Use Windows Task Scheduler to launch a known-good FFmpeg script at startup. Choose an At startup trigger if it should run before anyone signs in, or At log on if the video source needs an interactive desktop session. This starts the encoder; for a scheduled YouTube broadcast, you may still need to click Go live in YouTube Live Control Room.
Before you automate FFmpeg
First run your FFmpeg command manually and confirm that YouTube receives its preview. YouTube’s encoder instructions say to enter the current Live Control Room server URL and stream key into the encoder. Use the URL and key displayed for your stream rather than an old example from a tutorial; these settings are account-specific. Keep the key private.
FFmpeg supports RTMP-family protocols, including RTMPS, and its documentation shows FLV as the output muxer in an RTMP example. YouTube also documents RTMPS as a secure option. The precise FFmpeg command depends on your input, codecs, and installed build, so there is no single reliable command for every source. See FFmpeg’s protocol documentation and YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
Choose the right Windows trigger
| Trigger | When it runs | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| At startup | When Windows starts, before a user signs in. | A noninteractive file-based or service-like process whose inputs and network access are available to the task’s run account. |
| At log on | When the selected user signs in. | A source that needs that user’s desktop session, such as desktop capture or an interactive device. |
Microsoft documents both ONSTART and ONLOGON triggers in its schtasks create reference. For a logon-trigger task, Microsoft describes the trigger in its LogonTrigger reference. The appropriate account and run context depend on the source: confirm that the task can access the input files or devices and the network.
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Create a startup task for your FFmpeg script
- Make the command work manually. Confirm the correct input, output settings, current YouTube server URL and stream key, and that YouTube shows an incoming preview.
- Save the command in a script. Use explicit, stable paths for FFmpeg and input files. If the command uses relative paths, set its working directory in the task. Add
-nostdinto the FFmpeg command so a background process does not wait for keyboard input; FFmpeg documents this option for background operation in its FAQ. - Open Task Scheduler and create a task. Choose an At startup trigger if the task should run when Windows starts. Choose At log on if it needs a user session. UI wording can vary by Windows release; Microsoft’s command reference names the corresponding triggers
ONSTARTandONLOGON. - Set the action to run the script. Point it to the saved batch or script file, and configure the working directory if needed. Select a run account that can read the inputs, use any required devices, and reach the network. Whether the task should run with an interactive desktop depends on the source and workflow.
- Test the task before relying on it. Start it on demand, inspect the process output or logs, and check YouTube Live Control Room for the preview and stream health.
- Reboot and verify. Confirm that the task starts under the intended account and that its input, network connection, and output behave as expected.
Starting FFmpeg is not always the same as going live
For a scheduled YouTube stream, YouTube’s encoder workflow says to wait for the preview and click Go live. A task can start FFmpeg and send the feed automatically, but that alone does not establish that a scheduled broadcast will become public without an operator action. Check the Live Control Room after setup and follow the workflow shown for that stream.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That archive rule is not a guarantee of continuous uptime or automatic recovery after a power, network, source-device, or encoder failure.
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Troubleshoot a task that does not stream
- Task runs, but FFmpeg cannot find a file: Replace relative paths with explicit paths, or set the correct working directory in the task action.
- Task runs before sign-in but cannot access the source: Check whether the source requires an interactive session or user permissions; use an appropriate logon trigger and account if it does.
- FFmpeg waits or exits in the background: Add
-nostdin, then run the task on demand and inspect its output for the actual error. - YouTube receives no preview: Verify the current server URL and stream key in Live Control Room, the FFmpeg output protocol and settings, and that the task’s account can access the network.
- Preview appears, but the scheduled event is not public: Check Live Control Room for the required Go live action.
- The task works manually but not after reboot: Compare the task’s account, file permissions, working directory, input availability, and network access with the successful manual run.
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