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If you need the video file itself to contain an audio track, use FFmpeg to add generated silence. If you only need to play the clip in an OBS scene, add it as a Media Source instead; that does not modify the file. YouTube’s cited encoder guidance accepts AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, but does not establish that every live stream must include an audio track.
Choose between changing the file and using an OBS source
| Approach | Changes the original video file? | Best when | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Media Source | No | You want to play a local clip in a scene, with playback controls such as looping or restarting. | Confirm the source’s audio routing and mixer levels in OBS. |
| FFmpeg | It creates a new output file; the input remains unchanged. | A particular playback or streaming setup requires the file to contain an audio stream. | Confirm the output streams, duration, codecs, and container, then play the file. |
Adding a file to OBS does not itself make its audio silent. A video may already contain sound, so inspect and route or mute the source as needed.
Play the video in OBS without editing the file
- In the OBS Sources dock, select +, then choose Media Source.
- Select the local video file. OBS lists MP4, TS, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, GIF, and WebM as supported video types in its Media Sources guide.
- Set whether the source should loop and whether playback should restart when the source becomes active. These controls are documented in the same OBS guide.
- Watch the Audio Mixer while the clip plays. Mute or route the source to suit the scene; if the clip already has sound, it will not become silent just because it is a Media Source.
- Before streaming, test the scene and verify the audio meters. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends checking audio and video settings before going live.
Add a silent audio stream to the video with FFmpeg
FFmpeg’s anullsrc filter provides a null audio source. The command below combines generated stereo silence at 48 kHz with the first video stream from input.mp4:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -f lavfi -i anullsrc=r=48000:cl=stereo -map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0 -c:v copy -c:a aac -shortest output.mp4-i input.mp4reads the original file.-f lavfi -i anullsrc=r=48000:cl=stereogenerates stereo silence at 48 kHz.-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0explicitly selects the first input’s first video stream and the generated second input’s first audio stream. This replaces any original audio in the output rather than carrying it through.-c:v copycopies the video stream without re-encoding it;-c:a aacencodes the silence as AAC.-shortestends the output when the shortest input ends. For files with unusual duration metadata or timestamp behavior, verify the resulting duration rather than assuming it matches the source exactly.
This command combines documented FFmpeg options; it is not a verbatim command from the manual. FFmpeg documents anullsrc options including channel layout, sample rate, and duration. If duration is omitted or negative, it generates audio indefinitely, which is why the example uses -shortest. See the FFmpeg null audio source documentation and FFmpeg stream selection and muxing documentation.
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Check the output before using it
- Use a media inspection tool to confirm the output has one video stream and an AAC audio stream, and check its reported duration.
- Play the file and confirm the picture and silent audio behave as intended.
- If FFmpeg reports a muxing or codec error, check that the chosen container supports the codecs present. Container and codec compatibility can prevent muxing; changing the container alone does not convert an incompatible stream.
The example copies the video stream, so it does not change that stream’s codec. If the target workflow requires a different video codec, copying cannot satisfy that requirement; you would need to choose an appropriate video encoding workflow instead.
Check YouTube audio and test the actual stream
YouTube’s live encoder settings list H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video, and AAC or MP3 audio, for RTMP/RTMPS. The cited guidance does not say a silent audio track is universally mandatory. Treat adding silence as a compatibility workaround only when your playback or streaming setup requires it.
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For RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube recommends 44.1 kHz for stereo audio and 48 kHz for 5.1 audio; its listed audio bitrates are 128 Kbps for stereo and 384 Kbps for 5.1. These are platform recommendations, not guarantees that every encoder or OBS configuration should use the same settings. The FFmpeg example uses 48 kHz stereo as an input to the generated audio track; if you configure audio specifically to match YouTube’s recommendation for stereo, use 44.1 kHz instead.
- In OBS, test a representative scene with the same video movement and audio setup planned for the stream.
- Start a test stream and monitor YouTube’s stream health and any displayed messages before relying on the setup for an event.
- If audio is unexpectedly audible, inspect the source and OBS mixer: the original file may have an audio stream, or another scene source may be contributing audio.
YouTube’s live streaming tips for computers also advise testing the planned setup. OBS’s Audio/Video Formats Guide describes MKV as a flexible recording container that can be remuxed into a more compatible format, and lists AAC as compatible with MP4. Choose a container based on the codecs and the target workflow rather than assuming all combinations are interchangeable.
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