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How to Stream Prerecorded Video to YouTube Live from Ubuntu with FFmpeg

Use FFmpeg on Ubuntu to send a prerecorded video to YouTube Live over RTMPS, with an adaptable looping command, YouTube settings and troubleshooting steps.
Opened Runtime7 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team
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To stream a prerecorded video from Ubuntu to YouTube Live, create or schedule a live event in YouTube Studio, copy that event’s RTMPS ingest URL and stream key, then send the video to YouTube with FFmpeg. For a scheduled event, starting FFmpeg is not enough: wait for the Live Control Room preview and click Go live. The steps below show a looping H.264/AAC example and explain which settings to adapt before using it.

Before you start

  • An Ubuntu computer with the video file and a working internet connection.
  • A YouTube channel that is verified and has no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. See YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility and setup guidance.
  • FFmpeg with the required input support, video encoder, FLV muxer and RTMPS support. Builds differ, so check the installed build rather than assuming every Ubuntu package includes the same capabilities.
  • Enough sustained upload capacity for the bitrate you select. YouTube recommends testing with representative movement and audio, not just a static image.

In a terminal, inspect the local build with ffmpeg -version and ffmpeg -protocols. To check available encoders, use ffmpeg -encoders and look for the encoder you intend to use, such as libx264. If a required encoder or protocol is missing, install or build an FFmpeg version that provides it before relying on the example command.

Create the YouTube event and get its ingest details

  1. Open YouTube Studio and go to Create → Go live to open the Live Control Room. Create an immediate stream or schedule one. YouTube’s live-stream setup instructions describe account eligibility and event setup.
  2. In the encoder settings for the event, copy the stream URL and stream key. Select the RTMPS address where the interface offers RTMP and RTMPS; YouTube recommends encrypted RTMPS ingest. Use the actual address shown for your event, not a hostname copied from an example.
  3. Keep the key secret. Treat it like a password: do not put it in a public script, screenshot, shared log or command that will be retained in shell history. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube’s stream settings and update the encoder.
  4. For a scheduled event, note its start time and leave the Live Control Room open so you can inspect the incoming preview before making the event live.

YouTube describes RTMPS as “a secure extension to the popular RTMP streaming video protocol.” Its RTMPS instructions explain how to expose and copy the secure ingest address.

Choose video, audio and keyframe settings

Use the current YouTube encoder settings as the reference for your resolution, frame rate, codec and upload capacity. YouTube currently lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest, H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and Rec. 709 for SDR. The exact bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate and codec.

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Setting YouTube guidance Practical implication
H.264 video bitrate 5–14 Mbps at 1080p30; 6–17 Mbps at 1080p60; 3–8 Mbps at 720p30 or 720p60 Choose a value your upload connection can sustain steadily; these are YouTube’s published ranges, not a guarantee of performance on a particular connection.
Rate control CBR Use a fixed target bitrate and suitable maximum rate and buffer settings in FFmpeg.
Keyframes Two-second interval recommended; do not exceed four seconds For a constant 30 fps input, a 60-frame GOP is two seconds. Adjust the frame count for the actual frame rate.
Audio AAC or MP3; 128 Kbps recommended for stereo; 384 Kbps for 5.1 For stereo AAC, use 44.1 kHz. YouTube lists 48 kHz for 5.1, which is supported over RTMP/RTMPS only with AAC.
Color Rec. 709 for SDR Check the source and output color handling if the video uses HDR or a different color space; do not assume an SDR setting is suitable for every source.

These are ingest recommendations, not a promise that every source file can be sent unchanged. Inspect the source’s resolution, frame rate, video and audio streams before choosing options. For example, ffprobe -hide_banner -i input.mp4 can display stream details when ffprobe is installed. If you transcode, choose output settings that match both the source and YouTube’s current recommendations. YouTube recommends checking upload capacity and testing video with the kind of motion and audio expected in the stream.

