Use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer to play a sequence of local video files as one input, then send that feed to YouTube Live over RTMP or RTMPS. Create a plain-text playlist, check that its files are compatible, enter your YouTube stream URL and key, and test the stream before leaving it unattended. The instructions below cover playlist setup, YouTube’s documented encoder settings, testing, and common failure points.
What you need before you start
- FFmpeg installed and available in a terminal or command prompt. Check the version with
ffmpeg -version. - Local video files that you have the right to stream.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. YouTube says first-time activation may take up to 24 hours; see Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
- A reliable upload connection that can sustain the bitrate you choose.
This method sends video from the computer running FFmpeg. It does not make the stream independent of that computer, its power, or its internet connection.
Create the text playlist
Make a plain-text file in the same folder as your videos, for example playlist.ffconcat. Its first line must be exactly ffconcat version 1.0, with no leading whitespace or byte-order mark, for FFmpeg to recognize the format automatically. Add one file directive for each video, in playback order:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video-01.mp4'
file 'video-02.mp4'
file 'video-03.mp4'Use paths relative to the playlist when practical. For filenames or paths containing spaces or special characters, quote or escape them according to FFmpeg’s concat script syntax. Keep the file plain text; do not include numbering or bullets as part of the directives. The FFmpeg Formats Documentation describes the concat demuxer and its script format.
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Check that the videos can be concatenated
The concat demuxer presents files sequentially as one virtual input, but it is not a general-purpose converter. FFmpeg’s documentation requires the inputs to have the same streams, codecs, and time bases. Files with mismatched formats may fail, produce broken transitions, or behave unpredictably. Check your files before relying on the playlist; if necessary, convert them to matching stream characteristics first.
- Confirm that every listed path resolves from the playlist’s location.
- Check that the files contain compatible video and audio streams, codecs, and time bases.
- Play the sequence through its transitions and listen for gaps, abrupt cuts, or audio problems.
- Be alert to inaccurate duration metadata, which can cause timestamp artifacts. The concat format has a
durationdirective for overriding a file’s duration when needed.
The default safe=1 behavior rejects unsafe paths and directives. Avoid disabling it casually: doing so permits a broader range of paths and directives. Test your actual playlist and files with the FFmpeg build you intend to use.
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Get the YouTube stream URL and key
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Create > Go live to enter Live Control Room.
- Create or select a stream and locate its encoder settings.
- Copy the server URL and stream key into your encoder configuration. Use the RTMPS URL if YouTube provides one for the stream.
- Keep the key private. It is a credential: do not publish it in a script, screenshot, chat, or shared command. If someone else obtains it, reset it in YouTube Studio.
YouTube’s encoder setup guidance is at Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder. The precise Studio labels can vary as YouTube updates its interface. YouTube says a channel’s first live-stream activation may take up to 24 hours.
Choose encoder settings using YouTube’s guidance
Set the output to a format YouTube supports and that your FFmpeg build can encode. YouTube currently documents RTMP/RTMPS ingest, H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video options, frame rates up to 60 fps, constant bitrate (CBR), and AAC or MP3 audio. Its recommended keyframe interval is two seconds and should not exceed four seconds. The recommended bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec; for H.264, YouTube lists these examples:
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| Output | YouTube-recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p30 H.264 | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 H.264 | 14 Mbps |
These are YouTube Help recommendations, accessed in 2026, not a guarantee that your connection can sustain the stream. Consult YouTube’s current live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions for other combinations. Test upload capacity with headroom; an unstable connection can interrupt a stream even when the encoder settings match the table.
FFmpeg commands depend on the installed build, operating system, input characteristics, and desired output. The playlist syntax alone does not establish a complete, verified streaming command for every environment. Confirm looping and encoder options against your local FFmpeg version and test your actual files before using a command unattended. Keep the stream key out of shell history, logs, and scripts that may be shared.
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Test and monitor the broadcast
- Start the encoder and confirm that YouTube receives the feed and shows a preview.
- Check both picture and sound. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement similar to the real stream.
- Watch a playlist transition to verify that the next file begins cleanly and timestamps remain continuous.
- Review Live Control Room’s stream health and messages while the test is running.
- Confirm the intended audience setting—public, private, or unlisted—and verify that the broadcast remains live before relying on it.
For scheduled broadcasts and other channel controls, use YouTube Studio. A successful preview is not proof that an unattended process will recover from a computer shutdown, network outage, or encoder failure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Rights, visibility, and YouTube rules
Choose public, private, or unlisted deliberately in YouTube Studio. Before streaming, confirm that you have permission to use every video and audio track, including music, game footage, and material supplied by someone else. YouTube provides rights-management controls, but only the rights holder or relevant licence can establish whether a particular file may be broadcast. A video being available online or on your own device does not by itself prove that you may rebroadcast it.
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Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg does not recognize the playlist format | The header is not at the exact start of the file, or the file has a byte-order mark. | Make ffconcat version 1.0 the first line with no leading whitespace or BOM; save as plain text. |
| A file cannot be opened | A path is wrong, relative to a different folder, or quoted incorrectly. | Check the playlist’s location, spelling, and quoting. Keep the default safe-path behavior unless you understand the implications of changing it. |
| Playback breaks at a transition or shows timestamp artifacts | Inputs differ in streams, codecs, or time bases, or duration metadata is inaccurate. | Compare the files’ stream characteristics, test the transition, and consider a concat duration directive if the reported duration is wrong. |
| YouTube does not receive a feed | The URL or key is incorrect, live streaming is not enabled, or the connection cannot reach the ingest server. | Recheck the encoder values in Live Control Room and the channel’s live eligibility. Allow up to 24 hours for first-time activation. |
| Video is rejected or stream health is poor | Codec, bitrate, keyframe interval, or upload capacity does not meet the selected output needs. | Compare the output to YouTube’s current encoder guidance; use CBR and a two-second keyframe interval where supported, and verify sustained upload capacity. |
| Audio is missing or distorted | The source’s audio stream or output audio settings are incompatible or incorrectly configured. | Check that the files’ audio streams are present and compatible, use a supported AAC or MP3 output, and test listening through the sequence. |
| The stream stops when unattended | The local computer, FFmpeg process, power, or internet connection stopped; the demuxer only sequences files. | Inspect the machine and process, power and network stability, and YouTube’s stream-health messages. Plan for local-process monitoring and restart if you need to keep the DIY setup running. |
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