FFmpeg does not remember which playlist video should play next after a crash. To resume predictably, run it under a wrapper that stores playlist progress outside the FFmpeg process, waits for each run to finish, and applies a deliberate retry policy. For compatible files, the concat demuxer can play an ordered list; for clearer per-video checkpoints, launch a separate FFmpeg process for each item.
Choose what should happen after a crash
“Resume from the next video” is straightforward if the current video finished before FFmpeg exited. A crash in the middle leaves an important choice: replay the current video, potentially from its beginning, or skip the rest of it and start the next one. There is no universally correct policy.
- Replay the current item: update the saved index only after FFmpeg exits successfully. If it crashes before completion, the wrapper starts that item again. This avoids skipping an unfinished item, but may replay content already sent.
- Skip the current item: save the next index before launching FFmpeg for the current item. A crash can then skip a video even if it had not been sent, including a crash immediately after the checkpoint was written.
For most playlists where omissions are worse than repeats, mark an item complete only after its FFmpeg process exits successfully. If avoiding repeats matters more, advance before launch and accept the risk of omissions. A simple checkpoint cannot guarantee exactly-once playback across a crash: the wrapper may not know how much of a video reached YouTube.
Keep playlist progress outside FFmpeg
FFmpeg reads inputs and sends output; the documented concat input mechanism does not provide durable playlist progress for a wrapper to recover after the process or machine stops. Keep an ordered playlist and a current-item index or identifier in a wrapper, service manager, or other supervisor. Write the checkpoint atomically—write a temporary file, then replace the old checkpoint—so an abrupt stop does not leave a partially written index.
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The wrapper should load the saved item, start FFmpeg, wait for its exit status, and then apply the chosen policy. On an unexpected failure, it can retry after a short delay. On an intentional operator stop or after the finite playlist completes, it should stop instead of treating the exit as a crash. Log the item identifier, start time, exit status, and retry decision; never put the YouTube stream key in logs.
Choose a playback method
One FFmpeg process per video
This approach gives the wrapper a clean boundary: each process handles one file, and a successful exit tells the wrapper that item is complete. The wrapper can then atomically save the next item before launching it. On an unexpected exit, retry the current item or advance, according to the policy you selected.
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There can be a gap between process exit and the next process starting, and YouTube may need to reconnect. This is a wrapper design recommendation, not a built-in FFmpeg playlist checkpoint feature.
Concat demuxer for one ordered input
The FFmpeg concat demuxer reads a text script of files and directives and processes the files one after another as though their packets had been joined. The FFmpeg Formats Documentation describes the required compatibility: the files need the same streams, codecs, and time base. Incorrect duration information—including duration affected by a truncated file—can lead to timestamp artifacts. See the FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
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A concat list is convenient when one process should consume the sequence continuously. It does not, by itself, tell a restarted process which item was last completed. The wrapper still needs durable progress and a way to start at the chosen position, such as generating a list beginning with the saved item. FFmpeg’s concat FAQ also explains when the concat demuxer can avoid re-encoding where file-level concatenation is unsuitable.
Do not treat segmentation as playlist recovery
The segment muxer can produce segment lists, including ffconcat lists that the concat demuxer can read. Segment boundaries are tied to keyframes in the reference stream, however, so this is not a generic checkpoint for a source-video playlist. Use it when segmenting a source is the goal, not as a substitute for saving which playlist item is next. See the FFmpeg segment muxer documentation.
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Build a controlled restart loop
- Create a stable ordered playlist. Store file paths and, if useful, durable item identifiers. Ensure the wrapper can still access the files after a machine restart.
- Load the checkpoint. Validate that the saved index refers to an item in the current playlist. Decide what should happen if the playlist changes or the index is invalid rather than silently starting at an arbitrary file.
- Launch FFmpeg for the selected item or generated concat list. Keep the stream key out of shared scripts, screenshots, and logs. FFmpeg command-line options apply to the next input or output, so place each option where it applies and check the installed version’s documentation.
- Wait for the process to exit. Record its exit status and distinguish an operator-requested stop from a failure. The FFmpeg option
-xerrorstops and exits on error; consult the FFmpeg documentation for your installed version and place the option correctly. - Update progress according to your policy. For replay-current behavior, mark the next item only after a successful completion. For skip-current behavior, checkpoint the next item before launch. Make the update atomic.
- Retry failures with a delay or backoff. Log the reason and wait before relaunching; do not create an unbounded rapid restart loop. Stop retrying when an operator has intentionally stopped the stream or the finite playlist has completed.
FFmpeg is continuously developed, and documentation can change. Check the documentation corresponding to the FFmpeg version installed on the machine that runs the wrapper.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Understand what YouTube reconnect does—and does not—guarantee
YouTube’s live encoder setup instructions tell creators to enter the YouTube Live server URL and stream key in their encoder. They also state that stopping content from the encoder ends the stream and that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. These points do not establish that an FFmpeg reconnect after a crash will continue the identical uninterrupted live event or preserve one continuous viewer session. A wrapper can restart the encoder process and send content again, but it cannot promise that YouTube treats the reconnection as seamless.
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Diagnose common recovery failures
- The same video starts again after a crash: the checkpoint likely advances only on successful exit. That is expected under replay-current policy; switch policy only if skipping an unfinished item is acceptable.
- A video is skipped: if the next item was saved before launch, a crash between the checkpoint and successful transmission can cause this. Check the checkpoint timing and logs.
- The concat input fails or produces timestamp artifacts: confirm the files have matching streams, codecs, and time bases, and verify duration information, especially for truncated files.
- The wrapper restarts rapidly over and over: add a delay or backoff, preserve useful exit logs, and stop automatic retries for intentional shutdowns.
- YouTube does not show the expected continuing event: distinguish an FFmpeg process restart from YouTube’s live-event state. The encoder instructions do not promise continuation of the same uninterrupted event after a crash.
- A stream key appears in diagnostics: remove it from logged command text and shared artifacts, and protect the key as a credential.
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