Run FFmpeg inside a tmux session, add -nostdin to the FFmpeg command, and detach from tmux before closing SSH. Later, reconnect to the same Linode and reattach to the session. This keeps the command attached to the server rather than to your SSH terminal; it does not protect the job from a reboot, server shutdown, or FFmpeg failure.
Keep a one-off FFmpeg job running with tmux
Use tmux when you want to disconnect from SSH and later return to the same terminal session to inspect FFmpeg output.
-
Connect to your Linode over SSH and check that
tmuxis installed. If it is not, install it using the package manager for the Linux distribution running on your instance. -
Start a named tmux session:
tmux new -s ffmpeg -
Run FFmpeg inside that session, substituting the actual input and output paths and the encoding options appropriate to your job:
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ffmpeg -nostdin -i /path/to/input -c:v libx264 -c:a aac /path/to/output.mp4The codecs shown are illustrative, not a recommendation for every source or output. FFmpeg’s FAQ recommends
-nostdinfor background execution so it does not check for terminal input. That option handles FFmpeg’s console interaction; it does not, by itself, keep a process alive after logout. FFmpeg FAQ. -
While FFmpeg is running, press Ctrl+B, then D. This detaches from tmux without stopping the command. You can then close SSH.
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To return, SSH to the same Linode and attach to the session:
tmux attach -t ffmpeg
Before disconnecting, check that FFmpeg is running in the tmux session. If the session name is already in use when you start, list existing sessions with tmux ls and attach to the intended one instead of starting a duplicate job.
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Choose another method if the job has different needs
| Method | Best fit | How to use it | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| tmux | A one-off job you may want to inspect interactively later. | Start FFmpeg in a tmux session, detach with Ctrl+B then D, and reattach with tmux attach -t ffmpeg. |
It preserves a terminal session across SSH disconnection, not across a server reboot. |
| GNU Screen | A persistent terminal-session alternative to tmux. | Start a Screen session, detach with Ctrl+A then Ctrl+D, and reattach with screen -r. |
Like tmux, it is for terminal-session persistence, not reboot recovery. Linode Community describes both tools for disconnecting and reattaching. Linode Community. |
| nohup | A noninteractive command when returning to its terminal is unnecessary and a log file is enough. | Redirect output to a known file and background the process, as shown below. | It does not restart the command after a reboot; track the process and check the log yourself. |
| systemd | A service-like job that needs explicit start/stop management or should start at boot. | Create a service unit with a deliberate user, working directory, full executable path, command, and restart policy; then use systemd to manage and enable it. | Requires service configuration. Restart policy should suit the workload rather than blindly restarting every failure. See Linode’s systemd service at boot guide. |
Run FFmpeg with nohup and keep a log
For a simple noninteractive job, use nohup with explicit redirections. FFmpeg writes diagnostic logs to stderr by default, so 2>&1 sends them to the same file as stdout.
nohup ffmpeg -nostdin -i input.mp4 output.mp4 > ffmpeg.log 2>&1 < /dev/null &This ignores hangup signals, redirects terminal input away from the command, and places the process in the background. The Linux nohup manual describes its hangup handling and default terminal I/O behavior: nohup(1). Check the shell’s output for the background job or PID, then inspect the log after reconnecting:
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When to use systemd instead
A detached terminal or nohup is a lightweight way to survive an SSH disconnect, but neither is a service manager. If FFmpeg must be started and stopped deliberately or launched after the machine boots, configure a systemd service. Linode’s guide covers creating and enabling a custom service: Use systemd to Start a Linux Service at Boot.
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Set the service’s user, working directory, full FFmpeg executable path, input and output locations, and restart behavior deliberately. Then inspect the service state and logs with the host’s systemd tools, such as systemctl status and journalctl for the selected unit. A service can be configured to start at boot, but that does not guarantee a successful encode: the input, disk space, network source, permissions, and FFmpeg command still need to be valid.
Capture useful FFmpeg diagnostics and progress
FFmpeg normally writes logs to stderr. Its -report option saves the full command line and log output in a timestamped report file in the current directory, which can help diagnose a failed run. Its -progress option emits periodic machine-readable progress to a chosen destination, such as pipe:1. If you use -progress pipe:1, redirect stdout intentionally so those progress records are retained rather than lost or mixed unexpectedly. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation for logging, reports, progress, and stdin options.
What survives SSH—and what does not
- SSH disconnect: tmux, Screen, and nohup separate the FFmpeg process from the terminal connection when used correctly.
- FFmpeg waiting for terminal input: use
-nostdin, or redirect stdin from/dev/nullon Linux or macOS. The FFmpeg FAQ documents both approaches: background execution guidance. - Server reboot or shutdown: an ordinary tmux, Screen, or nohup process will not continue running through a reboot. Use a systemd service if the job should be launched at boot.
- Other failures: none of these methods makes a job immune to resource exhaustion, a full disk, failed network input, invalid paths, or an FFmpeg error. Check the process and its logs, and make sure the output destination has space.
Troubleshoot a job that stopped or is hard to find
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg appears suspended after being backgrounded. | It is checking terminal input or still has terminal stdin. | Run with -nostdin; for nohup, redirect stdin from /dev/null. These are the background-input remedies documented by the FFmpeg FAQ. |
| You cannot find the tmux session. | You reconnected to a different server, used a different session name, or the session ended. | SSH to the same Linode and run tmux ls. Attach using the listed session name, for example tmux attach -t ffmpeg. |
| The nohup command is running but the log is empty or missing. | The command may have failed immediately, the path may differ from your current directory, or the output redirection may not match the command you started. | Use the explicit log path you supplied, inspect it with tail -f ffmpeg.log, and verify the input/output paths and permissions. Capture both streams with > ffmpeg.log 2>&1. |
| The job disappeared after a reboot. | tmux and nohup do not provide reboot persistence. | Configure and enable a systemd service if the task should start after boot, then inspect that unit’s status and logs. See Linode’s systemd guide. |
| The process still exists but output is not progressing. | The input may be unavailable, the destination may be full, or FFmpeg may have encountered an error. | Inspect the FFmpeg log or tmux output, verify the input source and output path, and check available disk space and server resources. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep prerecorded videos playing as a 24/7 YouTube live stream rather than run an FFmpeg job on Linode, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos to YouTube; it does not stream from a camera.
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See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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