You can run a YouTube livestream from OBS on a Windows PC by creating an encoder stream in YouTube Studio, entering its server URL and stream key in OBS, and sending a tested video-and-audio feed. The difficult part is keeping a home computer, power and internet connection available continuously: OBS’s minimum compatibility requirements do not guarantee 24/7 performance, and YouTube warns that a stream longer than 12 hours may not be archived. Plan recovery and recording around those limits rather than assuming the broadcast will take care of itself.
Before you set up OBS, check YouTube eligibility
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-stream restriction in the preceding 90 days. Live streamers must be at least 16. If this is the channel’s first livestream, enabling live streaming can take up to 24 hours, so complete the process ahead of your planned start. See YouTube’s live-streaming requirements.
Check whether your Windows PC can handle the stream
OBS lists Windows 10 or Windows 11 and a DirectX 10.1-compatible GPU as its Windows baseline. OBS explicitly cautions that meeting the baseline does not guarantee that a computer can stream or record. Actual load depends on the encoder, resolution, frame rate and scene complexity. A simple looping-video scene can be less demanding than a multi-source production, but the machine and connection still need a sustained test at your intended settings. See OBS’s system requirements.
Also plan for the practical demands of continuous operation: reliable power, a stable wired network connection where possible, ventilation, and a way to notice if OBS or Windows stops. These are operational precautions, not guarantees of uninterrupted service.
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Create a YouTube encoder stream and connect OBS
- Open YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. Create or schedule a live stream using an encoder. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key. Treat the key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to your broadcast. Do not publish it or show it in a screen recording.
- Enter the connection details in OBS. In OBS, open Settings > Stream, select YouTube as the service, and enter the server URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. If using a custom server option, use the URL provided in Live Control Room.
- Prepare the video and audio sources. Add the media or scene you intend to broadcast, check the audio mixer, and confirm that the preview shows the expected picture and sound. For a prerecorded loop, verify that the media is suitable for continuous playback and that it does not introduce unwanted gaps or silence.
- Start OBS streaming and check the incoming preview. Wait for YouTube Studio to show that it is receiving the encoder feed and inspect stream-health messages. Launch or manage the scheduled broadcast in Live Control Room when the preview is ready.
Choose bitrate, resolution and keyframe settings
Use YouTube’s recommendations as an encoder starting point, not a promise that your particular connection will sustain a given quality. For the figures below, YouTube’s published bitrate table specifies H.264. It also lists H.265/HEVC and AV1, but the table values shown here should not be treated as universal recommendations for those codecs.
| Output resolution and frame rate | Codec | YouTube recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1440p at 60 fps | H.264 | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p at 30 fps | H.264 | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | H.264 | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | H.264 | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | H.264 | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | H.264 | 8 Mbps |
In OBS, set the encoder to constant bitrate (CBR) and set the keyframe interval to two seconds; YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four. YouTube accepts AAC or MP3 audio and recommends secure RTMPS ingestion. Check the current YouTube encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions for the full guidance.
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Match the target to your tested upload capacity
Measure upload performance under conditions similar to the planned broadcast, then run a test stream with comparable movement and audio. If the connection cannot reliably carry the target, reduce bitrate or resolution and test again. The published bitrate is the video recommendation for its listed H.264 output; it does not account for every network fluctuation or guarantee a stable stream.
Check the actual feed before relying on it
During the preflight, watch YouTube’s stream-health indicator and messages, and check the audio and moving content—not just a static preview. Repeat the checks during the broadcast. A connection that works briefly may not remain stable unattended, so testing should resemble the intended stream as closely as practical.
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Plan around YouTube’s 12-hour archive limit
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours can be automatically archived, but warns that a stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured at all. If preserving a replay matters, do not rely on YouTube’s archive for one uninterrupted 24-hour broadcast: divide the schedule into sessions shorter than 12 hours and keep a local recording backup. YouTube’s guidance is at Archive live streams.
Long duration can also affect rewind: YouTube DVR rewind may be limited or unavailable for streams longer than 12 hours. See YouTube’s DVR guidance. Splitting a broadcast into shorter sessions helps address archive preservation, but it means the public stream will not be one uninterrupted event.
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Make a recovery plan—and test it on your machine
A 24/7 setup needs more than OBS’s reconnect option or a computer left running. Power loss, an internet outage, OBS closing, Windows restarting, or a YouTube ingest interruption can stop the feed. The official OBS and YouTube references cited here do not establish a guaranteed Windows restart-and-resume procedure or guarantee that OBS will rejoin the same scheduled event unattended. Do not assume recovery works until you have tested it on the actual machine and channel.
Before relying on the setup, test each failure case separately: briefly interrupt the network, close OBS, simulate the restart process you intend to use, and confirm what viewers see and what YouTube Studio reports. Establish how you will detect a failed stream and who will restore it. If the broadcast must survive a failure without someone present, treat recovery as an unresolved risk until your own tests demonstrate otherwise.
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Troubleshoot common OBS-to-YouTube problems
| Symptom | Likely cause to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive the OBS feed | Incorrect server URL or stream key, or the encoder has not started sending. | Compare the OBS stream settings with the current values in YouTube Studio, protect and re-enter the key if needed, then start streaming and wait for the preview. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health or viewers see buffering | Upload capacity or stability is insufficient for the selected output. | Check YouTube’s stream-health messages, lower bitrate or resolution, and repeat a representative test. |
| Video or audio is missing in the preview | Media source, scene, or audio routing is not configured as expected. | Check the OBS preview and audio mixer before launching; confirm the intended source is active and audible. |
| Stream ends after a power, network, OBS or Windows interruption | The failure may not recover automatically, or the recovery path has not been validated. | Restore the encoder connection and check Live Control Room. Test the corresponding outage and restart case in advance; do not treat an untested restart method as a guarantee. |
| No archive appears for a very long broadcast | A stream exceeding 12 hours may not be captured by YouTube. | For replay preservation, use sessions shorter than 12 hours and record locally as backup. |
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