To loop a video on YouTube Live with FFmpeg, use -stream_loop -1 to repeat the input forever and -re to read it at normal playback speed, then send the encoded output to the stream URL and key from YouTube Live Control Room. The command below is a starting point for a 1080p30 H.264/AAC stream; test it privately or as unlisted before relying on it for a broadcast.
What you need before starting
- An FFmpeg build that can read your video and encode H.264 with
libx264, plus AAC audio. - A video file you have the right to broadcast.
- A YouTube channel eligible to live stream. YouTube says channels must be verified and have no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days; its current eligibility guidance also sets the minimum age to live stream at 16. See YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility guidance.
- The stream URL and stream key for the selected broadcast, copied from Live Control Room. Keep the key private: YouTube describes stream keys as password-like credentials. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- A stable upload connection with enough capacity for the video bitrate and headroom for normal network variation.
Set up the YouTube stream
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select the live stream you intend to use.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream. Treat the key as a password; do not place it in a public script repository, screenshot, or chat.
- Use Live Control Room’s preview to confirm FFmpeg is reaching YouTube. For a scheduled stream, select Go live after the preview is ready. Starting FFmpeg sends the feed, but it does not necessarily make the broadcast public by itself.
Run FFmpeg with an infinite input loop
Replace the file path, ingest URL, and key below with your own values:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "/path/to/video.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 14M -minrate 14M -maxrate 14M -bufsize 28M -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "rtmp://YOUR_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"-stream_loop -1 is an input option; FFmpeg defines -1 as infinite looping. -re reads the input at its native pace, which is useful when sending file content to a live output. Both options appear before -i because FFmpeg options generally apply to the next input or output file. The loop repeats the file from its beginning; it does not create new footage or alter the source.
What the encoding settings mean
-c:v libx264selects H.264 video encoding, and-preset veryfasttrades some compression efficiency for less encoding work.-b:v 14Msets the target video bitrate. The sample follows YouTube’s recommendation for H.264 at 1080p30; YouTube lists 5 Mbps as the minimum for that format. These are YouTube recommendations, not guarantees that a particular connection or source will work.-minrate 14M -maxrate 14Mset equal minimum and maximum rates for a CBR-style configuration. YouTube recommends CBR.-bufsize 28Msets the encoder buffer value in this example.-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP. At 30 frames per second, that is a two-second keyframe interval. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe frequency and says not to exceed four seconds.-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100encodes AAC audio at 128 kbps and 44.1 kHz.-f flvselects FLV output for the RTMP-style ingest address in the example.
See YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for its codec and bitrate recommendations. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport when supported by the ingest workflow; use the secure ingest address supplied for your stream if available, rather than assuming every stream uses the example’s RTMP address.
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Adjust quality to the source and connection
The command is a template, not a tested configuration for every file, FFmpeg build, or computer. Its bitrate and GOP assume a 30 fps 1080p output. If your source has a different frame rate, unusual audio, or does not encode cleanly, adjust the output settings while preserving YouTube’s applicable recommendations. In particular, -g 60 means two seconds only at 30 fps; set the GOP to approximately two seconds’ worth of frames for a different output frame rate.
For H.264 at 1080p30, YouTube’s current encoder-settings guidance lists a recommended 14 Mbps video bitrate and a 5 Mbps minimum. A lower resolution can be a better fit when upload capacity is limited; use the bitrate recommendation for the resolution and frame rate you actually output. YouTube’s streaming tips recommend allowing approximately 20% more upload bandwidth than the total streaming bitrate and testing before broadcast. Check YouTube’s streaming tips and the encoder-settings page for current guidance.
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Test, publish, and stop the broadcast
- Run the command and wait for the incoming feed to appear in Live Control Room.
- Inspect the preview for audio, motion, framing, and unexpected black frames or silence. Check YouTube’s stream health while the test is running.
- Use a private or unlisted test before a public broadcast. YouTube recommends testing and monitoring the stream, with upload bandwidth headroom.
- When the preview and stream health look right, use Go live in Live Control Room if the scheduled stream requires it.
- To finish, stop the FFmpeg process and end the broadcast in Live Control Room as appropriate for the stream’s settings. Follow YouTube’s encoder workflow for the stream/encoder stop sequence.
Copyright and documentary footage
Only loop footage and audio you are allowed to broadcast. A video being prerecorded, publicly viewable, or documentary in style does not by itself establish that you have permission to rebroadcast it. Check rights for every component, including music, archival clips, narration, and images, and review YouTube’s applicable policies before scheduling a long-running stream. A stream can have valid technical settings and still be interrupted or restricted for rights or channel-policy reasons.
Troubleshooting common failures
No preview appears in Live Control Room
- Check that the URL and key belong to the selected stream and were copied without missing characters or extra spaces.
- Confirm the channel is eligible to live stream and that FFmpeg is still running without an input or connection error.
- Keep the stream key private; if it may have been exposed, replace it in Live Control Room and update the command.
The stream buffers or reports poor health
- Compare available upload capacity with the total streaming bitrate and leave the approximately 20% margin YouTube recommends.
- Lower the output resolution or bitrate to match the connection, then test again. Do not assume the sample’s 14 Mbps is right for another resolution or frame rate.
- Check the connection and monitor stream health rather than relying only on FFmpeg continuing to run.
Video or audio does not encode as expected
- Confirm the FFmpeg build includes the requested encoders and can read the input file.
- If the file has unusual audio or a different frame rate, adapt the output settings and check the preview before going public.
- Verify that the keyframe interval corresponds to the output frame rate; the sample’s 60 frames represent two seconds at 30 fps.
The stream reaches YouTube but is not public
FFmpeg sending a feed and YouTube publishing the broadcast are separate steps. Check the preview, then use Live Control Room’s Go live control when required by the selected stream setup.
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