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FFmpeg

How to Stream Vertical Videos in a Continuous YouTube Livestream from a VPS

Learn how to configure a vertical YouTube livestream from a VPS, choose direct 9:16 or YouTube-generated vertical output, and test looping and recovery.

By VGSources Team 7 min read
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To stream a vertical video continuously on YouTube from a VPS, configure a vertical output in YouTube Live Control Room before going live, then send a portrait 9:16 feed from an encoder such as FFmpeg to the matching YouTube ingest destination. For a continuous loop, the encoder must replay the video and stay connected; a VPS alone does not guarantee either behavior or uninterrupted uptime. You can instead send a horizontal feed and let YouTube create a vertical view, but that changes how the portrait framing is produced.

Choose how to make the vertical view

You have two main options: encode a portrait feed yourself, or send a horizontal feed and let YouTube create a vertical version. Choose based on where viewers will watch and how much control you need over portrait framing.

Send a direct 9:16 feed

With direct vertical output, your encoder sends portrait video to YouTube. This gives you control over what appears in the vertical frame, which is useful when the source was designed for a phone screen. Check that titles, gameplay action, faces, and other important details remain inside the portrait crop.

Let YouTube create a vertical view from a horizontal feed

YouTube Live Control Room supports simultaneous horizontal 16:9 and vertical 9:16 output. By default, YouTube creates the vertical version as a center crop. Its layout canvas also offers center crop, fit-to-phone-width, and stacked layouts. This option can suit a stream intended for both conventional screens and mobile viewers, but inspect the resulting portrait composition rather than assuming a center crop will preserve everything important.

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YouTube says vertical live streams provide a full-screen mobile experience and can be discovered while viewers browse YouTube Shorts. Its feature comparison lists clickable links, live pre-roll and mid-roll ads, premieres, live redirect, and 4K broadcast as horizontal-feed features; memberships and gifted memberships are listed for both. YouTube also describes one go-live notification, one shared stream URL, and the same chat for both versions. Metrics specific to the vertical stream become available 24 hours after the stream, according to YouTube Help accessed October 3, 2026.

How do I stream a vertical video on YouTube Live?

Prepare the vertical format in Live Control Room before your encoder starts. YouTube warns that you cannot add the vertical format after a stream has begun.

  1. Check channel eligibility. YouTube requires the channel to be verified and to have no live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days. Confirm eligibility in YouTube Studio before planning a broadcast.
  2. Open YouTube Live Control Room and configure the stream. Select the third-party encoder path and set up the vertical output. If you want a horizontal and vertical version together, configure both formats there before starting the encoder.
  3. Get the ingest details from YouTube. Use the connection information and stream key provided through YouTube Studio or the Live Streaming API. For dual output, YouTube’s documented encoder path uses RTMP(S), a second stream key for the vertical feed, and a matching between each output format and its key.
  4. Match the encoder outputs to the keys. Send the portrait output to the key assigned to the vertical format; do not accidentally send the horizontal output to that key. Confirm the configured dimensions and orientation in your encoder.
  5. Keep the key private. A stream key is a credential. Do not put it in public scripts, repositories, screenshots, or logs. Use YouTube’s current Studio/API values rather than copying a key from an old setup.

YouTube Help accessed October 3, 2026, lists limits of 10 active streams per channel and 3 active streams per stream key. These are platform configuration limits, not a promise of VPS capacity or stream reliability.

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Prepare the VPS and encoder

The basic pipeline has three parts: a video file on the VPS or an accessible source, an encoder/muxer that turns the media into a live feed, and the YouTube-provided ingest destination. FFmpeg can serve as the encoder, but the exact command depends on whether you are copying compatible media streams or transcoding, the source’s codecs and frame rate, the intended output dimensions, and the destination details YouTube supplies.

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Plan the portrait output

For direct vertical output, the encoded video must be portrait 9:16. If the source is horizontal, decide how to produce that portrait frame: crop it, scale it to fit, or create a composed layout. A simple center crop may cut off game HUD elements, subtitles, or action near the sides. Preview the result at phone dimensions before committing to a long stream.

