For a temporary interruption to an HTTP input, FFmpeg can retry the connection: put its HTTP reconnect options before the input’s -i. For a YouTube stream, that only retries the current media URL. If the URL expires or the livestream ends, FFmpeg cannot use those flags to obtain a fresh URL; the extraction step or a supervising process must handle that separately.
Reconnect a temporary HTTP interruption
Start with this pattern when the input is an HTTP-based stream and you want FFmpeg to retry after a disconnect:
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-reconnect_max_retries 100
-i "$INPUT_URL"
-c copy output.mkvThese are FFmpeg HTTP protocol options, not universal reconnect switches for every input protocol. Place them before the relevant -i; with multiple inputs, scope each option to the input it is intended to configure. The example bounds the maximum reconnect delay at 30 seconds and the retries at 100. Adjust those limits to match the outage window and operating policy; a retry loop should not run indefinitely without oversight. See the FFmpeg protocol documentation.
What each option does
-reconnect 1enables reconnect attempts after a disconnect before EOF.-reconnect_streamed 1allows retries for streamed or non-seekable inputs.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and attempts reconnection. FFmpeg describes this as useful for live or endless streams. It is appropriate only if EOF should mean interruption rather than a normal end.-reconnect_delay_max 30caps the reconnect delay at 30 seconds in this example.-reconnect_max_retries 100caps attempts in this example. Choose a limit that fits your use case.
The flags address a dropped HTTP connection to the same URL. They do not guarantee uninterrupted recording, preserve a particular output file through every failure, or refresh a YouTube media URL.
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Know which recovery problem you have
| What happened | Recovery layer |
|---|---|
| Brief network interruption, and the same HTTP URL still works | Try FFmpeg’s HTTP reconnect options. |
| The input returns EOF but the source is meant to remain live | Use -reconnect_at_eof 1 to make EOF retryable. |
| The media URL expired, access was rejected, the live event ended, or YouTube extraction failed | Retrying the existing URL may repeat the same error. Re-run the extraction step to obtain a usable source, if available. |
| The FFmpeg process exits repeatedly | Use an outer supervisor with bounded restart delays and a maximum retry policy. Log exit codes and stderr so a permanent failure or ended event is distinguishable from a transient retry. |
FFmpeg’s documented reconnect options apply to protocol-level reconnection; they do not promise to retrieve a fresh YouTube URL. Treat URL refresh as a separate extraction or orchestration task. See the yt-dlp project documentation for its external downloader and livestream-related options.
Pass reconnect options through yt-dlp
yt-dlp documents selecting FFmpeg as an external downloader and supplying downloader-specific arguments. This is a starting form for a YouTube watch URL:
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yt-dlp
--downloader ffmpeg
--downloader-args 'ffmpeg_i:-reconnect 1 -reconnect_streamed 1 -reconnect_at_eof 1 -reconnect_delay_max 30'
'YOUTUBE_WATCH_URL'Check the installed version’s interface with yt-dlp --help, then inspect verbose logs to verify which downloader arguments are passed. The project’s interface can evolve, and this command is not guaranteed to recover from every YouTube live failure. --live-from-start is a separate option for downloading a livestream from its beginning; it is not a reconnect switch. See the yt-dlp live-stream options.
Troubleshoot a stream that still stops
- Confirm the protocol. These flags concern FFmpeg’s HTTP protocol. Check the input type before assuming they apply.
- Check option placement. Put the reconnect options before the
-ifor the input they configure. If there are multiple inputs, position the options for the correct one. - Read the error and exit status. A temporary connection reset differs from an HTTP rejection, expired media URL, unavailable livestream, or extraction failure.
- Check whether the URL is still usable. If retries keep returning the same error, reacquire the media URL through the extraction step, if possible, or restart the supervising process. Repeating requests to an unusable URL may not help.
- Plan for output continuity. Choose a seekable or interruption-tolerant output format appropriate to the workflow, and keep partial files if you need to recover interrupted recordings. No one output container is established as best for every YouTube recording workflow.
- Keep retries observable and bounded. Record stderr and exit codes, and set a maximum delay and attempt policy. A retry is not proof that the live source remains available.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep uploaded videos looping as a YouTube live stream, rather than record a YouTube livestream with FFmpeg, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. Learn about StreamNeo or start your free day.
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