On an existing Ubuntu Compute Engine VM, connect over SSH, install FFmpeg with apt, and check that it runs with ffmpeg -version. That installs the encoder; it does not start a YouTube stream or configure Google Cloud’s separate Live Stream API workflow.
Before you start
This walkthrough assumes you already have an Ubuntu VM on Google Cloud and can connect to it using SSH. Run the commands in that VM’s terminal. Google Cloud’s FFmpeg installation example appears in its Live Stream API setup documentation, which refers to Cloud Shell; Cloud Shell is not the same thing as your persistent Compute Engine VM. The package-install command can be used on the Ubuntu VM, but installing FFmpeg alone does not set up the Live Stream API workflow.
You do not need to enable Google’s Live Stream API just to install FFmpeg or send a direct stream from FFmpeg to YouTube. The API workflow has its own project, enablement, authentication, IAM and Cloud Storage requirements. See Google Cloud’s Live Stream API setup guidance if that is the workflow you intend to use.
Install FFmpeg on the Ubuntu VM
- Connect to the VM. Use the SSH option in the Google Cloud console or your established SSH command. Confirm you are at the VM’s shell prompt, not in a local terminal or Cloud Shell.
- Refresh apt’s package metadata:
sudo apt update - Install FFmpeg:
sudo apt install -y ffmpegThe
-yoption automatically answers yes to apt’s confirmation prompt. Google Cloud’s Live Stream API setup page also recommendssudo apt install ffmpegto install an encoder. - Verify the executable:
ffmpeg -versionIf installed successfully, FFmpeg prints version and build information. The version and available build features depend on the Ubuntu release and package sources on your VM; check the output instead of assuming a particular version.
FFmpeg’s online documentation follows the newest revision, so its instructions may not precisely match an older distribution package. For a version-specific reference, consult the documentation installed with your package where available, as well as the FFmpeg project documentation.
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Prepare the YouTube Live stream settings
Installing FFmpeg does not create a YouTube broadcast. In YouTube’s live-stream setup, obtain the stream URL and stream key, then use a compatible FFmpeg build and encoder settings for your chosen output. YouTube currently documents RTMP and RTMPS ingestion and recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the connection to Google’s servers. Its listed video codecs are H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1; listed audio codecs are AAC and MP3. Whether a particular codec is available depends on the FFmpeg build installed on your VM.
Choose a mode and bitrate together
Bitrate recommendations vary by codec, resolution and frame rate. For H.264, YouTube’s current encoder settings table recommends 14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 8 Mbps for 720p at 30 fps. These are settings recommendations, not guarantees that a particular VM or network path can sustain them. Check YouTube’s current encoder settings and bitrate table for the exact mode you plan to send.
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YouTube recommends constant bitrate (CBR), a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. Select a bitrate your VM’s actual upstream path can sustain; YouTube recommends running a speed test. Test with representative moving video and audio before relying on the configuration, and monitor YouTube’s stream health during the test.
Keep the stream key private
A stream key is a credential: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a stream to your channel. Do not publish a real key in a tutorial, paste it into a shared command, or leave it in shell history where other users of the VM can read it. Use YouTube’s current stream URL and key in your own FFmpeg setup, and rotate the key in YouTube if you believe it has been exposed. Avoid putting the real key into the example commands you save or share.
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What the install does—and does not—configure
- It installs the FFmpeg command-line tools from the Ubuntu package sources available to the VM.
- It does not configure a YouTube broadcast. You still need a YouTube Live setup, a stream URL and a protected stream key.
- It does not configure Google’s Live Stream API. That is a distinct Google Cloud service workflow with project, API, identity, permissions and storage setup.
- It does not guarantee the stream will stay live unattended. A direct FFmpeg process can stop if it exits, the VM stops, or the network connection fails; installing the package by itself adds no restart or recovery setup.
Troubleshoot common installation and streaming problems
ffmpeg: command not found
The installation may not have completed, or your shell may not be seeing the executable. Re-run sudo apt update and sudo apt install -y ffmpeg, then check ffmpeg -version again. If apt reports an error, resolve that package-manager error before proceeding.
The FFmpeg version or codec differs from a guide
Ubuntu release and repository choices affect the packaged version and build features. Check the output of ffmpeg -version on the VM and verify that the needed codec is available in that build; do not assume an online example for a newer FFmpeg revision applies unchanged.
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YouTube does not receive the stream
Check that you are using the current YouTube stream URL and the correct key, that the key has not been mistyped or exposed, and that the selected protocol and codecs match YouTube’s current requirements. Confirm that the VM’s outbound connection can sustain the chosen bitrate, then inspect YouTube’s stream health while testing.
The stream starts but is unstable
Compare the configured mode and bitrate against the VM’s available upstream capacity. Test with representative content, use CBR and the recommended two-second keyframe interval, and monitor YouTube’s stream health. If FFmpeg exits, installing it does not make it restart automatically; the process-management and recovery setup is separate from this package installation.
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