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To loop a prerecorded video into YouTube Live with FFmpeg, use -stream_loop -1 before the input, pace the file with -re, encode with the locally supported h264_nvenc encoder, and send the output to the RTMPS address and stream name shown in YouTube Live Control Room. For H.264, set constant bitrate (CBR) and a two-second keyframe interval, then choose resolution, frame rate, and bitrate from YouTube’s current encoder guidance. The command below is a starting template, not a tested production command: inspect your FFmpeg build, replace every placeholder, and verify stream health in YouTube before broadcasting publicly.
What you need before starting
- A prerecorded video whose duration, timestamps, video, and audio you have checked.
- An NVIDIA GPU, drivers, and runtime support compatible with the FFmpeg installation on the streaming computer.
- An FFmpeg build that exposes the
h264_nvencencoder. Support depends on the build, GPU, and drivers; the presence of NVIDIA hardware alone does not establish compatibility. - A YouTube live stream configuration with its ingestion address and stream name. Keep the stream key private.
- Upload capacity that can reliably sustain your chosen video bitrate plus audio and network overhead.
YouTube accepts RTMP and RTMPS, and recommends RTMPS, which encrypts data through Google’s servers. Use the endpoint and stream name supplied for your stream rather than assuming one universal address. The YouTube Live Streaming API documents primary and backup RTMPS ingestion fields and notes that encoders differ in whether they take the stream URL and name separately or combined.
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Choose resolution, frame rate, and bitrate
Match the output mode to your source, upload connection, and the current YouTube H.264 recommendations. These are YouTube’s recommended bitrates, not guaranteed quality levels or mandatory values. The YouTube Help page, accessed in 2026, recommends choosing a quality your internet connection can sustain reliably; recheck its live table before broadcasting because recommendations can change.
| H.264 output mode | YouTube-recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 2160p60 | 50 Mbps |
| 2160p30 | 42 Mbps |
| 1440p60 | 34 Mbps |
| 1440p30 | 21 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 14 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 8 Mbps |
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps |
| 480p30 | 4 Mbps |
| 360p30 | 4 Mbps |
For stereo audio, YouTube recommends AAC or MP3 at 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps; its guidance lists AAC at 384 Kbps for 5.1 audio. For SDR, it specifies Rec. 709 and 8-bit. It also lists progressive scan, square pixels, two B-frames, one reference frame, and CABAC among advanced settings. See the current YouTube encoder settings for the full requirements and any updates.
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Build the FFmpeg command
This illustrative shell template loops one input file, reads it at its native rate, maps its first video stream and optional first audio stream, encodes H.264 with NVENC, and sends an FLV mux to an RTMPS endpoint. It has not been run or validated against a particular FFmpeg build, GPU, source, or YouTube event.
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i "input.mp4"
-map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0?
-c:v h264_nvenc -rc cbr -b:v <youtube_h264_recommended_rate>
-g <frame_rate_times_2> -pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -ar 44100 -b:a 128k
-f flv "<rtmps_ingestion_url>/<stream_name>"Replace the placeholders with values for the chosen output mode and the exact event configuration from YouTube. The -g placeholder represents a GOP length in frames: for a two-second interval, use twice the output frame rate (for example, 60 frames at 30 fps or 120 at 60 fps). The output frame rate must match the intended mode and content; this template does not force a frame rate. Confirm your encoder’s GOP and closed-GOP options locally rather than copying flags that may not exist in your FFmpeg/NVENC version.
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Why the input options are in this order
FFmpeg defines -stream_loop as an input option; -1 means loop indefinitely. Put it before the relevant -i. The -re input option reads at the file’s native rate, pacing a prerecorded source for live transmission. Looping and pacing do different jobs. FFmpeg options apply to the next input or output, so their placement matters. See the FFmpeg command-line manual.
