The Tool Desk
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What OBS WebSocket controls—and what it does not
OBS WebSocket is a control interface for OBS. External tools can use it to change scenes and sources or automate OBS actions. OBS says the built-in WebSocket system has been included since OBS Studio 28; its Remote Control Guide lists compatible clients such as Streamer.bot, Macro Deck, Touch Portal, and OBS Blade. That list identifies options, not an endorsement of their features or commercial terms.
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The YouTube stream URL and stream key serve a different purpose: they tell the encoder where to send video and allow YouTube to accept it. OBS WebSocket does not provide those ingest credentials, start a YouTube broadcast by itself, or keep an encoder connection healthy. You configure the OBS control connection and the YouTube ingest connection separately.
Find and secure the OBS WebSocket settings
- Use OBS Studio 28 or newer if possible. WebSocket is included by default in that release line. Older OBS versions may require the separate plugin; check the obs-websocket project README for version-specific information.
- Open Tools → obs-websocket Settings. Confirm that the WebSocket server is enabled. The settings dialog is where you can check the port and authentication configuration.
- Keep authentication enabled and set a strong password. OBS recommends password protection. Treat this password as an administrative credential: a connected client can control OBS scenes and sources.
- Record the configured port. For WebSocket 5.x, the default is 4455. If you change it, configure the client to use the new port; the client must also use the correct OBS host and password.
- Limit who can connect. Use trusted clients and networks, and do not disclose the password to an untrusted service. Do not expose the OBS WebSocket port publicly. OBS documentation recommends a password but does not prescribe one universal remote-access network design.
Connect a remote-control client
Choose a compatible application or build an integration using the WebSocket interface. Configure it with the address of the computer running OBS, the port shown in OBS, and the authentication password. Follow that client’s own connection instructions; labels and workflows differ by application. Start with a client on a trusted network and verify that it can connect before relying on automation.
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For access from outside your local network, the reviewed OBS guidance does not establish a universal safe network setup. Do not solve that problem by making the OBS port publicly reachable. Use a network-access method you understand and can secure, and keep the WebSocket password private.
Configure the YouTube loop stream separately
- Prepare the scene in OBS. Add and arrange the sources needed for the stream. A looped video is configured as an OBS media/source workflow; remote control can operate scenes and sources, but the exact loop or playlist procedure depends on the source and setup. Do not assume WebSocket itself creates or schedules a looping playlist.
- Choose or create the YouTube live stream. In YouTube Studio, select the appropriate live-stream workflow. YouTube’s steps differ for instant and scheduled streams; see Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- Set up ingest in OBS. Enter YouTube’s stream URL and stream key in OBS’s streaming settings, or select YouTube if that option is available in your OBS setup. These are encoder settings, not WebSocket settings.
- Start the encoder feed and complete any YouTube action required. Start streaming from OBS. Depending on whether the stream is instant or scheduled, use YouTube Live Control Room and perform the manual Go live action if the workflow calls for it.
- Test the full path. Confirm the intended OBS scene and source are active, OBS is sending the feed, and the broadcast is live in YouTube. Test remote scene/source control as well as the YouTube broadcast before leaving the setup unattended.
A YouTube stream key functions like a password for the encoder feed. Keep it private. If it is compromised, reset it in Live Control Room and update the key in OBS; changing the YouTube key without updating the encoder will prevent OBS from sending with the replacement credential. See Manage live stream settings.
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Troubleshoot control and streaming separately
The client cannot connect to OBS
- Confirm the WebSocket server is enabled in Tools → obs-websocket Settings.
- Check that the client is using the OBS computer’s correct host address and the port currently configured in OBS. Port 4455 is the WebSocket 5.x default, not a guarantee that a particular setup still uses it.
- Check the password and authentication configuration. A wrong password or mismatched settings can prevent the client from connecting.
- Confirm the client is compatible with the installed OBS/WebSocket version, and that network rules allow the trusted client to reach OBS. Do not disable authentication or expose the port publicly as a workaround.
The client connects but the scene or source does not behave as expected
- Verify that the intended scene or source exists and is available in the OBS setup.
- Check the client’s selected action and target. A connected client controls OBS; it does not automatically configure a media source to loop or create a YouTube playlist.
- Test the action while watching OBS before depending on unattended automation.
YouTube is not receiving a stable stream
WebSocket control does not repair ingest interruptions. OBS attributes dropped frames or disconnections to an unstable connection or an inability to sustain the bitrate. Follow the separate OBS Stream Connection Troubleshooting guidance to investigate the network, server, and bitrate. Also verify that OBS has the current YouTube stream URL and key and that the YouTube live workflow has completed any required manual step.
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