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Run FFmpeg inside a tmux session, add -nostdin to its command, and detach from tmux before closing SSH. To resume viewing the terminal later, reconnect to the same Linode and attach to that session. For a noninteractive job, nohup is an alternative; use systemd when the process needs service management or should start after a reboot.
Keep a one-off FFmpeg job running with tmux
A tmux session persists independently of your SSH terminal, so disconnecting after you detach does not close the session. FFmpeg’s -nostdin option prevents it from checking terminal input while running in the background. That option alone does not keep a process alive after logout; use it together with tmux or another process-management method.
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SSH into the Linode and check whether
tmuxis available. If it is not installed, install it using the package manager for the instance’s Linux distribution. -
Start a named session:
tmux new -s ffmpeg. -
Run FFmpeg inside that session, substituting the real input and output paths and the settings your job requires:
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ffmpeg -nostdin -i /path/to/input -c:v libx264 -c:a aac /path/to/output.mp4The codec options are an example, not a recommendation for every source or output.
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While FFmpeg is running, press
Ctrl+B, thenDto detach from tmux. You can now close SSH. -
To inspect the job later, SSH back into the same Linode and run
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Detaching preserves the terminal session across an SSH disconnect, not across a server reboot or shutdown. It also cannot prevent a job from failing because of a full disk, resource exhaustion, a failed input or network source, or an FFmpeg error.
Choose another method if the job needs a different lifecycle
| Method | Use it when | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| tmux | You want to detach and later reattach to see terminal output. | Run FFmpeg inside the session; detach with Ctrl+B, then D. Reattach with tmux attach -t ffmpeg. Linode Community guidance describes this pattern. |
| GNU Screen | You want a persistent terminal session and prefer Screen. | Detach with Ctrl+A, then Ctrl+D; reattach with screen -r. Linode Community describes Screen as another option for surviving an SSH disconnect. |
| nohup | The task is noninteractive and you do not need to reattach to its terminal. | Redirect output to a known log, redirect terminal input away, and background the command. It does not provide reboot persistence. |
| systemd | You need start/stop/restart management or want the service to start at boot. | Create a service unit with a deliberate user, working directory, full executable path, inputs and outputs, and an appropriate restart policy. Enable it for startup if required. |
Run FFmpeg with nohup and keep a log
For a noninteractive job where terminal reattachment is unnecessary, this example sends FFmpeg’s standard output and error to ffmpeg.log, disconnects standard input, and backgrounds the process:
nohup ffmpeg -nostdin -i input.mp4 output.mp4 > ffmpeg.log 2>&1 < /dev/null &
FFmpeg writes its log output to stderr by default, so 2>&1 captures that output along with stdout. The Linux nohup utility runs a command while ignoring hangup signals; its manual also documents its default terminal input and output handling. The explicit redirections make the log destination and input behavior clear.
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Note the PID printed by your shell after backgrounding the job. After reconnecting, inspect its log with tail -f ffmpeg.log. If FFmpeg is suspended or appears to wait for input, confirm that -nostdin is present or redirect stdin from /dev/null. FFmpeg’s FAQ specifically recommends -nostdin for background operation.
Use systemd when FFmpeg should start after a reboot
A detached tmux session or a nohup process is not a boot-time service. If FFmpeg needs to start automatically when the Linode boots, configure a systemd unit and enable it for startup. Linode’s guide, Use systemd to Start a Linux Service at Boot, explains service setup and boot enablement.
Set the unit’s execution details deliberately: choose the account that should run FFmpeg, its working directory, the full path to the FFmpeg executable, and the complete command with real input and output paths. Select a restart policy that fits the job rather than assuming every failure should trigger a restart. Use the host’s systemd tools to check service status and logs when diagnosing a problem. systemd can manage process startup and restart behavior, but it cannot fix a bad input, unavailable network source, full disk, or invalid FFmpeg command.
Logging and progress options
FFmpeg’s -report option writes the full command line and log output to a timestamped report file in the current directory. Its -progress option emits periodic machine-readable progress to a selected URL, such as pipe:1. If you use -progress pipe:1, decide where stdout should go so those progress records are retained; otherwise they may be lost or mixed with other output. The FFmpeg command-line documentation covers these options and stdin behavior.
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Check the job before and after disconnecting
-
With tmux, verify FFmpeg is running inside the named session before detaching. Reconnect to the same server and use
tmux attach -t ffmpeg. -
With nohup, note the PID after backgrounding and confirm output is reaching the intended log file. After reconnecting, use
tail -f ffmpeg.logto follow it. -
With systemd, inspect the service status and logs using the systemd tools available on the host.
-
If the process is gone after a reboot, that is expected for an ordinary tmux or nohup job. Configure and enable a systemd service if boot-time startup is required.
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