You can run a prerecorded video as a continuous YouTube Live stream by looping the file with FFmpeg and sending it to the ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. The example below is a starting point for an H.264, 1080p30 stream; match the bitrate and keyframe interval to your actual video and YouTube’s current encoder guidance, then test the complete setup before relying on it.
What you need before starting
- A YouTube channel enabled for live streaming. YouTube may require live streaming to be enabled on the account before you can create an event.
- A source. The command below loops a prerecorded video file. A live camera or other live input needs a different FFmpeg input configuration.
- A computer or server that can stay on with FFmpeg running, the source file available, and a stable internet connection.
- An FFmpeg build with the required components. The example uses the
libx264video encoder, AAC audio, and FLV/RTMP output. Check your installed build supports them.
For continuous operation, FFmpeg must keep running and the host must remain powered and connected. The command alone does not supervise FFmpeg, restart a failed process or host, or guarantee an uninterrupted broadcast.
Get the YouTube stream URL and key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to the Live Control Room. Create or select a live stream.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for the stream. Use the current ingest details YouTube provides rather than guessing or reusing an old destination.
- Keep the key private: it authorizes an encoder to send video to your stream. Do not publish it in a script, screenshot, repository, or log. If it is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube Studio.
Configure FFmpeg to loop a prerecorded file
Use this illustrative command as a starting point. Replace input.mp4 with your file and the quoted destination with the ingest URL and key from YouTube Studio:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4
-c:v libx264 -b:v 5000k -maxrate 5000k -bufsize 10000k
-g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv 'rtmp://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'-rereads the file at its native playback rate instead of sending it as fast as the computer can process it.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely. It is an input option, so it appears before-i.-c:v libx264encodes video as H.264. The example sets a 5,000 kb/s target and maximum rate, with a 10,000 kb buffer.-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP/keyframe interval. This is two seconds only at 30 frames per second; set it to roughly twice the actual frame rate for YouTube’s recommended two-second interval.-c:a aac -b:a 128kencodes AAC audio at 128 kb/s.-f flvpackages the output for RTMP publishing. YouTube recommends RTMPS, the secure extension to RTMP; use the secure ingest URL supplied by YouTube when available and ensure the output format and FFmpeg build support it.
The 5 Mbps video setting is an illustrative value, not a universal recommendation. YouTube’s published H.264 recommendations include 14 Mbps for 1080p30, 17 Mbps for 1080p60, and 8 Mbps for both 720p30 and 720p60. Select a value for your codec, resolution, frame rate, and available upload capacity. If your connection cannot sustain the recommended rate with headroom, lower the resolution or frame rate rather than assuming an unstable connection will work.
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FFmpeg processes input and output options in order, and builds differ in the encoders and protocols they include. Treat this as a template: check the installed FFmpeg help/build configuration and test the exact command with your file and ingest destination.
Choose video, audio, and connection settings
Video codec, rate, and keyframes
YouTube’s live encoder settings support H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 ingest over RTMP/RTMPS, up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a keyframe interval of two seconds, and says not to exceed four seconds. For H.264, its representative bitrate guidance is:
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| Resolution and frame rate | YouTube-recommended H.264 bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s published recommendations, not guarantees of image quality or measured results. Source detail, motion, encoder capacity, and connection stability affect the result. YouTube transcodes incoming live video into viewing formats. HDR has separate requirements; do not apply the SDR example settings to an HDR workflow without checking YouTube’s HDR guidance.
Audio
YouTube’s guidance for stereo audio lists AAC or MP3 and recommends 128 kb/s at a 44.1 kHz sample rate. The example specifies AAC and bitrate but leaves sample-rate handling to FFmpeg’s input and encoder defaults. If you need to force a rate, add -ar 44100 to the audio output options and verify the resulting audio in the stream preview.
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Upload capacity
YouTube recommends leaving 20% bandwidth headroom and accounting for both primary and backup stream bitrates where applicable. Check real upload performance, not just the plan’s advertised speed. A bitrate that fits only when the connection is idle can still produce dropped frames or interruptions during normal network use.
Start the stream and verify it
- Run the FFmpeg command and watch its output for connection errors, encoder failures, or repeated reconnects.
- In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, wait for the incoming stream preview. Confirm the picture, motion, and sound before making the event public.
- Choose Go live when the preview is correct if the event is not configured to start automatically. YouTube’s live settings include auto-start and auto-stop controls; check their state for the event you created.
- Test playback on the channel or watch page and, where relevant, on a mobile device. Continue monitoring stream health, audio, and video after going live.
- If you need a local recording, verify that it is being written and that storage is available. The looping publish command above does not create a recording file.
Run a trial before depending on a public 24/7 broadcast. An unlisted or private test, where appropriate for your channel and event, can expose ingest, audio, pacing, and connection problems without treating a one-off successful start as proof of long-term reliability.
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Plan for failures and the YouTube archive limit
A 24/7 transmission is longer than YouTube’s stated 12-hour automatic-archive window. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived; streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. If you need a replay, arrange and verify an independent local or remote recording and rotation plan rather than relying on YouTube to save the entire broadcast as one video.
For an always-on FFmpeg setup, decide how you will handle process exits, host restarts, power loss, network outages, and a full disk. FFmpeg’s looping option only repeats the input while the process is running; it is not a process supervisor or failover system. Monitoring and restart behavior, a backup connection or host, and recording rotation require separate operational choices. YouTube recommends testing, monitoring, and sufficient upload capacity, but neither a continuously running command nor a stable test guarantees zero downtime.
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Troubleshooting common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg cannot connect or YouTube shows no incoming video | Incorrect ingest URL or key, live streaming not enabled, or an unsupported output/protocol configuration. | Copy the current URL and key from the correct Live Control Room stream, confirm live access is enabled, and check that your FFmpeg build supports the chosen encoder and transport. |
| Video appears but is choppy or stream health degrades | Upload capacity is insufficient or inconsistent, or bitrate settings exceed what the connection can sustain. | Check actual upload performance, preserve YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom, and reduce resolution, frame rate, or bitrate as needed. |
| Keyframe interval warning or poor seeking | The GOP duration does not match the frame rate or exceeds YouTube’s guidance. | Set the GOP to about two seconds of frames—for example, 60 at 30 fps—and do not exceed a four-second interval. |
| FFmpeg exits when the source ends | The loop option is missing, incorrectly placed, or the process failed for another reason. | Put -stream_loop -1 before the input’s -i option, inspect FFmpeg’s error output, and arrange separate supervision if the process must restart after failure. |
| There is no sound, or audio is out of sync | The input may lack an audio track, the selected stream may not be suitable, or encoding settings may not match the source. | Inspect the source streams, confirm AAC output, and verify audio in the YouTube preview during a test. |
| The 24/7 broadcast has no complete replay | The stream exceeded YouTube’s automatic-archive duration and may not have been captured. | Use and test an independent recording plan if retaining the full broadcast is important. |
Copyright and channel-policy checks
Only stream material you have permission to broadcast, including music, footage, and any embedded third-party content. A file looping correctly does not establish that it is cleared for YouTube Live. Review YouTube’s current copyright and live-stream policies before broadcasting, and do not assume that a long-running or prerecorded stream qualifies for monetization or complies with channel rules merely because the encoder accepts it.
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