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You can loop a pre-recorded video to YouTube Live with FFmpeg, then use a systemd service to start FFmpeg at boot and restart it if the process exits. These are two separate checks: systemd can report that FFmpeg is running, but only YouTube Live Control Room can confirm that YouTube is receiving a valid stream. The guide below uses RTMP as an example; use the ingest URL and protocol shown for your stream in YouTube Studio.
What you need before you start
- A Linux machine or server that can remain on and connected to the internet. With self-hosting, you are responsible for its hardware, network, storage, and operating system.
- A local video file that FFmpeg can read, plus an installed FFmpeg build. Check the documentation for the version installed on your machine; available formats, codecs, and options depend on that build.
- A YouTube channel with access to Live Control Room, and the ingest URL and stream key provided in the stream settings.
- A plan for what viewers should see if the process, host, network, or YouTube event stops. Automatic process restarts do not guarantee continuous viewer-facing playback.
Do not publish your stream key in a public unit file, screenshot, repository, or support post. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send video to your stream.
Create a YouTube Live stream and get its ingest details
- Open YouTube Studio and create or select a stream in Live Control Room.
- Open the stream settings and copy the ingest URL and stream key. Use the protocol and URL YouTube provides for that stream; do not assume that an RTMP URL applies to an HLS stream.
- Keep the stream key private. Store it in a protected configuration file on the Linux host rather than embedding it in public documentation or a screenshot.
- For a scheduled stream, start the encoder and wait for the preview to appear in Live Control Room before selecting Go live. Confirm the live state there as well as in the viewer-facing watch page.
YouTube’s encoder guidance says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. A nominal 24/7 event exceeds that duration, and the cited guidance does not guarantee one complete replay for a continuous stream longer than the threshold. Decide whether to use deliberate event/session boundaries and keep a separate source recording if you need a complete copy.
Check the file and FFmpeg before streaming
Confirm that the input path is correct, the file is readable by the account that will run the service, and the media plays through its end locally. Inspect the installed FFmpeg build and the source’s video and audio tracks before choosing stream copy or transcoding. A command that works for one file is not universal: container, codecs, track layout, timestamps, and the selected YouTube ingest protocol all matter.
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The following command is an RTMP example for a compatible local file, not a tested recipe for every source. Replace the path and placeholder with your own values; never use the literal placeholder as a real key.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/video/channel.mp4
-c:v copy -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/REPLACE_WITH_STREAM_KEY'-rereads a file at its natural playback rate rather than sending it as fast as possible.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely. It applies to the input, so place it before that input’s-i.-c:v copycopies the video track without re-encoding. It works only when the source track and output combination are compatible. If they are not, transcode and set the video codec, pixel format, bitrate, frame rate, and keyframe interval using YouTube’s current encoder guidance and the settings shown for your stream.-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100encodes audio as AAC with the example bitrate and sample rate. These are example command values, not a guarantee that the source or current stream settings are suitable.-f flvselects the output format used by this RTMP example. It is not an HLS command.
If the file has no audio track, this example’s audio options do not create one. Check the source and platform requirements, then choose an appropriate audio plan; generating silence is one possible approach, but it needs a command tailored to the actual input and output.
Test FFmpeg and confirm the YouTube preview
- Run the command in a terminal first, using a safe test or the intended event with care. Check the console for file, codec, authentication, or network errors.
- Open the stream in Live Control Room. Confirm that YouTube receives a preview and that the preview shows the expected picture and sound.
- For a scheduled event, select Go live only after the preview appears. Then check the stream’s live state and the actual watch page from a viewer’s perspective.
- Stop the test cleanly and note any changes needed before moving the command into a service.
A process running locally is not evidence that viewers can watch the broadcast. Keep the YouTube check as a separate operational step.
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Run FFmpeg under systemd
Run FFmpeg in the foreground so systemd tracks the encoder process. The following example uses an environment file for the key and a system service that starts at boot. Adjust paths, account names, and directives for the Linux distribution and installed systemd version; this is a starting point, not a universal unit.
1. Store the stream key in a protected environment file
Create /etc/ffmpeg-youtube.env with the key value, for example:
YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY=REPLACE_WITH_STREAM_KEYRestrict access to the file and make sure the service account can read it. For example, an administrator can set ownership to root and a dedicated group used by the service, then grant read access only to that group. Do not put the actual key in a command you plan to share or in a public repository.
