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FFmpeg

How to Keep a YouTube Livestream Running After Closing an SSH Session

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Run the encoder on the remote Linux server inside a named tmux session. Detach from that session before closing SSH; the encoder keeps running on the server, and you can reconnect to its terminal later. This protects against an SSH disconnect, not an encoder crash or server reboot.

Keep the encoder running with tmux

tmux creates a terminal session that remains on the remote host when you disconnect. The important detail is to start tmux after SSHing into the machine that runs the encoder. A tmux session running only on your laptop does not keep a process alive on the server.

  1. Connect to the server. SSH into the Linux host and account where your encoder command will run.
  2. Create or reattach to a named session. Run tmux new-session -A -s youtube-live. The -A option attaches to the named session if it already exists or creates it if it does not. If you are returning to an existing session, inspect its contents before typing so you do not send commands into an unexpected process.
  3. Start the encoder inside tmux. Use your configured encoder command in that terminal. YouTube’s encoder setup calls for the stream URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room; treat the key as a secret and do not publish or expose it.
  4. Check the actual stream. Confirm the encoder is sending media and that YouTube Live Control Room shows the expected incoming preview or status. An open tmux session alone does not prove YouTube is receiving video.
  5. Detach, then close SSH. Press Ctrl+b, release both keys, then press d. You return to the SSH shell while the tmux session and encoder remain on the server. You can now exit SSH or close the local terminal.
  6. Return to the session later. SSH back into the same host as the same account, run tmux list-sessions, then run tmux attach-session -t youtube-live.

The tmux manual documents sessions as surviving an accidental SSH disconnection and describes reattaching with tmux attach (tmux Getting Started). If the named session is missing, first confirm you connected to the same hostname and account; then check whether the host applies policies that terminate user processes at logout.

What closing SSH does—and does not—stop

Detaching from tmux leaves the encoder running in its remote terminal. If you simply close an SSH terminal while a command is attached to it, you should not assume that the process will persist; use tmux’s detach sequence instead.

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tmux is not a service supervisor. It does not, by itself, restart a crashed encoder or guarantee survival through a host reboot, server termination, or host policy that kills user processes. YouTube receives the media from the encoder: its documented setup is to enter the Live Control Room stream URL and key into the encoder and start sending. Stopping the encoder’s content transmission ends the sending side of the stream. YouTube also says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that describes YouTube’s archive behavior, not a guarantee that an encoder will stay healthy for that long (YouTube: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder).

Choose a persistence method for the failure you need to handle

Method Best fit What it does not provide on its own
tmux or another terminal multiplexer Interactive encoder commands, seeing terminal output, and reconnecting to the same session after SSH drops Restart after an encoder crash or protection from host reboot or termination
Detached command such as nohup A simple non-interactive command when you do not need to reattach to its terminal The interactive session and recovery features of a configured service manager; comparative reliability for this use case is not established here
systemd service Unattended operation where startup policy, service status, logs, and configured restart behavior matter A guarantee of network or YouTube availability; configuration and restart behavior must be validated on the target host

If you need recovery after a process failure or reboot, configure a service manager such as systemd with an appropriate restart policy, logging, and monitoring. A public project demonstrates running FFmpeg under systemd, but it is an implementation example, not a guarantee for every Linux host (FFmpeg under systemd example). No reliability percentage or universal ranking among these methods is established by the cited documentation.

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Use YouTube’s stream connection settings safely

Get the stream URL and key from YouTube Live Control Room and configure the encoder with those values. YouTube documents RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL and directs creators to retrieve the RTMPS URL from Live Control Room (YouTube Help: Encrypt your stream using RTMPS). Google’s developer guide specifies the rtmps scheme, an approved ingestion endpoint, port 443, and the hostname used for SNI authentication (YouTube Live RTMPS ingestion). Use the endpoint supplied for your stream rather than guessing or reconstructing a URL, and keep the key private.

Troubleshoot a stream that stops or cannot be reattached

  • The stream stopped when the terminal closed: The encoder may not have been started inside a remote tmux session, or you may have closed the attached SSH shell instead of detaching. Reconnect and check tmux list-sessions; start the encoder inside a named remote session if needed.
  • tmux attach-session cannot find the session: Verify the hostname and account. Check whether the server rebooted, terminated the process, or applies logout policies that kill user processes.
  • The session exists but YouTube has no incoming video: Check the encoder output and verify that the configured Live Control Room URL and key are correct. Confirm the encoder is actually transmitting, not merely running.
  • The encoder exited or stopped sending: tmux preserves a terminal session; it does not restart a failed program. Inspect the encoder output and logs, then configure and validate a service manager if automatic restart is required.
  • The stream is not encrypted: Where supported, select RTMPS and use the URL provided in Live Control Room. RTMPS is YouTube’s secure RTMP option.
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