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Run ffmpeg -h encoder=h264_nvenc on the target host and confirm that the installed encoder accepts the rate-control, GOP, pixel-format, and any tuning or preset options you plan to use. Preset names, tuning controls, and capabilities vary with FFmpeg build, GPU, and drivers. NVIDIA’s FFmpeg guide for Video Codec SDK 13.1 describes -rc cbr as constant bitrate and identifies it for streaming applications with strict bandwidth constraints; it also cautions that general recommendations are starting points, not universal ground truth.
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NVENC handles video encoding, but it does not make FFmpeg’s other work disappear. FFmpeg may still read and demux the source, decode it, filter or scale it, map audio, and mux the outgoing stream. Encoder capacity and reliability depend on the complete setup, not just the encoder name.
Handle audio deliberately
The optional map -map 0:a:0? means “map the first audio stream if one exists”; it does not make a video-only input suitable for YouTube Live. YouTube’s Live Streaming API can report noAudioStream as an ingest health issue. If your video has multiple audio tracks, map the intended one explicitly. If it has no audio, add a deliberate silent or music input and map it appropriately; use music only when you have the necessary rights.
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If the audio is in a separate file, loop and pace that input independently, then map the intended video and audio streams explicitly. Inspect timestamps and validate synchronization locally. Variable frame rates, unusual timestamps, differing clip lengths, or gaps can cause timing and loop-boundary problems; do not assume arbitrary separate files will stay synchronized.
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- In YouTube Live Control Room, configure the live stream and copy its current ingestion address and stream name. Prefer the RTMPS destination YouTube recommends.
- Replace the endpoint and stream-name placeholders in the command. Never publish a real stream key in an article, screenshot, script repository, or shared command.
- Avoid placing the key in reusable shell history where possible. Process arguments may be visible to local users; use a protected environment or secret-handling approach appropriate to your host.
- Start FFmpeg and watch both its output and YouTube’s stream status and health. A locally running process does not prove YouTube is receiving a healthy stream.
- Before scheduling a public broadcast, run a private test and check the video, audio, loop transition, and YouTube ingest diagnostics.
The YouTube Live Streaming API documentation describes health issues including missing audio or video, unsupported codecs, excessive GOP duration, open GOP, bitrate problems, and video ingestion starvation. Use these diagnostics to distinguish a local process that is running from a stream YouTube can ingest correctly.
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Copyright and YouTube policy checks for a looping video
Having permission to upload a recording does not automatically establish that every song, clip, image, or other element in it may be broadcast live. Check the rights for the complete recording and any separately added audio before going live. A private test can reveal technical issues, but it does not grant rights or guarantee that a public stream will avoid claims or restrictions. Review YouTube’s current rules for live content and monetization if those apply to your channel; do not treat repetition alone as proof that content is eligible for monetization.
Troubleshoot common failures
- “Unknown encoder” or NVENC initialization failure: confirm the installed build exposes
h264_nvenc, then check GPU, driver, and runtime compatibility on that host. Inspect supported options withffmpeg -h encoder=h264_nvenc. - The clip plays once and stops: make sure
-stream_loop -1is before the input it controls. Check that the command is reading the intended file. - The stream runs too fast or is not paced like a live feed: place
-rebefore the prerecorded input’s-i. It controls input pacing; it does not set the output frame rate. - YouTube reports missing audio: inspect the source’s audio streams and the mapped output. The optional audio map only avoids a local mapping failure when audio is absent; it does not satisfy YouTube’s audio ingest health check.
- YouTube reports an unsupported codec, bitrate, or GOP issue: compare actual output settings with the current YouTube encoder page, and verify the encoder accepted the intended CBR, bitrate, and keyframe settings.
- YouTube reports open GOP or keyframes too far apart: check the GOP behavior supported by the local NVENC encoder and set a closed GOP with a two-second interval where supported. YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four.
- FFmpeg appears connected, but YouTube health is poor: check the event’s ingest status for bitrate, starvation, and missing-stream diagnostics. Confirm the endpoint and stream name belong to the configured event.
- Audio drifts or the loop transition is rough: inspect source timestamps, frame rate, audio duration, and the loop boundary. Separate inputs need explicit mapping and local synchronization validation.
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