The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To loop a local video into a YouTube Live stream, put -stream_loop -1 before the input file’s -i option, and use -re to read that file at its native frame rate. The example below is a starting point, not a guarantee of uninterrupted 24/7 service: FFmpeg, your connection, and the YouTube stream all need to stay healthy.
FFmpeg command to loop a video into YouTube Live
For a local MP4 file, this H.264/AAC example paces the file in real time and requests infinite repetition:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i input.mp4
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -tune zerolatency
-b:v 4500k -maxrate 4500k -bufsize 9000k -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv "rtmps://YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST/YOUR_STREAM_NAME"Replace input.mp4 with the path to your video and replace the output URL with the primary RTMPS ingest address and stream name supplied for your YouTube stream. The URL format shown is illustrative: use the values from your own Live setup, not the example text. Keep the stream name/key private; anyone who obtains it may be able to broadcast to your stream.
FFmpeg documents -stream_loop as an input option; -1 means infinite looping, so place it before the -i for the file you want repeated. -re reads the input at its native frame rate (equivalent to -readrate 1) and is useful for pacing a file as a live source. Do not add it indiscriminately to an actual live-capture input. See the FFmpeg documentation.
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Set the output for your video and YouTube ingest
Resolution, frame rate, and codec
The command encodes video as H.264 and audio as AAC. YouTube’s encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS ingest, H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, and AAC or MP3 audio. The example does not set a frame rate or scale the image: FFmpeg uses the input’s properties unless you add appropriate filters or output options. Check the source file and choose output settings that match your intended resolution and frame rate.
The -g 60 option sets a 60-frame GOP. At 30 fps that is a two-second keyframe interval; at another frame rate it is not. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Set GOP length to approximately twice the output frame rate for a two-second interval—for example, 120 frames at 60 fps.
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Bitrate and upload capacity
The sample’s 4500 kbps video target is a modest 720p30 H.264 example, not a universal setting. YouTube’s current encoder table gives these recommendations:
| Video format | YouTube recommended bitrate | YouTube minimum bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| H.264, 1080p30 | 14 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| AV1 or H.265, 1080p30 | 10 Mbps | 4 Mbps |
| H.264, 720p30 | 8 Mbps | 3 Mbps |
| AV1 or H.265, 720p30 | 6 Mbps | 2 Mbps |
These are YouTube-published recommendations and minimums; requirements vary with codec, resolution, and frame rate, and YouTube’s guidance can change. The template’s -maxrate 4500k and -bufsize 9000k accompany the 4500 kbps target; they do not make that target suitable for every resolution or guarantee a stable stream. Choose settings for the actual output and make sure your dependable upload capacity can sustain the stream. YouTube recommends testing upload speed and checking stream health. Consult its current encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions before going live.
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Audio and stream-copy edge cases
If the input has no audio, the example’s audio encoding options may need adjustment; otherwise FFmpeg may fail because there is no audio stream to encode. If the file already has compatible codecs and timestamps, stream-copy may be an option instead of re-encoding, but do not assume that it will work cleanly across repeated loops. Validate the result, especially at the point where the file restarts. Re-encoding can also require substantial CPU capacity, depending on the settings and machine.
Get the YouTube stream destination safely
- Configure the stream in YouTube Live Control Room. Obtain the primary RTMPS ingest address and the stream name/key from YouTube’s setup for that stream.
- Use the supplied destination in FFmpeg. Some encoders take the server URL and stream name separately; this command joins them as
STREAM_URL/STREAM_NAME. Follow the format YouTube provides for your setup. The YouTube LiveStreams API documentation describes the primary RTMPS ingestion address and stream name. - Protect the key. Do not expose it in public scripts, screenshots, tutorials, or logs. If it is accidentally shared, replace or reset it through YouTube’s stream settings.
Test before relying on a loop
YouTube Help says, “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.” Run a rehearsal in Live Control Room using representative motion and audio, and check stream health while it is running. Listen and watch the point where the video restarts: a cut, blank frame, silence, or abrupt audio change can make a technically successful loop unpleasant to viewers. YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends testing representative audio and movement, monitoring stream health, and checking upload capacity.
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What the command does—and what it does not
-stream_loop -1asks FFmpeg to repeat the input file indefinitely.-repaces file reading at its native frame rate for live-style output.- The codec, bitrate, frame rate, keyframe interval, and destination determine whether the output suits YouTube’s ingest guidance and your network.
- The command does not restart a crashed FFmpeg process, restore a failed internet connection, or guarantee that YouTube will keep an event available indefinitely. Unattended operation needs monitoring and a recovery strategy appropriate to the machine and operating system.
The sources cited here do not establish one universal live-event duration or archive-retention rule for every channel and configuration. Check YouTube’s current policies and the settings for your specific stream rather than assuming an event or its replay will persist without limit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common failures
FFmpeg exits immediately or says it cannot open the input
Check the spelling and full path of input.mp4, confirm the file is accessible to the user running FFmpeg, and verify that another process has not moved or removed it.
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YouTube does not receive a stream
Recheck the RTMPS address and stream name/key against the values in YouTube’s Live setup. Confirm that you used the destination format expected by your encoder, that the key was not revoked or replaced, and that the machine can reach the ingest service.
Stream health reports unstable or insufficient bitrate
Compare the chosen output’s codec, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate with YouTube’s current table. Measure dependable upload capacity, not just a short-lived peak, and leave room for network variation. Reduce output demands if the connection cannot sustain the selected bitrate.
Video or audio breaks at the loop point
Inspect the source’s ending and beginning for discontinuities, then rehearse the repeated file in Live Control Room. If stream-copy was attempted, test whether codec parameters and timestamps remain acceptable across the restart; re-encoding may be more reliable for a source that does not loop cleanly.
FFmpeg stops after running unattended
-stream_loop -1 repeats the media only while FFmpeg is running. It is not a process supervisor or network-recovery mechanism. Use a suitable supervisor and alerting for your operating system, and verify that the process, network, and YouTube stream recover as intended; the command alone promises no 24/7 availability.
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