To loop a compatible local video file to YouTube Live without re-encoding, use FFmpeg’s input loop and real-time options with stream copy:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i worship.mp4 -c copy -f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL"-stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely, -re paces file playback at its native rate, and -c copy copies the existing audio and video packets instead of encoding them. This works only if the file’s codecs and stream properties are already suitable for YouTube’s live ingest; copy mode cannot fix an incompatible file.
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What you need before running the command
- A local worship video file whose existing video and audio streams meet the YouTube Live ingest requirements you intend to use.
- The current RTMPS ingest URL from YouTube Live Control Room, including its endpoint and application path.
- Your YouTube stream key, kept private. Do not put it in a public tutorial, screenshot, repository, or shell-history example.
- FFmpeg available on the computer that will run the command. The computer and its internet connection must stay available while FFmpeg is streaming.
YouTube recommends RTMPS for secure ingest. Google describes it as RTMP tunneled through SSL; the connection uses the rtmps protocol, a valid YouTube endpoint and application path, and port 443. Use the URL provided by your current YouTube Live setup rather than assuming a particular endpoint works for every stream. See Google’s RTMPS ingestion guide.
Run the loop with stream copy
- Check the source file. Confirm its codecs, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe cadence, and audio against the YouTube ingest settings you plan to use. Stream copy preserves the existing media rather than changing those properties.
- Start a YouTube live stream. In YouTube Live Control Room, create or select the stream and copy the current RTMPS URL and stream key. Keep both private; treat the key like a password.
- Build the output URL securely. Set
YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URLto the full URL required by YouTube, including the stream key in the position specified by the current setup. Avoid exposing the key in screenshots or shared shell history. The command below uses a placeholder, not a fixed YouTube endpoint. - Run FFmpeg from the folder containing the file (or replace
worship.mp4with its full path):ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i worship.mp4 -c copy -f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL" - Check the YouTube preview and stream health before making the stream public. YouTube advises testing before going live and monitoring stream health.
Option placement matters: -re and -stream_loop are input options, so put them before the relevant -i. Output options such as -c copy and -f flv go before the output URL. FFmpeg documents -stream_loop -1 as infinite looping and -re as reading at native frame rate (equivalent to -readrate 1). See the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
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Confirm the file fits YouTube’s ingest settings
The command does not convert the media. With -c copy, FFmpeg does not decode, filter, scale, change bitrate, alter frame cadence, or create a new keyframe pattern for the copied streams. YouTube’s published encoder settings are therefore a compatibility check—not settings this command can impose on your file.
YouTube Help lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 video for RTMP/RTMPS ingest, frame rates up to 60 fps, and CBR bitrate encoding. It recommends a 2-second keyframe frequency and says not to exceed 4 seconds. Its H.264 bitrate guidance lists 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended for 1080p30, and 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended for 720p30. These are resolution- and frame-rate-specific settings; use the row that matches your intended output rather than applying one bitrate to every file. YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio, with AAC required for 5.1 audio over RTMP/RTMPS. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
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Because stream copy preserves the source, it cannot make a file meet those recommendations if its codec, bitrate, or keyframe interval differs. If the file is not suitable, use a compatible pre-encoded file or transcode it before streaming. Do not add encoding-related output flags and expect them to change the media while -c copy remains in effect.
Stream copy or transcode?
| Approach | What it does | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
Stream copy (-c copy) |
Copies the selected input packets without encoding them again. | The file’s existing streams are suitable for the chosen YouTube ingest settings. | Low processing and no additional encode generation, but it cannot change codec, resolution, bitrate, cadence, or keyframes. |
| Transcoding | Encodes the media into chosen output settings. | The source needs changes to meet the intended ingest configuration. | Requires an encoding step and processing resources; choose settings appropriate to the source and YouTube guidance. |
Troubleshoot common failures
FFmpeg rejects the output or YouTube reports an ingest error
Check that the source streams are supported by the selected output container and protocol, that the RTMPS URL and application path came from the current YouTube setup, and that the source properties fit YouTube’s ingest guidance. If those media properties need to change, stream copy is the wrong mode.
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The stream starts but picture or sound is missing
Inspect the source’s actual audio and video streams and compare them with the live configuration you want. Do not assume a video-only file will be accepted as intended; test it in a private or otherwise appropriate test stream and check YouTube’s preview.
The stream stops when the computer or connection is interrupted
This FFmpeg command runs on your own computer and sends the stream over that computer’s internet connection, so both must remain available. If YouTube drops the ingest, the local command may also need attention; the command itself does not provide cloud-based recovery.
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The stream is not live at the expected time
Confirm FFmpeg is still running, the correct stream is selected in YouTube Live Control Room, and YouTube’s preview and health indicators show incoming video. Test the complete setup before relying on it for a scheduled service.
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Worship video rights and YouTube rules
A technically successful stream does not establish that you have permission to broadcast the songs, recordings, performances, lyrics, or other material in a worship video. Check the rights and licenses that apply to each recording and composition, including any permissions required for online live streaming. The command cannot determine whether a particular church, song, or recording is authorized, and looping content does not make it exempt from YouTube’s copyright or other policies.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you want a prerecorded video to keep looping on YouTube without leaving a computer running at church or at home, StreamNeo runs the stream from the cloud:
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