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To stream a video file from a Linux VPS to YouTube Live while you disconnect from SSH, run FFmpeg inside a named tmux session, then detach from that session. Use the RTMPS ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room, test the stream, and choose settings your VPS can sustain. tmux keeps the session available after you disconnect; it does not restart FFmpeg if the process exits.
What you need before you start
- A Linux VPS with enough sustained upload capacity for your chosen video bitrate.
- FFmpeg and tmux installed on the server. Installation commands vary by Linux distribution and version, so use your provider’s or distribution’s package instructions rather than treating one command as universal.
- A video file stored at a stable path that the account running FFmpeg can read.
- A YouTube Live stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
Check that your FFmpeg build supports RTMPS before relying on an encrypted endpoint. Support depends on how FFmpeg was built.
Get the YouTube Live endpoint and protect the stream key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Live Control Room. Create a stream or select the one you intend to use.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that stream. If you choose RTMPS, copy the RTMPS URL; the control room may otherwise show ordinary RTMP.
- Keep the key private. Do not put a real key in a public example, screenshot, or shell history that other users can read. If it is compromised, reset it in YouTube Studio and update your FFmpeg command.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, which sends RTMP over a TLS/SSL connection. Confirm that your selected URL and FFmpeg build support it before the broadcast.
Start FFmpeg inside a named tmux session
Create the session
SSH into the VPS and create a named session:
tmux new -s ytstreamRun the file-to-live command
Inside that session, run this template, replacing the input path and endpoint with your own:
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ffmpeg -re -i /path/to/video.mp4 -f flv 'rtmps://HOST/APP/STREAM_KEY'FFmpeg’s documented real-time file streaming pattern uses -re to read the input at its normal rate, followed by an FLV output sent to the server. Use the exact endpoint format YouTube provides for your selected stream. This is a template, not a tested command for every FFmpeg build; the RTMPS URL must be supported by the installed build.
Watch FFmpeg’s output for connection or input errors. Then check the stream preview and health in YouTube Live Control Room before relying on the broadcast.
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Detach, disconnect, and reattach
To leave the process running in tmux while disconnecting the SSH client, detach from the session with the configured tmux key sequence, commonly Ctrl-B followed by D. Later, SSH back into the VPS and reattach:
tmux attach -t ytstreamDetaching leaves the tmux session available; it does not supervise FFmpeg. If FFmpeg exits, tmux will not restart it automatically.
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Choose settings your VPS can sustain
YouTube’s encoder guidance, accessed 2026-10-03, recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval (no more than four seconds), and supports H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, up to 60 fps, with AAC or MP3 audio. The following are YouTube’s H.264 bitrate recommendations, not guarantees about what a particular VPS network can carry:
| H.264 output | YouTube-recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
Choose a resolution and bitrate based on the VPS’s actual sustained upload capacity. A server plan name or advertised connection speed alone does not establish that it can carry your stream continuously. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the real broadcast, checking upload bitrate, and monitoring stream health.
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Test the broadcast and handle interruptions
Before going live
- Run a test stream and confirm YouTube receives video and audio.
- Use content with movement and audio similar to what you plan to broadcast; a static or silent test may not expose the same problems.
- Check FFmpeg’s output and YouTube’s stream health while the test is running.
- Confirm the VPS upload remains sufficient for the selected bitrate over time.
If the stream stops
Reattach to the tmux session to inspect FFmpeg’s output. tmux preserves access to the session, but it does not retry the connection or relaunch a process that has ended. A watchdog or service manager can be configured separately, but its correct restart policy depends on the input, FFmpeg version, and operational requirements; test that policy rather than assuming tmux provides recovery.
Plan around YouTube’s archive guidance
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived after the encoder stops sending. Do not assume the same archive outcome for a stream longer than 12 hours; monitor it and verify the resulting archive.
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Account for rights and channel policies
Only stream video and audio you have the rights to use. A file playing successfully through FFmpeg does not establish permission to broadcast or monetize it. Check that your planned content complies with YouTube’s applicable copyright and channel rules before starting, and do not treat a successful test or archive as approval of the content.
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