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For a typical YouTube Live stream, use constant bitrate (CBR), choose YouTube’s recommended bitrate for your codec, resolution, and frame rate, and set a keyframe every two seconds. In FFmpeg, that usually means setting -g to twice the frame rate: -g 60 at 30 fps or -g 120 at 60 fps. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Test with representative video and audio, then watch YouTube’s stream-health messages.
Recommended FFmpeg settings for YouTube Live
For a straightforward SDR setup, H.264 video, AAC stereo audio, CBR, and RTMPS are a practical starting point. YouTube also accepts H.265 and AV1 for ingestion; its guidance recommends H.265 for HDR and says AV1 is not supported for HDR. Confirm that your FFmpeg build and chosen encoder support the options you use.
| Setting | Starting point | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Ingest protocol | RTMPS | Use the ingest address and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. |
| Video codec | H.264 for a basic SDR stream | YouTube’s current encoder guidance also lists H.265 and AV1 ingestion. |
| Rate control | CBR | Encoder controls vary. For the x264 example below, target, minimum, and maximum rates are set to the same value. |
| Keyframe interval | 2 seconds; do not exceed 4 seconds | At 30 fps, use a 60-frame GOP; at 60 fps, use a 120-frame GOP. |
| Stereo audio | AAC, 128 kbps, 44.1 kHz | YouTube lists AAC or MP3. For 5.1 audio over RTMP/RTMPS, it supports AAC only. |
| SDR color | Rec. 709, 8-bit | These are YouTube’s recommended advanced settings for SDR. |
The bitrate values below are YouTube-published recommendations, not a guarantee of quality or proof that your internet connection can sustain the stream. YouTube advises choosing a quality your connection can reliably support and checking upload capacity with a speed test. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance gives the current recommendations.
What bitrate should I use for YouTube Live?
Match the bitrate to the incoming codec, resolution, and frame rate. These are YouTube’s recommended H.264 ingestion rates on its encoder settings page, checked October 3, 2026. They are recommendations, not minimums; the same page lists separate minimum values.
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| Resolution and frame rate | Recommended H.264 video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 2160p (4K) at 60 fps | 50 Mbps |
| 2160p (4K) at 30 fps | 42 Mbps |
| 1440p at 60 fps | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p at 30 fps | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 480p at 30 fps | 4 Mbps |
| 360p at 30 fps | 4 Mbps |
Codec choice can change the recommended rate. For example, YouTube lists 12 Mbps for AV1/H.265 at 1080p60 and 10 Mbps for AV1/H.265 at 1080p30, compared with 17 Mbps and 14 Mbps respectively for H.264. Check YouTube’s table for the exact mode you plan to send rather than carrying a bitrate across codecs or frame rates.
Choose a rate your connection can hold
A bitrate target is useful only if the encoder and upload connection can sustain it. If the outgoing stream is unstable, reduce the resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to a mode that is reliable rather than assuming a higher target will improve the delivered picture. Leave capacity for audio and normal network variation, and test the actual upload path before an important broadcast.
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How do I set keyframes in FFmpeg?
FFmpeg’s -g option sets the GOP size in frames for encoders that honor the standard option. For a two-second interval, multiply the frame rate by two: 30 fps × 2 seconds = 60 frames; 60 fps × 2 seconds = 120 frames. The encoder may have implementation-specific behavior, so check the help for the encoder in your installed build.
- 30 fps: use
-g 60for a two-second GOP. - 60 fps: use
-g 120for a two-second GOP. - Maximum interval: keep keyframes no more than four seconds apart, as YouTube recommends.
For x264, -keyint_min sets the minimum keyframe interval, while -sc_threshold 0 disables scene-cut keyframes in this example to keep cadence predictable. Whether these options behave as intended depends on the selected encoder and FFmpeg build. YouTube’s encoder documentation specifies the timing target; the FFmpeg codecs documentation describes encoder options and GOP controls.
