To schedule a YouTube playlist rotation with Windows Task Scheduler and OBS, put a YouTube playlist player in an OBS scene, then schedule Windows to launch OBS with that scene selected. Add OBS’s --startstreaming argument only if the task should also start a live stream; it does not simply start playlist playback. Test the playlist’s end-to-end looping in the exact OBS browser source before relying on it unattended.
What this setup does—and what it does not
The pieces have separate jobs: YouTube provides the playlist player, OBS opens the scene containing that player, and Windows Task Scheduler launches OBS at the time you choose. A scheduled OBS launch can start the player, but it does not automatically mean you are broadcasting that player as a YouTube live stream.
- Playlist playback: the embedded player loads and plays the playlist in the OBS scene.
- Live broadcast: OBS streams its scene to YouTube when you configure streaming and tell OBS to start streaming.
- Playlist rotation: if you want the full playlist to repeat, configure looping and verify it; YouTube documents playlist looping but notes limited loop support in IFrame embeds.
Prepare a YouTube playlist player in OBS
1. Create and name the scene
In OBS, create a scene for the rotation and add a browser source configured to display the YouTube playlist player. Give the scene a clear name; you will use that exact name in the launch argument. This guide uses the browser-source approach because the playlist parameters apply to an embedded YouTube player.
2. Configure the playlist embed
Set the player’s playlist parameters to listType=playlist and list=PLAYLIST_ID, replacing PLAYLIST_ID with the ID of your YouTube playlist. To begin playback automatically when the player loads, include autoplay=1. YouTube says that when autoplay is enabled, playback data collection and sharing occur on page load, even if the viewer does not interact with the player.
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3. Choose whether the playlist should repeat
If the rotation should restart after the final playlist item, set loop=1. YouTube documents that a playlist player can play the full playlist and start again, but warns that loop support in IFrame embeds is limited. Because an OBS browser source uses an embedded player, test playback through the final item and back to the start in your actual scene. Do not assume the loop will work just because the player loads.
Set OBS launch arguments for the scheduled task
OBS’s documented launch parameters include --scene "name" to start with a named scene and --startstreaming to start streaming automatically. For playback without going live, use the scene argument but omit --startstreaming.
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- Open OBS on the playlist scene:
--scene "Playlist Rotation" - Open OBS and begin a live stream:
--scene "Playlist Rotation" --startstreaming
Replace Playlist Rotation with your scene’s name. Use the streaming flag only when OBS is configured with the intended stream profile and you want a live broadcast to begin as soon as OBS launches. A scene-selection flag is not itself a YouTube stream setup.
Create the Windows Task Scheduler launch
- Open Task Scheduler and create a task or scheduled task that launches OBS at your chosen time. Set the trigger and logon behavior to suit your Windows installation and how you use the computer; the official OBS launch guidance does not establish one universal trigger or logon configuration.
- Set the action to start OBS. Point the program or script field to
obs64.exein your OBS installation folder. - Enter the OBS launch arguments in the action’s arguments field: use
--scene "Playlist Rotation"for playback, or add--startstreamingif the scheduled launch should start an actual live stream. - Set the working directory (“Start in”) to the folder containing
obs64.exe. OBS specifically calls out this working directory for Windows scheduled tasks. - Save the task and test it by running it before the intended schedule. Confirm that OBS opens the right scene and that the embedded player loads and starts as expected.
Task Scheduler’s trigger choices, run conditions, and logon options depend on the Windows setup. Choose them for the account and machine that will run OBS; do not assume that a task configured for one logon state will behave the same in another.
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Test the full rotation before leaving it unattended
- Run the scheduled task and verify OBS opens the intended scene.
- Confirm the player loads the intended playlist and begins playback. If autoplay does not start, inspect the embed parameters and test again.
- If you enabled looping, stay present through the final item and confirm playback returns to the playlist’s beginning in the OBS browser source.
- If you added
--startstreaming, confirm OBS actually begins the intended YouTube live stream; starting playback and starting a broadcast are separate outcomes.
Common problems and fixes
OBS opens the wrong scene
Check the spelling and quotation marks in --scene "name". The name must match the OBS scene. Run the task again and verify the active scene before relying on the schedule.
The scheduled task does not launch OBS correctly
Check that the program path points to obs64.exe and that “Start in” points to the folder containing that executable. OBS identifies the working directory as a required detail for Windows scheduled launches.
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The playlist loads but does not start automatically
Check that the embed includes autoplay=1, then retest the browser source. YouTube notes that autoplay-enabled players collect and share playback data on page load.
The playlist stops at the last item
Confirm the player is configured with loop=1, then test the complete playlist in OBS. YouTube warns that IFrame embed loop support is limited, so a successful initial load does not establish that the repeat will work.
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OBS opens but no live broadcast begins
If the task is supposed to broadcast, check that you included --startstreaming and that OBS has the intended streaming profile configured. The flag requests that OBS start streaming; --scene alone only selects the scene.
Keep the playlist and broadcast eligible for YouTube
Scheduling playback does not grant rights to the videos in the playlist or guarantee that a live broadcast will remain available. Use material you have the right to stream, and check YouTube’s applicable copyright and live-stream rules before broadcasting a playlist. A repeating or pre-recorded playlist should not be treated as exempt from those rules.
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If your goal is a YouTube channel that stays live with uploaded videos, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative rather than a scheduled OBS setup: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the uploaded files as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; it can recover automatically if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo plays uploaded videos and streams to YouTube only; it does not go live from a camera. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free day.
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