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You can schedule a Windows PC to start sending a YouTube livestream by creating a scheduled event in YouTube Studio, then using Windows Task Scheduler to launch OBS Studio with its documented --startstreaming parameter. That starts the encoder feed; it does not by itself create the YouTube event or guarantee that YouTube will publish the stream without someone confirming the preview and clicking Go live.
What this setup does—and what it does not
The process has two separate parts: YouTube schedules the event, while OBS sends video to that event. A Windows task can open OBS at a chosen time and tell it to start streaming, provided OBS is configured with the right scene, source, profile, stream URL and key. YouTube’s documented encoder workflow then calls for checking the incoming preview in Live Control Room and clicking Go live. See YouTube’s encoder livestream instructions and OBS’s Launch Parameters documentation.
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So this method reliably schedules an attempt to start the encoder, not a guaranteed unattended public broadcast. Confirm the publication behavior for your channel and event before relying on it without someone present.
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- Enable YouTube live streaming in advance. YouTube says first-time activation may take up to 24 hours; once enabled, streams can start instantly.
- Keep the PC available. It must be powered on and able to run the task at the scheduled time, with a working internet connection and the intended Windows user session available.
- Prepare OBS. Confirm the scene contains a working video source and that the correct profile and stream settings are selected.
- Know which YouTube event the encoder will use. The event’s stream URL and stream key must match the details configured in OBS.
Schedule the YouTube event and configure OBS
- Create the event: In YouTube Studio, open Create → Go Live → Manage → Schedule stream. Reuse a previous stream’s settings or create a new event, then enter its details and choose the intended privacy setting. YouTube notes that default privacy settings differ for users aged 13–17 and users 18 or older; you can change the setting.
- Get the event’s encoder details: Open the scheduled event’s encoder settings in Live Control Room. Copy its stream URL and stream key into OBS. Treat the key as a password: do not publish it or include it in screenshots.
- Check OBS before automating it: Select the intended scene and profile, verify that the source produces video and audio as expected, and confirm OBS is set to use the scheduled event’s stream details. Start a manual test if possible so you can confirm that the event receives the right feed.
Scheduling an event creates an upcoming stream/watch page; it does not make the PC send video. The encoder still needs to start with the matching URL and key.
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Create the Windows Task Scheduler launch
The task’s action should launch the installed OBS executable with --startstreaming. OBS specifically says an automated or scheduled launch needs its working directory (the task’s Start in value) set to the folder containing obs64.exe. OBS’s documentation is dated May 30, 2021; Windows Task Scheduler labels can vary by Windows version, so confirm the exact field names in your installation.
- Find the installed OBS path. Locate
obs64.exefor the OBS installation you intend to use. Do not assume its folder if OBS was installed to a custom location. - Create a time-based task in Windows Task Scheduler, setting the trigger to the date and time you want OBS to start. Choose a schedule that matches the event and the Windows account that will run OBS.
- Set the action to start a program. Use the full path to
obs64.exeas the program. Put--startstreamingin the arguments field. Set Start in to the directory that containsobs64.exe, not to the executable filename. - Save and test the task ahead of the broadcast. Run it manually or schedule a test event. Verify that OBS opens, loads the intended scene and profile, and starts sending the feed to YouTube.
OBS documents --startstreaming as a launch parameter, but that parameter does not create a YouTube event, select its stream key, build a scene, or bypass YouTube’s preview and publication flow. An incorrect or missing working directory can also keep OBS from finding installation files such as its locale data.
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Confirm whether YouTube will publish without a person
For a scheduled encoder stream, YouTube’s published sequence is to start the encoder, wait for the preview in Live Control Room, and click Go live. Do not assume the Windows task’s successful start makes the stream public. If unattended publication is essential, verify the behavior with your channel and event configuration before depending on it; the documented workflow does not establish that every scheduled stream can skip the confirmation.
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Test the complete chain and diagnose failures
Run a test before the real event. Check each link in the chain rather than treating “OBS opened” as proof that viewers can watch.
- OBS does not open from the task: Check that the program path points to the installed
obs64.exe, and set Start in to its containing folder. - OBS opens but does not stream: Confirm the task includes
--startstreaming, and check the selected OBS profile, stream URL and key. - YouTube receives no video or the wrong scene: Verify OBS’s active scene and sources, then check that the event’s encoder URL and key match the ones configured in OBS.
- The task runs but the PC is unavailable: The scheduled launch depends on the computer being on and able to run the task at that time. Check power, network access and the task’s user/session conditions.
- The feed appears in Live Control Room but viewers cannot watch: Check the preview and the event’s privacy setting, and determine whether the event still requires a person to click Go live.
Starting, stopping and closing OBS are different actions. The cited OBS launch-parameter documentation explains how to start streaming; it does not document a corresponding stop-streaming parameter. Do not treat forcibly killing OBS as a clean way to end a YouTube broadcast. End the broadcast through the appropriate controls and verify the event has ended.
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