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To rotate local videos in a YouTube Live broadcast from Windows, put their paths in an FFmpeg concat playlist, then have FFmpeg read that playlist in real time and loop it indefinitely. YouTube supplies the ingest URL and stream key in Live Control Room. This setup keeps the rotation running only while FFmpeg and the computer are running; the instructions below cover the local workflow, compatibility checks, and common failure points.
What you need before you start
- FFmpeg installed and available from Command Prompt or PowerShell. Verify by running
ffmpeg -version. - A Windows computer with the video files stored locally and enough capacity to encode them if you use the example’s H.264/AAC re-encoding.
- A YouTube channel enabled for live streaming and a stream created or scheduled in YouTube Studio.
- The stream’s server URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. Treat the key like a password: anyone with it may be able to send video to your stream.
This method sends pre-recorded video files as a live broadcast; it is not a camera-based live workflow. FFmpeg and YouTube configuration are separate: the playlist determines which files play and in what order, while Studio controls the broadcast’s title, privacy, and other metadata.
Prepare the videos and decide their order
Place the files in a dedicated folder, for example C:/livestream/, and decide the order in which they should play. For the concat demuxer to join files as one virtual input, the files need the same streams, codecs, and time base. Similar-looking MP4 files are not necessarily compatible internally.
If the sources differ substantially, normalize or transcode them before using this copy-oriented concatenation approach, or use FFmpeg’s concat filter and re-encode. The demuxer uses each file’s duration to position the next one; inaccurate duration metadata, including metadata on a truncated file, can cause artifacts or incorrect transitions. The concat script supports a duration directive if you need to override a file’s duration.
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Create the concat playlist file
- Open a text editor and create a file named
playlist.txtinC:/livestream/. - Enter one file per line in the exact playback order. For example:
file 'C:/livestream/clip01.mp4' file 'C:/livestream/clip02.mp4' file 'C:/livestream/clip03.mp4' - Save the file as plain text. Forward slashes in these quoted Windows paths avoid backslash-escaping problems in the playlist syntax.
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer defaults to -safe 1, which rejects paths it considers unsafe. The command below uses -safe 0 so the playlist can contain absolute paths. Use that option only with a playlist you created and trust: it permits arbitrary filenames and directives.
Create the YouTube stream and copy its destination
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go Live, then use the Stream tab to create or select a stream.
- For a scheduled broadcast, use Manage → Schedule stream and set its title, privacy, and other metadata.
- Copy the server URL and stream key shown for that stream. Enter them in FFmpeg’s output destination in the next step; keep the key private and out of screenshots or shared logs.
YouTube’s encoder setup instructions say to enter the Live server URL and stream key in the encoder: YouTube Help: Set up your encoder for live streaming.
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Run FFmpeg and loop the playlist
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run this starting pattern, replacing the destination with the ingest URL and stream key YouTube provided:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i "C:/livestream/playlist.txt" -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -c:a aac -f flv "rtmp://YOUR_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"-repaces the prerecorded input at its native rate instead of sending it as fast as the computer can read it.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-f concatselects the concat demuxer for the playlist.-safe 0allows the absolute Windows paths in this trusted playlist.-inames the playlist input. Input options appear before the relevant-i.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacre-encode video and audio to H.264 and AAC;-preset veryfastsets the x264 encoding preset.-f flvselects the output container used for this RTMP-style destination.
This is an illustrative starting command, not a tested universal preset. The right resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe interval, and encoder choices depend on your files, hardware, and YouTube’s current recommendations. Check YouTube’s live encoder settings guidance for the selected resolution and frame rate instead of relying on hard-coded values from an example. Re-encoding can accommodate more varied source encodings than stream copy, but it still requires compatible inputs and sufficient encoding capacity.
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Check the preview and start the broadcast
- After FFmpeg starts sending data, check the preview and stream status in YouTube Live Control Room.
- For a scheduled stream, select Go live in Studio after the preview appears. Sending data from FFmpeg alone does not start the scheduled broadcast for viewers.
- To finish, stop FFmpeg’s output and use End Stream in Studio where appropriate.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. That statement does not guarantee an archive for broadcasts lasting 12 hours or longer; do not rely on an archive as the only copy of important material.
Choose the right concatenation and delivery approach
Concat demuxer or concat filter
| Approach | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Concat demuxer | Files have matching streams, codecs, and time bases, and can be joined as a virtual input. | Can avoid re-encoding when the source streams are compatible; incorrect duration information can disrupt segment placement. See FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation. |
| Concat filter | The workflow needs re-encoding or the sources need to be made consistent during concatenation. | Requires an encoding step and its associated processing capacity. See FFmpeg concat filter documentation. |
RTMP or HLS
The command in this guide uses an RTMP-style output. HLS is a different YouTube ingest path for supported encoders and use cases, including some HDR or codec requirements. It involves separate segment and playlist configuration and has higher latency than RTMP. YouTube’s HLS guidance specifies TS segments of 1–4 seconds, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, HTTPS POST/PUT, and no byte-range support; do not apply those HLS-specific settings to this basic RTMP command. See YouTube Help: Use HLS for live streaming.
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Troubleshoot common problems
FFmpeg rejects the playlist or cannot open a file
- Check that each listed path exists, is spelled correctly, and is enclosed in single quotes.
- Use forward slashes in absolute paths, and confirm the playlist is saved as plain text rather than with an unintended extension such as
playlist.txt.txt. - If FFmpeg reports an unsafe path, confirm the list is trusted and that the command includes
-safe 0.
Playback breaks, shows artifacts, or shifts at a file boundary
- Check that every file has the same streams, codecs, and time base when using the concat demuxer.
- Inspect files for truncation or incorrect duration metadata; correct a duration with a concat
durationdirective when appropriate. - For materially different inputs, normalize or transcode them first, or change to the concat filter and re-encode.
YouTube receives no video or does not show a preview
- Confirm FFmpeg is still running and producing output rather than exiting with an error.
- Recheck the server URL and stream key against the selected stream in Live Control Room. Do not paste a real key into a public help request.
- Verify the output is configured for the intended protocol and container; this example uses an FLV output to an RTMP-style destination, not HLS.
- Check YouTube’s current encoder settings for the chosen resolution and frame rate rather than guessing a bitrate or keyframe interval.
The computer cannot encode smoothly
The example re-encodes to H.264/AAC, which can be demanding for a slower computer or high-resolution source. Check FFmpeg’s output for encoding errors or lag, then reduce the encoding workload or prepare compatible files in advance. Any change to resolution, frame rate, bitrate, or keyframe interval should remain within YouTube’s current recommendations for your chosen output.
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