To loop a local video on YouTube Live with FFmpeg, put it in an ffconcat playlist, pass that playlist to FFmpeg’s concat demuxer, and use -stream_loop -1 to repeat it indefinitely. Add -re so FFmpeg reads the file at its normal playback rate, then encode and send the feed to the RTMPS URL and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room.
The example below is a starting point, not a universal preset: choose resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate for your source and YouTube’s current encoder guidance. For a playlist, the files must have compatible streams and timing.
1. Check the files and prepare FFmpeg
Confirm your FFmpeg build
Install FFmpeg for your operating system, then run:
ffmpeg -versionConfirm that the build has the encoder you intend to use (the example uses libx264) and supports the FLV output muxer. Build options differ, so an unavailable encoder or option may require a different FFmpeg build or encoder.
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Check every playlist file
The concat demuxer creates a virtual input from a text script rather than joining files into a new file. FFmpeg requires the inputs to have matching streams, codecs and time bases, among other properties. Compare video and audio stream counts, codecs, dimensions, frame rates and time bases before adding multiple files. If they do not match, normalize or transcode them to compatible streams first; FFmpeg’s FAQ describes the concat filter as the option when re-encoding is needed. See FFmpeg’s concat demuxer documentation and FFmpeg’s FAQ.
2. Create the concat playlist
Save a UTF-8 plain-text file named playlist.ffconcat. Its first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0. Then add one file directive for each item, in the order you want them played:
ffconcat version 1.0
file '/path/to/video.mp4'
file '/path/to/second-video.mp4'Replace the example paths with your own. Follow FFmpeg’s playlist quoting and escaping rules for spaces or special characters. The example command uses -safe 0 to allow paths beyond the safe subset; use it only with a playlist you control, never with untrusted paths.
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Handle inaccurate durations
The demuxer relies on duration information to place later files on the timeline. Incorrect or truncated duration metadata can cause gaps, timestamp shifts or artifacts at a boundary. If inspection shows a duration is inaccurate, the playlist format supports a duration directive to provide the correct duration for that file.
3. Set up the YouTube live event and protect its key
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Enable live streaming on your YouTube channel if it is not already enabled. YouTube says first-time live-stream enablement can take up to 24 hours; allow for that before a scheduled broadcast. See YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
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Open Live Control Room, create or select the live event, and copy its RTMPS stream URL and stream key. YouTube recommends RTMPS. The key is a credential: YouTube describes stream keys as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” Do not publish it, include it in a shared screenshot, or commit it to a public script repository. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance and stream settings and key guidance.
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Check that the video and audio you plan to broadcast are yours to use or otherwise authorized, and that the content follows YouTube’s policies. A successful encoder connection does not establish copyright permission or guarantee monetization eligibility.
4. Choose output settings for the source and YouTube
YouTube’s current encoder guidance covers RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, HEVC or AV1, frame rates up to 60 fps, CBR, and AAC or MP3 audio. It recommends keyframes every 2 seconds and says not to exceed 4 seconds. The bitrate table varies by codec, resolution and frame rate; use the current table rather than treating an example value as a universal requirement. See YouTube encoder settings and bitrate guidance.
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- Bitrate: YouTube lists 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended for H.264 at 1080p30. These are platform recommendations, not independent performance results. Other combinations have different entries in its table.
- Keyframes: set the GOP to about two seconds of output. For fixed-frame-rate output, multiply the frame rate by two to get the approximate GOP length in frames. For example, 30 fps uses about 60 frames; 60 fps uses about 120. Do not use a fixed
-g 60at every frame rate. - Upload capacity: make sure the available upstream bandwidth can sustain the selected video and audio bitrate. Leave capacity for normal network variation; monitor YouTube’s stream-health feedback during a test.
- Protocol: this guide uses RTMPS with FLV output. YouTube also documents HLS for some workflows, but its configuration and latency behavior differ and are not covered here.
5. Start the looping FFmpeg stream
Replace the playlist path, RTMPS URL and stream key with your own values. This illustrative command encodes H.264 video and AAC audio and is set up for a 30 fps-style GOP:
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ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.ffconcat
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmps://STREAM_URL/STREAM_KEY'The sample’s 4500k video bitrate is not a recommended setting for every output. Select bitrate from YouTube’s table for the actual codec, resolution and frame rate, and change the GOP settings if your output frame rate is not 30 fps. The sample also does not force a resolution or frame rate, so output characteristics depend on the input and FFmpeg’s processing. Add explicit output settings only when you have chosen values suitable for your source and YouTube’s guidance.
-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-rereads file input at its native rate, which is useful for live output.-f concatselects the concat demuxer;-i playlist.ffconcatsupplies the script.-safe 0relaxes path restrictions; omit it when your playlist uses only safe paths and it is not needed.-gsets the GOP length in frames; calculate it from the output frame rate and desired keyframe interval.- The RTMPS destination must be the exact URL and key from Live Control Room. Keep the key out of logs or shared command histories where possible.
FFmpeg treats -stream_loop and -re as input options, so place them before the corresponding -i. Check the syntax against the documentation for your installed build: FFmpeg command-line documentation.
6. Test the feed and monitor it
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Start the command while the YouTube event is ready to receive the feed.
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Check the event preview for picture, audio, motion and continuity, including the transition where one playlist item hands off to the next. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the actual stream.
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Review YouTube’s stream-health messages and adjust the encoder or network if it reports problems. A connected encoder alone does not confirm that every viewer will receive a stable feed.
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Keep the FFmpeg process, machine and network connection running for the entire broadcast. If the process or local connection stops, this do-it-yourself setup stops sending the feed.
YouTube’s setup guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume the same archival behavior for a broadcast that runs longer than 12 hours.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg refuses the playlist or a file fails at the boundary | Input streams, codecs or time bases differ, or the file list/path syntax is wrong. | Check the playlist’s first line and paths, then compare each input’s streams and time bases. Normalize the inputs or use a filter-based re-encode workflow if they do not match. |
| Gap, jump or visual/audio artifact between items | Duration metadata is inaccurate, or a source is truncated or has incompatible timing. | Inspect the file durations and stream timing. Use a correct duration directive when needed, or prepare compatible source files before concatenation. |
| FFmpeg cannot connect to YouTube | Incorrect endpoint or key, wrong protocol, or a TLS/network issue. | Copy the RTMPS URL and key again from Live Control Room. For RTMPS TLS connection errors, YouTube’s guidance suggests checking the exact RTMPS URL and port 443. |
| Buffering or poor picture quality | Selected bitrate does not suit the output or exceeds available upload capacity. | Use the bitrate entry for the chosen codec, resolution and frame rate in YouTube’s current table; verify upstream capacity and review stream-health messages. |
| Keyframes arrive at the wrong interval | The GOP frame count was chosen for a different frame rate. | Calculate GOP frames from the actual output frame rate: approximately frame rate × interval in seconds. Target 2 seconds and do not exceed 4 seconds under YouTube’s guidance. |
| Options or encoder are reported as unknown | The installed FFmpeg build differs from the example or lacks that encoder. | Check ffmpeg -version and available encoders, then adapt the command to the capabilities of that build. |
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