconnects | Upload capacity is insufficient or fluctuating | Check stream-health messages and test the connection. Lower bitrate or resolution if the tested upload cannot sustain the target. |
| Video stutters or OBS struggles | Encoder workload is too high for the PC or scene | Reduce resolution, frame rate, or scene complexity, or use an encoder the hardware can handle; test again under representative conditions. |
| Broadcast stops after a Windows or power interruption | PC restarted, lost power, or OBS exited | Restore power and network, reopen OBS if needed, and check the event in Live Control Room. Test this recovery path before depending on unattended operation; resumption is not guaranteed. |
| The live broadcast exists but no replay appears | The continuous stream exceeded 12 hours | Check YouTube’s archive guidance. For future replay preservation, split the broadcast into sessions under 12 hours and record locally. |
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