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What `-c copy` does—and what it cannot do
In FFmpeg, copy is an output codec choice that passes a selected stream through without re-encoding it. That avoids encoding work and preserves the compressed stream, but it also preserves the stream’s encoded properties. Copying cannot convert a codec, change resolution or frame rate, set a new bitrate, or create a different keyframe pattern. If the source does not meet a requirement, stream copy cannot make it compliant.
Compatibility depends on the source video and audio, the output container and protocol, and the stream’s timing. “It plays on my computer” is not enough to establish that it is suitable for YouTube Live ingest.
When stream copy can work
Copy is a reasonable option when inspection confirms that the source’s selected audio and video streams are accepted by the chosen output path and meet the relevant YouTube ingest expectations. YouTube’s RTMP/RTMPS guidance, accessed October 3, 2026, lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 video, up to 60 fps, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. It lists AAC or MP3 audio; 5.1 surround is supported only with AAC over RTMP/RTMPS. Advanced audio guidance recommends stereo, 44.1 kHz, and 128 kbps. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
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Those are ingest guidelines, not properties FFmpeg will impose when copying. Confirm the actual source characteristics, including keyframe spacing and audio, before choosing this path.
Inspect the file before sending it
Use ffprobe to examine the streams, then compare the results with the output container and YouTube’s settings. For example:
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ffprobe -v error -show_streams -show_format input.mp4Check at least:
- Video codec, resolution, and frame rate.
- Keyframe spacing. A copied stream retains its existing keyframes; it cannot be given a new two-second cadence without encoding.
- Audio codec, channel layout, sample rate, and bitrate.
- Container and timestamps, especially if playback or the loop boundary behaves unexpectedly.
For H.264, YouTube’s guidance accessed October 3, 2026 lists 1080p30 at 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended; 1080p60 at 6 Mbps minimum and 17 Mbps recommended; and 720p30 at 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended. These figures apply to those H.264 resolution/frame-rate rows only. Do not apply them to other codecs or settings, or assume a copied source has the right bitrate because its resolution matches.
Send a compatible file to YouTube Live
The exact FFmpeg output options depend on the source, output format, and YouTube ingest address shown for your stream. There is no single copy command guaranteed to work for arbitrary files. Once you have confirmed compatibility, the general pattern is to map the intended streams, copy them, pace file input in real time, and send the output to the appropriate RTMPS ingest address:
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ffmpeg -re -i input.mp4 -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 -c copy -f flv "YOUR_YOUTUBE_RTMPS_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"This is a pattern, not a promise that every MP4, audio stream, or ingest configuration will work. Replace the destination with the RTMPS address and stream key YouTube provides for your live stream; do not publish or share the key. Confirm that the chosen output muxer accepts the source streams. If the file has no audio, a different stream layout, or streams that the output cannot carry, adjust the mapping or choose another method rather than copying the example blindly.
FFmpeg’s -re reads input at its native frame rate; it is equivalent to -readrate 1. It paces a file as a real-time source, but does not convert streams, change keyframes, or fix incompatibility. FFmpeg documents input pacing and option behavior.
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Why the loop may fail or look wrong
Investigate the actual file and output path instead of assuming that one symptom has one universal cause. Common diagnostic categories include:
- Codec or container mismatch: the copied stream is not accepted by the selected muxer or YouTube ingest path. Copying does not convert it.
- Unsuitable keyframe cadence or bitrate: the source’s encoded settings do not meet the relevant ingest guidance. Copying preserves them.
- Audio mismatch or missing audio: the selected audio stream may be absent, mapped incorrectly, or unsuitable for the protocol.
- Pacing or timestamp trouble: a file read too quickly, or with problematic timing, may not behave like a steady live source.
-repaces file input; it is not a general timestamp repair. - Loop-boundary discontinuity: the end and beginning of a particular file may not join cleanly, or its timestamps may behave poorly on repetition. The official references cited here do not guarantee seamless looping for arbitrary MP4 or MKV inputs.
FFmpeg’s documented GIF loop options are specific to the GIF demuxer; they are not a general recipe for looping arbitrary video files. Test the intended file and repeat boundary using the exact output format and delivery path.
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When to re-encode instead
Re-encode the affected stream when it needs a codec conversion, a different resolution or frame rate, a controlled bitrate, or a new keyframe structure. Encoding gives you control over those properties, at the cost of processing work and possible quality loss. That trade-off is a general technical consideration, not a measured performance comparison. If only one stream is unsuitable, investigate whether only that stream needs encoding; do not expect -c copy on that stream to make the change.
Test and troubleshoot the live output
- Use the intended ingest protocol. YouTube recommends RTMPS for RTMP-based delivery. RTMPS secures the transport; it does not guarantee an uninterrupted connection.
- Start with representative material. Include movement and audio like the content you plan to stream. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and motion.
- Watch YouTube’s stream health and status. Check the live control room feedback while testing, rather than treating a running FFmpeg process as proof that YouTube is receiving a healthy stream.
- Test across a full repeat. Observe the transition from the end of the file to its beginning and check for stalls, discontinuities, missing audio, or ingest warnings.
- Change the method when the bitstream is the problem. If the source needs different encoded characteristics, re-encode the affected stream and retest; pacing alone will not fix it.
YouTube’s Live Streaming API documents primary and backup ingest addresses and stream status/health fields. A backup address is an alternate destination; its existence does not establish that an FFmpeg process will automatically reconnect or resume. See the LiveStreams API documentation.
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