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To loop video files from a folder into a YouTube Live broadcast, put their paths in an ordered FFmpeg concat list, then send that input to YouTube’s ingest URL with a stream key. Use -re to pace file playback in real time and -stream_loop -1 to repeat the list. The folder itself is not a YouTube playlist: FFmpeg reads a text file that defines the order.
1. Create an ordered playlist file
In the folder you will use as the working directory, create a UTF-8 plain-text file named playlist.txt. Put this exact header on the first line, followed by one file line per video in the order you want them played:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'The header must be the first line for automatic concat-format recognition. Paths are interpreted relative to the process working directory unless you specify otherwise. Names containing spaces or special characters must be quoted and escaped according to FFmpeg concat-script syntax. For paths that FFmpeg considers unsafe, the concat demuxer’s default -safe 1 check rejects them. Prefer safe relative paths; use -safe 0 only when necessary, such as for absolute paths, and only when the playlist contents are trusted. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
A list is static while FFmpeg is running. If you add or remove files, regenerate the text file in a deliberate, deterministic order before starting the broadcast; FFmpeg does not automatically discover new folder contents during playback.
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2. Check whether the files are compatible
The concat demuxer joins files without making unrelated media compatible. FFmpeg’s documentation says, “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” Compare the files’ video and audio streams, codecs, time bases, dimensions, frame rates, and audio layout. Matching file extensions alone do not establish compatibility.
Use FFmpeg’s probing tools to inspect the inputs. If stream structure or parameters differ, normalize them beforehand by transcoding to a consistent format. Re-encoding takes CPU or GPU capacity and may change quality, but is the safer general approach for mixed sources. Stream copying can reduce processing load when files already match; it still requires validating that transitions and the output container work for the whole sequence.
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Concat uses each file’s duration to place the next one. Missing or inaccurate duration metadata can cause artifacts at transitions. If you know a file’s duration accurately, a concat-script duration directive can override its stored duration; do not use an estimate as though it were exact.
3. Get the YouTube Live ingest details
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or schedule an encoder stream.
- Open the stream settings and copy the ingest URL and stream key shown for that stream.
- Keep the key private. Do not put it in a public script, screenshot, or log; an environment variable is one way to avoid writing it directly into a shared file.
The URL is the destination and the key authorizes the incoming stream. Use the exact details shown for the active stream; YouTube’s setup steps are in its encoder stream guide. For a scheduled broadcast, YouTube’s workflow includes checking the incoming preview and then selecting Go live.
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4. Send the repeating playlist with FFmpeg
For a compatible set of H.264/AAC MP4 files and an RTMP endpoint, this is an illustrative command shape—not a tested, universally copy-and-run recipe:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p -preset veryfast -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M
-r 30 -g 60 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL/$YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY"Set YOUTUBE_RTMP_URL and YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY in your shell environment to the values YouTube provided. Confirm the exact destination format for your channel and stream. This example uses -safe 0 because folders often involve absolute paths; remove it if your playlist uses safe relative paths. Do not use it with untrusted playlist contents.
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-re paces file input at its native rate rather than sending it as fast as the machine can read it. -stream_loop -1 is an input option that repeats the input indefinitely. The command re-encodes video and audio to a consistent output; its bitrate, frame rate, and GOP settings are examples, not suitable values for every source or connection. FFmpeg documents these input options in its command-line documentation.
5. Choose video and audio settings for YouTube
YouTube’s current RTMP/RTMPS guidance lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 as video codec options; H.264 is used in the example above. It recommends a two-second keyframe frequency and says not to exceed four seconds. For the example’s 30 fps output, -g 60 sets a 60-frame GOP, or two seconds. If you change the frame rate, adjust the GOP to preserve the intended interval. The guidance calls for constant bitrate (CBR), progressive scan, square pixels, and Rec. 709 for SDR; it lists AAC or MP3 audio and recommends stereo AAC at 128 Kbps. Consult YouTube’s live encoder settings for current details.
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For H.264, YouTube’s settings page accessed October 3, 2026 lists these recommended bitrates and separate minimums. Recommendations are not minimum requirements:
| Output | YouTube-recommended H.264 bitrate | Listed minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps | 6 Mbps |
Choose a resolution and frame rate that the source supports and your sustained upload connection can handle. These YouTube figures are service recommendations and minimums, not a guarantee that a particular connection or broadcast will be stable. Test ahead of the actual stream and check Live Control Room’s stream health.
6. Preview, go live, and end the broadcast
- Start FFmpeg and check its output for input, encoding, and connection errors.
- In YouTube Live Control Room, confirm the incoming preview and monitor stream health, picture, audio, and upload stability.
- For a scheduled stream, select Go live after the preview is ready.
- To finish, stop the encoder and use the Live Control Room’s End Stream workflow where applicable.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. An FFmpeg process that loops indefinitely does not mean YouTube will archive an indefinitely long broadcast; plan the stream duration with that platform behavior in mind. See the YouTube encoder setup guide.
Common problems and fixes
- Concat errors or missing files: Check each path, the working directory, quote and escape syntax, and whether the default safe-path check is rejecting a path. Use
-safe 0only when required and only with a trusted list. - Artifacts between clips: Compare stream structure, codecs, time bases, dimensions, frame rates, audio layout, and duration metadata. Normalize incompatible inputs or correct a known duration in the concat script.
- YouTube does not show a preview: Verify that FFmpeg is using the exact ingest URL and active stream key, that the key has not been reset, and that the outgoing format matches YouTube’s encoder guidance.
- Dropped frames or poor stream health: Reduce resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to fit sustained upload capacity; follow YouTube’s settings for the chosen codec and test before the broadcast.
- The broadcast does not archive as expected: Check the under-12-hour automatic archive condition. Infinite input looping does not override YouTube’s archive behavior.
Or let it run in the cloud
If you do not want a computer at home to keep the FFmpeg process running, StreamNeo is a cloud option for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded videos from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on.
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