Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteIt depends on what you mean by “playlist.” FFmpeg can create a WebVTT subtitle track in an HLS playlist you control, but that is not the same as sending captions that YouTube displays during a live broadcast. For YouTube Live captions, use YouTube’s documented embedded EIA-608/CEA-708 route or a supported caption feed over HTTP. For captions on the replay, add a subtitle file in YouTube Studio.
First, choose where the subtitles need to appear
| What you need | Use this method | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| A subtitle track in an HLS playlist you generate | FFmpeg HLS subtitle rendition | Creates a separate WebVTT rendition associated with a subtitle group in the HLS master playlist. |
| Captions visible while YouTube Live is airing | YouTube’s embedded 608/708 captions or supported HTTP caption software | Delivers captions through a method YouTube documents for live captions. |
| Subtitles on the archived or uploaded video | YouTube Studio subtitle workflow | Adds a supported subtitle file such as SRT or WebVTT to the video. |
These are separate delivery paths. FFmpeg’s HLS example demonstrates how to author an HLS subtitle rendition; it does not establish that YouTube Live will display that rendition as live captions. The official documentation reviewed does not confirm direct interoperability between an FFmpeg-generated TYPE=SUBTITLES rendition and YouTube Live caption ingestion.
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Create a WebVTT subtitle rendition in an FFmpeg HLS playlist
Use this route when you control the HLS output and need a separate subtitle track in its playlist. The input must contain a text subtitle stream. FFmpeg’s HLS muxer documentation shows the essential pattern: map video, audio and subtitle streams; encode the subtitle stream as WebVTT; and declare subtitle group metadata in -var_stream_map. See the FFmpeg HLS muxer documentation and FFmpeg full documentation.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Check the input streams. Identify the video, audio and text subtitle stream in your source. The FFmpeg example assumes a text subtitle stream is present; it does not convert speech to captions or create subtitle text for you.
- Map the streams. Include the video, audio and subtitle streams in the HLS output. Use the correct stream indices for your input rather than copying indices from an unrelated file.
- Set the subtitle codec to WebVTT. In the output options, use
-c:s webvttfor the subtitle stream, as in FFmpeg’s documented pattern. - Declare the subtitle group in the variant map. Set subtitle group and name metadata in
-var_stream_mapso the HLS master playlist associates the WebVTT rendition with the relevant variant. Include the language/name information appropriate to your track. - Inspect the generated output. Confirm that FFmpeg produced the subtitle rendition and that the master playlist references its subtitle group. Test playback with an HLS player that supports WebVTT subtitles.
The documentation’s example is a pattern, not a tested command for every FFmpeg build or input. Stream indices, required options and accepted syntax can vary with the file and installed version. FFmpeg’s online documentation is regenerated nightly for the newest revision; if you run an older build, check its local documentation or the FFmpeg documentation index before adapting the example.
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Send captions during a YouTube Live broadcast
For captions that viewers can see during the live broadcast, follow YouTube’s live-caption workflow rather than assuming an HLS subtitle rendition will be accepted as a caption feed. YouTube documents two routes: captions embedded in the video using EIA-608/CEA-708, or captions sent by supported software over HTTP POST. Its help page says: “The captions can either be embedded in the video or sent through supported software that can send captions over HTTP POSTs.” Read YouTube’s live caption requirements and use the controls available for your live event.
Embedded EIA-608/CEA-708 captions
- In the live setup, enable Closed captions and select Embedded 608/708.
- Configure the encoder to embed captions in EIA-608/CEA-708 format.
- Check the caption track in the live setup and verify the result during a test or broadcast.
Although the caption standards support up to four language tracks, YouTube’s current help page says it supports one embedded caption track. If you need several live caption languages, confirm the available options in your event setup rather than assuming the standards’ maximum is supported by YouTube.
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HTTP caption feed
- Enable captions in the live setup.
- Copy the Captions Ingestion URL shown for the event.
- Configure supported caption software to send its feed to that URL using HTTP POST.
- Check that captions appear in the event and that the feed remains connected.
YouTube documents one caption feed per stream entry point. Its help page names Total Eclipse, Case CATalyst, CaptionMaker and StreamText.Net as software options, with version qualifications for some applications. That list does not establish present availability or suitability for a particular FFmpeg-only setup. The documentation does not say that a WebVTT HLS rendition can be substituted for this separate HTTP caption feed.
If you are sending the live video to YouTube over HLS
YouTube’s HLS ingest requirements concern the live video transport, not the separate caption feed. Choose HLS as the stream protocol in Live Control Room and use the generated HTTPS ingestion URL. Follow the current YouTube HLS setup instructions for these requirements:
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- Use MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) segments.
- Set segment duration to one to four seconds.
- Use a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments.
- Do not use byte ranges.
- Use HTTPS POST/PUT for ingestion.
YouTube notes that HLS has higher latency than RTMP because video is sent in segments. These transport settings do not configure or prove delivery of a live caption feed.
Add subtitles to the replay or uploaded video
If captions do not need to appear during the live broadcast, use YouTube Studio’s subtitle workflow for the archived or uploaded video. YouTube lists supported subtitle and closed-caption formats including SRT and WebVTT. Follow YouTube’s Add subtitles & captions instructions and check the supported subtitle and closed caption file requirements for formatting rules.
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Troubleshoot the method that matches your goal
- The HLS player shows no subtitle option: Check that the input actually contains a text subtitle stream, that it was mapped and encoded as WebVTT, and that the HLS master playlist includes the subtitle group and rendition. Also verify that your playback client supports HLS WebVTT subtitles.
- The HLS track exists, but YouTube Live shows no captions: A playlist subtitle rendition is not established as a YouTube live-caption feed. Configure YouTube’s embedded 608/708 route or its supported HTTP caption workflow instead.
- The embedded caption option is missing or captions do not appear: Check that Closed captions and Embedded 608/708 are selected in the live setup and that the encoder is configured for EIA-608/CEA-708. YouTube currently documents one embedded caption track.
- The HTTP caption feed is not reaching the event: Confirm that the caption software is supported, is sending to the event’s Captions Ingestion URL, and is connected to the correct stream entry point. YouTube documents one caption feed per entry point.
- FFmpeg rejects an option or produces a different result: Check the version installed and consult documentation for that version. The online FFmpeg documentation tracks the newest revision, so older builds may differ.
- Captions are needed only after the live ends: Add a supported subtitle file through YouTube Studio instead of trying to make the HLS rendition serve as a live caption feed.
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