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2. Create a service unit
Save a unit such as /etc/systemd/system/youtube-loop.service. Replace streamer with a dedicated, least-privilege account that can read the media file and environment file. Replace the input path and use the ingest URL shown in Studio.
[Unit]
Description=FFmpeg YouTube prerecorded video loop
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
User=streamer
EnvironmentFile=/etc/ffmpeg-youtube.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/video/channel.mp4 -c:v copy -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2/${YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY}
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10s
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetVerify the FFmpeg path with command -v ffmpeg and substitute the result if it is not /usr/bin/ffmpeg. systemd is not a shell: do not rely on shell features such as pipes or command substitution in ExecStart. Review your systemd version’s handling of environment-variable expansion and protect the key from exposure through unit listings or process diagnostics on your host. If your setup cannot keep it private that way, use a protected wrapper or another secret-handling method appropriate to the system.
3. Enable, start, and inspect the service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now youtube-loop.service
sudo systemctl status youtube-loop.service
sudo journalctl -u youtube-loop.service -fenable --now configures startup at boot and starts the service immediately. status shows the service state; journalctl shows its logs. After deployment, verify both the journal and YouTube’s incoming preview. To stop the service, use sudo systemctl stop youtube-loop.service; to start it again, use sudo systemctl start youtube-loop.service.
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Understand restart behavior and monitoring
Restart=on-failure asks systemd to restart FFmpeg after a failure. The delay helps avoid an immediate retry loop, but an appropriate policy and delay depend on the host and failure modes. A restart cannot fix a missing file, unsupported media, bad key, repeated authentication failure, exhausted disk, unavailable network, or an event state that requires action in YouTube Studio.
After a restart, inspect systemctl status and journalctl -u youtube-loop.service, then check the incoming preview and live state in Studio. If unattended availability matters, add an external check or alert that tests viewer-facing playback; local service state alone cannot prove that the broadcast is reaching viewers.
Use the protocol YouTube selected
RTMP
The command above is specifically an RTMP/FLV example. Use the RTMP ingest URL from the selected stream’s settings, and confirm that the source’s tracks are compatible with the output or transcode them to meet the current encoder guidance.
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HLS
Do not reuse the RTMP command unchanged for HLS. YouTube’s HLS setup guidance specifies an HTTPS ingest URL and higher latency than RTMP because HLS sends segments. It requires TS segments of 1–4 seconds, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, and HTTPS POST/PUT ingest. Its HLS-specific codec guidance includes HEVC as well as H.264. Follow the settings and protocol shown for the selected stream.
Looping multiple videos
For a sequence of videos, prepare and validate a playlist or combined media input before putting it into production. Concatenating clips before looping is one possible strategy, but there is no single playlist method established here for clips with different codecs, durations, or audio layouts. Test transitions locally and check timestamp continuity; otherwise a transition can introduce playback or timestamp problems that are difficult to diagnose after going live.
Common problems and what to check
| Symptom | Likely area | Checks and next step |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg exits immediately | Path, permissions, options, or media support | Read the service journal, verify the file exists and is readable by the service account, check the installed FFmpeg build, and test the command interactively. |
| systemd says the service is active, but YouTube has no preview | Ingest details or stream health | Check the URL and key in the selected Studio stream, FFmpeg’s output, and network connectivity. Confirm reception in Live Control Room rather than relying on process state. |
| The stream repeatedly restarts | Persistent failure being retried | Inspect the journal for the underlying error before changing the restart delay. Correct issues such as a bad key, missing file, unsupported codec, or network failure rather than letting the service retry rapidly. |
| Video works but audio is missing or fails | Source audio track or audio encoding | Inspect the source’s audio tracks. The example expects audio for its AAC options; a source without audio needs a deliberate audio plan. |
| Playback breaks at clip boundaries | Playlist or timestamp continuity | Test the playlist or combined input locally, including transitions, and check that timestamps remain continuous before using it for a public stream. |
| The live event ends or its replay is incomplete | Event boundary and archive expectations | Plan session boundaries for a channel that runs beyond YouTube’s under-12-hour automatic archive threshold, and retain a separate source recording if a complete copy is needed. |
Choose self-hosting when you want control—and can operate the host
FFmpeg with systemd gives you control over the input, encoding, and Linux service. In return, you maintain the machine, network, storage, media compatibility, and monitoring. A spare Linux computer or rented VPS are possible host categories, but this guide does not establish the compatibility or sustained operating conditions of any specific device or provider. Check the workload and source before choosing hardware or hosting.
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