Send the video with FFmpeg

This illustrative command loops an input indefinitely, transcodes video to H.264 and audio to AAC, and sends the result through the event’s RTMPS ingest URL. It is not a verified command for every Ubuntu FFmpeg build or every input file. Replace the placeholders, adapt the GOP to the actual frame rate, and protect the stream key using a method appropriate to your shell and setup.

ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4 
  -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 6000k -maxrate 6000k -bufsize 12000k 
  -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 
  -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 
  -f flv 'rtmps://CURRENT_INGEST_URL/STREAM_KEY'
  • -re reads the file at its native rate rather than sending it as fast as possible.
  • -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely. Remove it if the video should play once.
  • -i input.mp4 is the local source path; replace it with the actual filename.
  • -c:v libx264 selects the H.264 encoder if the installed build includes it. The example’s 6000 Kbps target is only a starting point; choose a bitrate appropriate for the output resolution and frame rate and the connection’s sustained upload capacity.
  • -g 60 -keyint_min 60 sets a 60-frame GOP. At 30 fps that is two seconds; at another frame rate, adjust the frame count to keep a two-second interval. The example’s keyframe behavior should also be checked against the installed encoder and current YouTube guidance.
  • -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 encodes stereo-oriented AAC audio at YouTube’s recommended 128 Kbps and 44.1 kHz sample rate. Check channel layout and source audio before using these values.
  • -f flv selects the streaming container used for this RTMP-family workflow. The final quoted address must be the RTMPS URL and key copied for the selected YouTube event.

Do not paste a real key into a command that will be saved in shell history or shared. A safer approach is to store credentials in a protected configuration or secret-handling mechanism available in your environment and construct the destination without exposing it in shared files or logs. Also confirm that the installed FFmpeg supports the selected video encoder, the FLV muxer and RTMPS before troubleshooting YouTube.

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Preview, go live and end the stream

  1. Start FFmpeg early enough to troubleshoot. YouTube recommends setting up encoders at least two hours before an event and starting them at least 15 minutes before its scheduled time.
  2. In Live Control Room, wait for the incoming preview and review stream-health messages. A running FFmpeg process by itself does not confirm that YouTube has received usable video and audio.
  3. For a scheduled event, inspect the preview and click Go live when ready. Check that the event is accessible on the channel or watch page and, where relevant, on mobile.
  4. Monitor video, audio and stream health during the event. YouTube’s recommendations are operational guidance, not a guarantee against network outages.
  5. When finished, end the event in Live Control Room where applicable, then stop FFmpeg. YouTube states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume a longer stream will be archived under that guidance.

See YouTube’s live-streaming tips for its operational recommendations.

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Troubleshoot common failures

Symptom Likely checks and fixes
FFmpeg cannot connect or times out Copy the ingest URL from the selected event again; check the scheme and server; verify the local build supports RTMPS and that the network allows the connection. YouTube’s RTMPS guidance suggests trying port 443 when the URL otherwise appears correct.
TLS or SSL error Make sure the destination is the RTMPS address, not an RTMP address, and verify the server and port against the URL shown in Live Control Room. Confirm local RTMPS support.
No preview appears Check that FFmpeg is actively sending to the URL and key for this exact event. Read FFmpeg’s output and Live Control Room messages; a stream key is associated with the selected event or stream configuration.
Buffering or unstable ingest Check sustained upload capacity and reduce output resolution or bitrate to a level the connection can maintain. Test with representative movement and audio rather than judging from a static frame.
Audio is missing or rejected Inspect the input’s audio streams and channel layout, then confirm FFmpeg maps the intended audio and outputs a supported codec and sample rate. YouTube currently lists AAC or MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS.
FFmpeg runs but the public event is not live Confirm YouTube has a preview, review stream health and output, then click Go live for a scheduled event. Also verify the event’s watch-page accessibility.
Unknown encoder, protocol or muxer Check ffmpeg -encoders, ffmpeg -protocols and the installed version. Use a build that includes the required encoder, RTMPS protocol and FLV muxer, or adjust the command for capabilities actually available.
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