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To loop prerecorded videos on YouTube Live with FFmpeg, create a text playlist, use FFmpeg’s concat demuxer to play its files in sequence, pace the input in real time, and send the output to the RTMPS ingest URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. Test the feed privately or unlisted before relying on it: looping the files does not guarantee an uninterrupted stream.
1. Create an encoder stream in YouTube Studio
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In YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or schedule an encoder stream. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the workflow.
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In Live Control Room, copy the stream URL and stream key. Use the RTMPS URL where available; YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted ingest. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance.
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Treat the stream key like a password. Do not publish it in screenshots, public scripts, or source control. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio and update FFmpeg with the replacement key; see YouTube’s live stream settings guide.
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Choose the stream’s visibility deliberately: public, private, or unlisted. For initial testing, private or unlisted avoids presenting an unverified feed as a public broadcast.
2. Prepare the media and playlist
Put your video files and playlist text file in a known directory. Create a file named playlist.txt with entries in the order you want them played:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'video-01.mp4'
file 'video-02.mp4'
file 'video-03.mp4'With relative paths, keep the playlist alongside the media or adjust the paths so they resolve correctly from the directory where you run FFmpeg. The concat demuxer reads entries sequentially, but it does not make dissimilar files match. FFmpeg’s documentation states: “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” See the FFmpeg documentation on the concat demuxer and the FFmpeg formats documentation.
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For reliable joins, use files with matching stream layouts, codecs, time bases, frame sizes, frame rates, and audio layouts.
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Check duration accuracy, especially if audio and video lengths differ. Incorrect durations or mismatched media can cause timestamp gaps, artifacts, or discontinuities at playlist boundaries.
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If your clips do not match, transcode them to a consistent format before adding them. That takes extra processing and storage, but is usually preferable to discovering boundary problems during a live broadcast.
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Use simple relative paths when possible. FFmpeg’s safe mode rejects some paths;
-safe 0permits arbitrary paths, so use it only with a playlist you control. Quote or escape filenames containing spaces or special characters.
3. Run FFmpeg and send the loop to YouTube
Run this template from the directory containing playlist.txt. Replace the destination with the exact RTMPS ingest URL and stream key shown in Live Control Room. Adjust the encoding settings to match your source material, computer, upload connection, and YouTube’s current guidance.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60
-b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "<RTMPS_URL>/<STREAM_KEY>"The command is an illustrative configuration assembled from documented FFmpeg options, not a tested command or a guarantee for every FFmpeg build, source file, or endpoint. Consult the FFmpeg documentation for option behavior. FFmpeg options apply to the next input or output, so input options belong before -i and output encoding options after it.
What the main options do
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-rereads the file input at real-time pace, which is appropriate when feeding a live output.Rank #3
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-stream_loop -1requests that the input loop indefinitely. -
-f concatselects the concat demuxer, which reads the ordered file list.Quick wins for a faster PC:
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-safe 0allows paths that FFmpeg’s default safe mode might reject. Do not use it with an untrusted playlist. -
-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode video as H.264 and audio as AAC.-f flvsupplies a common RTMP-style output container. -
-r 30sets the output frame rate to 30 fps.-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP; at 30 fps, that is a nominal two-second keyframe interval.Rank #4
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-b:v 4500k,-maxrate 4500k, and-bufsize 9000kare sample rate-control values, not universal YouTube requirements.Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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Choose bitrate and keyframes for your stream
Do not copy the sample’s 4500 kb/s video bitrate without checking whether it fits your resolution, frame rate, codec, and connection. Use the current resolution- and codec-specific table in YouTube’s encoder settings guidance, and make sure your upstream connection can sustain the chosen bitrate. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. The sample’s -g 60 corresponds to two seconds only because the example sets 30 fps.
4. Test the stream and monitor it
Before a public broadcast, start with a private or unlisted test and check the preview and stream health in Live Control Room. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and movement and monitoring stream health; follow its current encoder settings and stream health guidance.
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Confirm that video and audio play correctly within each file.
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Watch at least one transition between files. A stream can play normally within clips but show a gap, artifact, or audio/video mismatch at a boundary.
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Confirm that the stream remains healthy after the playlist returns to its first entry.
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Keep the FFmpeg process running and monitor the host and network. A loop request does not by itself restart a crashed process or guarantee uninterrupted delivery.
5. Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or change |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg cannot open a playlist file | The command is being run from a different directory, a path is invalid, or safe mode rejects a path. | Check the working directory and each filename. Prefer simple relative paths; for a controlled list using paths that require it, use -safe 0. |
| A clip fails to open | The playlist entry is misspelled, quoted incorrectly, or points to a missing or unreadable file. | Verify the exact path and filename, permissions, and quoting. Test the file individually before adding it back to the playlist. |
| Video or audio breaks at a clip boundary | Files have different codecs, stream layouts, time bases, or inaccurate durations. | Normalize the clips to matching codecs, time bases, frame size, frame rate, and audio layout; verify durations and retest the boundary. |
| YouTube reports poor stream health or buffering | The selected bitrate may exceed available upload capacity, or encoding settings may not suit the chosen output. | Compare the output bitrate with YouTube’s current recommendations for the resolution, frame rate, and codec, and check that the connection can sustain it. |
| The stream does not connect | The ingest URL or stream key may be wrong, the key may have been reset, or the selected endpoint may not match the encoder configuration. | Copy the current URL and key from Live Control Room and update the destination. Keep the key secret; reset it if exposed. |
| FFmpeg stops and the stream ends | The process, computer, or network connection stopped; -stream_loop -1 only loops media while FFmpeg continues running. |
Check FFmpeg’s output and host/network stability. Plan process supervision and recovery separately if operating your own encoder. |
6. Plan around YouTube’s archive limit
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived. That rule does not guarantee a single automatically archived replay for a 24/7 broadcast; see YouTube’s encoder stream guidance. If you need an archive, plan a separate recording or shorter stream sessions rather than assuming an endless live stream will produce one complete replay.
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