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Example: H.264 1080p30 with FFmpeg
This is an illustrative starting command for 1080p30 H.264 using the YouTube-recommended video bitrate for that mode. It has not been run or tested. Replace the placeholders with your input and the RTMPS ingest address and key provided by YouTube.
ffmpeg -re -i INPUT \
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency \
-b:v 14M -minrate 14M -maxrate 14M -bufsize 28M \
-g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 \
-pix_fmt yuv420p \
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 \
-f flv "rtmps://INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY"- Confirm the input and encoder. Replace
INPUTwith the source file or input URL. Check that your FFmpeg build includes thelibx264encoder; runffmpeg -h encoder=libx264locally to inspect its supported options. - Use YouTube’s exact ingest details. Replace
INGEST_URLandSTREAM_KEYwith the values for your selected YouTube ingest. Treat the stream key like a password: do not publish it, share it, or leave it visible in screenshots or logs. - Match the command to the actual output. This example’s
-g 60assumes 30 fps. For 60 fps, a two-second GOP is 120 frames, and the video bitrate must be selected for the desired resolution, frame rate, and codec rather than copied from the 1080p30 example. - Send a test before the real stream. Use a representative clip with similar motion and audio, start the stream, and check YouTube Live Control Room’s stream-health messages before relying on the setup.
The command is not universal: input format, FFmpeg build, encoder availability, hardware, and the selected YouTube ingest endpoint can require changes. The FFmpeg documentation explains the available codec controls, while YouTube’s encoder settings page supplies the target bitrate and keyframe timing guidance.
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Test the stream and troubleshoot health warnings
YouTube Help advises testing before going live with audio and video movement similar to the planned stream. During a test and broadcast, check stream health rather than assuming the command line guarantees a healthy ingest. YouTube’s Live Streaming API diagnostics include bitrate, GOP cadence, open-GOP, codec, missing audio/video, and primary/backup stream-property issues.
| Symptom or health warning | Likely issue | What to check or change |
|---|---|---|
| Bitrate too low or unstable | The encoder target or upload path is not delivering a reliable rate. | Verify encoder rate-control settings and upload capacity. Reduce resolution, frame rate, or bitrate if the connection cannot sustain the selected mode. |
| Bitrate too high | The outgoing rate exceeds the target for the selected mode or ingest. | Check the codec/resolution/frame-rate recommendation and encoder rate controls. |
| Keyframes too far apart or GOP too long | The encoder’s keyframe cadence does not meet the requested interval. | Check frame rate, -g, and whether the encoder honors the option. Target two seconds and do not exceed four. |
| Open GOP | The stream uses an open GOP, which YouTube health diagnostics identify as unsupported. | Inspect the selected encoder’s GOP controls and configure a closed GOP if the encoder exposes that setting. |
| Missing audio or video | The input, mapping, codec, or audio/video encoder may not be producing the expected track. | Check the FFmpeg input and output stream mapping and confirm that the expected tracks are present in the outgoing stream. |
| Unsupported video codec | The selected output codec is not supported for the ingest configuration. | Check YouTube’s current codec guidance and confirm the output codec and ingest method match. |
| Primary and backup stream properties do not match | The two feeds differ in properties YouTube expects to align. | Compare their codec, resolution, frame rate, and other output settings. |
For RTMPS, use the stream address and key supplied by YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube’s API also documents RTMP/RTMPS, HLS, and DASH as ingestion types; the address and stream name/key depend on the method selected. A wired Ethernet connection can help diagnose a problematic compatible setup, but it is not a required FFmpeg setting.
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For the specific health diagnostic names and meanings, see Google’s LiveStreams API documentation, last updated September 14, 2026.
Copyright and reused content still apply to live streams
Correct bitrate and keyframe settings do not establish that you have permission to broadcast your material. Before streaming a documentary, soundtrack, archival footage, or other third-party material, make sure you have the necessary rights for a live broadcast on YouTube. A technically healthy stream can still be interrupted or restricted for rights or policy reasons. For streams built from prerecorded material, review YouTube’s copyright and monetization rules as well as the permissions attached to each element; technical compliance is not a substitute for rights clearance.
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