For an HTTP(S) radio stream, put FFmpeg’s HTTP reconnect options before the input URL. Start with -reconnect, -reconnect_streamed and -reconnect_at_eof; add network-error or HTTP-status retries when they match the failure you are seeing. These options are specific to FFmpeg’s HTTP protocol, so first confirm that the source is HTTP(S).
Configure reconnect options for an HTTP(S) stream
This example retries common interruptions, including a connection ending at EOF. The retry limits are example policy values, not settings guaranteed to suit every station.
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_at_eof 1
-reconnect_on_network_error 1
-reconnect_on_http_error 5xx
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-reconnect_max_retries 20
-i "https://radio.example/stream"
-c copy output.mp3Replace the example URL with the station’s actual stream URL. The command uses stream copy, so FFmpeg does not re-encode the audio; the output container and extension still need to suit the stream. To listen, record or send the stream elsewhere, use the output appropriate to that task.
What each option does
-reconnect 1asks FFmpeg to reconnect after a disconnection before EOF.-reconnect_streamed 1allows reconnect attempts for streamed or non-seekable inputs, which describes many live radio feeds.-reconnect_at_eof 1treats EOF as an error and reconnects. The FFmpeg Project documents this as useful for “live / endless streams.”-reconnect_on_network_error 1retries TCP or TLS errors while establishing a connection.-reconnect_on_http_error 5xxretries HTTP server-error responses. FFmpeg also accepts individual status codes such as503and classes such as4xxor5xx; choose only errors the source might recover from.-reconnect_delay_max 30sets an example maximum delay, in seconds, under this retry policy.-reconnect_max_retries 20bounds the number of attempts. The FFmpeg documentation says the default is unset.
Set options for the right input
Place HTTP protocol options before the -i URL they configure. If a command has multiple inputs, put each input’s options immediately before its corresponding -i; otherwise an option may not apply to the source you intended.
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Check which options your installed binary supports with ffmpeg -h protocol=http. Names, accepted values and defaults can vary by FFmpeg release. The official FFmpeg Protocols Documentation, HTTP section, is the reference for the documented behavior.
Choose retry limits for the interruption
The sample’s 20 retries and 30-second delay cap are not universal recommendations. Increase or reduce the retry bound according to how long the job should survive an outage, and consider whether it must eventually terminate or be supervised. The optional reconnect_delay_total_max N setting caps total retry delay in seconds; choose a limit that matches the interruption you are willing to tolerate.
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The HTTP documentation says respect_retry_after is enabled by default. When enabled, FFmpeg honors the server’s Retry-After delay instead of exponential backoff; the documentation identifies HTTP 429 and 503 as useful cases.
Troubleshoot a stream that still stops
- Confirm the transport. Check the URL and station documentation. These settings are documented for HTTP(S); do not assume they apply to RTSP, RTP, SRT or another protocol.
- Start with the core flags. Use
-reconnect 1,-reconnect_streamed 1and-reconnect_at_eof 1. Add network-error and HTTP-status options only if the observed failure fits those cases. - Inspect FFmpeg’s logs during an interruption. Determine whether the event is EOF, a TCP/TLS connection failure, an HTTP status response, an authentication error or a protocol mismatch. Retries cannot fix a permanently invalid URL or credentials.
- Check option recognition and placement. Run
ffmpeg -h protocol=httpfor the local binary and ensure the options appear before the input they should configure. - Adjust bounds deliberately. If FFmpeg stops after its configured attempts, revisit the retry count and delay policy. Avoid an unbounded retry plan for a job that needs to finish or be supervised.
ICY metadata is separate from reconnecting
Reconnect options do not by themselves expose station or track information to your application. The FFmpeg HTTP documentation says icy=1 requests ICY metadata by default when supported; an application must read icy_metadata_headers and icy_metadata_packet to use it. See the HTTP protocol documentation for the metadata options.
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