Looping a file is not the same as keeping a broadcast alive

A loop option can replay media, but it does not by itself keep the FFmpeg process running after a crash, restore a dropped network connection, or confirm that YouTube is still receiving the broadcast. Those behaviors depend on the encoder command, input media, process supervisor, and connection state. YouTube’s official materials do not validate a particular FFmpeg command or recovery setup as a guarantee of uninterrupted operation.

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Build and test the loop and recovery behavior separately. Decide what should happen if the file ends, the encoder exits, the VPS reboots, or the connection drops; then rehearse those cases. A process manager can restart an encoder process, but restarting that process is not the same as verifying that the YouTube broadcast has resumed correctly.

Use RTMPS details precisely

Google for Developers defines RTMPS as “a regular RTMP (RealTime Messaging Protocol) video stream tunneled through an SSL connection.” When using RTMPS, the protocol, valid YouTube ingest endpoint and application path, port 443, and SNI hostname must all be correct. The Live Streaming API’s liveStream resource describes ingestion details, resolution, frame rate, and health status; documented ingestion types include RTMP (including RTMPS), HLS, and DASH. Use the endpoint and settings shown for your stream rather than guessing or substituting a URL.

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Can I loop a video on a YouTube livestream from a VPS?

Yes, if your encoder is configured to replay the source and emit it as a live stream to YouTube. The VPS is simply the machine running that workflow; YouTube does not automatically loop a file that you upload for a live broadcast. Confirm that the loop returns to the intended point, that audio behaves correctly at the transition, and that the encoder continues sending data through multiple repetitions.

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For a channel built around gameplay or other prerecorded material, make sure you have the rights to stream the video and its audio. YouTube’s copyright and monetization rules still apply to livestreams and reused material. Replaying a file does not establish that you own it or that it qualifies for monetization; review YouTube’s policies and use material you are authorized to broadcast.

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How do I stream 9:16 video to YouTube with FFmpeg?

Use FFmpeg to produce a portrait live output and send it to the ingest address and key assigned to the vertical format in Live Control Room. YouTube’s current setup supplies the connection values; keep the key secret and do not paste it into public examples or logs.

The exact FFmpeg command cannot be safely prescribed without knowing the input codecs, whether scaling or cropping is required, the output frame rate and resolution, and the ingest details. If your input is already compatible, transcoding may be avoidable; if it is not portrait, you must choose a framing transformation. Verify that the output is actually 9:16 and that the chosen frame rate and audio match your stream configuration. YouTube recommends RTMPS in its encoder-settings guidance; consult the current YouTube settings for numeric bitrate and resolution recommendations rather than relying on an assumed universal value.

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Configure the vertical format and its key before FFmpeg starts. For a dual horizontal-and-vertical broadcast, run outputs that match the respective formats and keys configured in Live Control Room. Do not treat a successful FFmpeg process launch as proof that both YouTube feeds are healthy.

Rehearse and check stream health

  1. Start a rehearsal or use YouTube Studio’s available practice path. Do this before scheduling an extended broadcast so you can catch format, framing, and audio problems without relying on a long live run.
  2. Inspect the encoder preview. Confirm that the output is portrait where expected, important content is visible, and audio is present and synchronized.
  3. Check YouTube’s stream health. The Live Streaming API health status can report problems such as low video bitrate, a frame-rate mismatch, or no audio stream. Resolve warnings before treating the stream as ready.
  4. Test the loop and recovery plan. Observe a file transition and rehearse a controlled process or connection interruption. Verify what viewers see and whether the broadcast returns as intended; do not infer recovery from a running VPS alone.

Choose VPS capacity for your workload

There is no universally sufficient VPS size established by YouTube’s official sources. Capacity depends on whether the server merely passes through compatible media or transcodes it, as well as the source resolution and frame rate, bitrate, network allowance, and the restart and recovery design.

Before choosing a plan, calculate outbound bitrate and the corresponding monthly transfer for your intended schedule. Compare the provider’s available CPU and encoding capacity, network limits, region, operational support, and total current price against that workload. A VPS plan that can store a video is not necessarily suitable for encoding it continuously, and a plan with sufficient CPU does not guarantee a stable path to YouTube.

Or let it run in the cloud

If your goal is simply to keep prerecorded video live on YouTube, StreamNeo is an alternative to operating and monitoring your own VPS. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops the uploaded video in the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It supports video up to 4K 60fps as uploaded at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card.

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The monthly option is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.

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