Launch OBS Studio Minimized to System Tray

This article explains how to launch OBS Studio minimized directly to your system tray using command-line arguments. You will learn the exact command-line flag to use, how to apply it to your OBS Studio shortcut, and the essential internal settings required to ensure the application hides in the tray rather than the taskbar.

To launch OBS Studio in a minimized state, you need to use the --startminimized command-line argument. When this flag is applied, OBS Studio will bypass the main window display on startup and run quietly in the background.

Step 1: Configure OBS Studio Settings

For the command-line argument to successfully send OBS Studio to the system tray rather than just minimizing it to the taskbar, you must enable the system tray option within the application:

  1. Open OBS Studio.
  2. Go to Settings (located in the bottom right or under the File menu).
  3. In the General tab, locate the System Tray section.
  4. Check the box for Enable.
  5. Check the box for Always minimize to system tray instead of task bar.
  6. Click Apply and then OK.

Step 2: Apply the Command-Line Argument in Windows

Once the internal settings are configured, you can set up your shortcut to launch the application minimized:

  1. Right-click on your OBS Studio shortcut on your desktop or start menu and select Properties.
  2. Navigate to the Shortcut tab.
  3. Locate the Target field. It will look similar to this: "C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe"
  4. Add a space at the end of the path, followed by --startminimized.
  5. The complete target path should look like this: "C:\Program Files\obs-studio\bin\64bit\obs64.exe" --startminimized
  6. Click Apply and then OK.

Step 3: Launching via Command Prompt or Terminal

If you prefer to launch OBS Studio directly from the command line, run your terminal of choice and execute the executable path along with the flag:

obs64.exe --startminimized

Using this configuration ensures that OBS Studio starts silently upon boot or manual launch, keeping your workspace clutter-free while remaining ready to record or stream.