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To loop a playlist of local video files into YouTube Live, put the files in an FFmpeg concat list, then run FFmpeg with -re, -stream_loop -1, and an RTMPS output URL containing your YouTube stream key. This simple concat-demuxer method is for clips with compatible stream layouts and parameters; if their codecs, resolutions, frame rates, audio layouts, or time bases differ, normalize them or use a filter-and-re-encode workflow first.
Choose the right way to combine your files
FFmpeg’s concat demuxer reads a text playlist as one virtual input. It is the straightforward route when the files have compatible streams and parameters. The concat filter is intended for workflows that require decoding and re-encoding. FFmpeg documents the distinction in its FAQ.
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- Use the concat demuxer if the clips have matching stream layouts and compatible codec, resolution, frame rate, audio, and time-base properties. It avoids decoding and re-encoding when used with stream copy, but the YouTube command below encodes the output as H.264 and AAC.
- Normalize or filter and re-encode if the clips differ in ways that prevent consistent output. Choose a common resolution, frame rate, video and audio format, and handle clips without audio. Re-encoding adds work for the host and may add a generation loss.
Do not assume that unlike clips will join seamlessly simply because they are listed together. Make a short test playlist with representative files before relying on a long-running stream.
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Create the playlist file
- Place a plain-text file named
playlist.txtwhere the FFmpeg process can read it. - List each media file in playback order, one line per file, using the concat file format:
file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'FFmpeg resolves the listed paths from the process’s working directory unless you specify paths explicitly. Ensure the account running FFmpeg can access both the playlist and every media file. If paths contain spaces or punctuation, quote them correctly for the concat file format and test a short run; the -safe 0 option in the command below permits paths that the default safety rules might reject, so use it only with playlists and paths you trust.
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Send the repeating playlist to YouTube Live
For compatible files, this is a starting command. Replace the output URL with the RTMPS server and stream key shown for your stream in YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 10M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 20M
-g 60 -r 30 -c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv 'rtmps://SERVER/APP/STREAM_KEY'What the important options do
-rereads the file input at its native rate, rather than sending it as fast as FFmpeg can process it. This is appropriate when simulating a live source.-stream_loop -1repeats the input indefinitely.-f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txtselects the concat demuxer and reads the playlist. Input options must appear before-i.-c:v libx264encodes video as H.264.-preset veryfasttrades some compression efficiency for lower encoding demands; confirm the host can encode in real time.-b:vand-maxrateset the target and maximum video bitrate in this example.-bufsizesets the encoder’s rate-control buffer; these example values are not a universal setting.-r 30outputs 30 frames per second.-g 60sets a 60-frame GOP, or two seconds at 30 fps. If you change the frame rate, adjust the GOP to keep a roughly two-second keyframe interval.-c:a aac -b:a 128kencodes stereo audio as AAC at 128 Kbps. If some inputs have no audio, the output may not have a consistent audio stream; add a silence source or otherwise handle audio in a filter/re-encoding workflow.-f flvselects the muxer used for this RTMP-family output. The output URL goes last.
The order matters: FFmpeg options apply to the next input or output. In particular, place -re and -stream_loop before -i; encoding and output settings belong after the input and before the destination.
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Match YouTube’s ingest settings
Use YouTube’s current live encoder settings as the reference, and check that page again before a production stream because its table may change. YouTube’s guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS ingestion, H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, up to 60 fps, constant bitrate (CBR), and a recommended keyframe frequency of two seconds, not more than four seconds. YouTube says, “We recommend streaming to YouTube Live with RTMPS.”
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For common H.264 cases, YouTube’s recommended video bitrates, accessed October 3, 2026, are:
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| Output | YouTube-recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 6 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 12 Mbps |
| Stereo audio | 128 Kbps |
These are YouTube-published ingest recommendations, not guarantees of what viewers will see. Select a bitrate for the resolution, frame rate, and codec you actually output, and make sure the connection can sustain it with headroom. The sample command uses 10 Mbps because it outputs 1080p only if the source already has that resolution; it does not scale files. To change resolution, add an appropriate scaling filter and make sure every segment yields consistent output dimensions.
Set up and test the stream before leaving it unattended
- Prepare the YouTube stream. In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select the stream. Copy its server URL and stream key into the FFmpeg destination in the format YouTube provides. Treat the key as a password: do not put it in public scripts, screenshots, or logs. If someone exposes it, reset it in Live Control Room.
- Check the playlist from the FFmpeg account. Confirm the process can read the playlist and all listed files. Run a short test and watch for concat errors, missing media, or inconsistent audio/video.
- Verify output settings and capacity. Confirm the selected frame rate, keyframe interval, codec, and bitrate meet YouTube’s current guidance. Check that the host can encode at the requested settings in real time and the upload connection has sufficient headroom.
- Test with representative content. YouTube recommends testing before going live. Include clips with typical movement and audio, then inspect the stream health and messages in Live Control Room.
- Plan for failures. A continuously running command is not the same as a fully supervised service. Decide how you will notice local file, process, or network failures and restart FFmpeg. The reviewed FFmpeg and YouTube guidance does not establish that FFmpeg will reconnect automatically in every failure mode.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or change |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg reports that a playlist file or media file cannot be opened | The path is wrong, relative to a different working directory, or inaccessible to the account running FFmpeg. | Use accessible paths, confirm permissions, and run FFmpeg as the same account used by the unattended process. Check that each playlist line follows concat-file quoting rules. |
| The concat input fails or output glitches at a clip boundary | Input streams or parameters differ, such as resolution, frame rate, codec, audio layout, or time base. | Test each file and compare its streams. Normalize the files to a common format or switch to a filter-and-re-encode pipeline. |
| YouTube does not receive the stream | The server URL or stream key is incorrect, the key was reset, or the connection is failing. | Copy the current URL and key from the selected Live Control Room stream, confirm the destination is RTMPS, and check FFmpeg output and YouTube’s stream-health messages. Reset an exposed key. |
| YouTube reports a keyframe or bitrate issue | The output settings do not match the selected frame rate, keyframe interval, or current ingest recommendations. | Set a roughly two-second GOP: for example, -g 60 at 30 fps. Use a bitrate appropriate to the output format and confirm CBR behavior and current settings in YouTube’s encoder guidance. |
| There is no audio, or audio changes or disappears between clips | One or more files may lack audio or use a different audio layout. | Make the output audio consistent. In a filter workflow, add silence where necessary and encode a common audio format; verify transitions during a test. |
| The stream stops after a disconnect or FFmpeg exits | A network interruption, host problem, input read error, or process exit ended the ingest. | Inspect FFmpeg’s error output and Live Control Room messages, then restart the process after fixing the cause. Add an external process monitor or supervision appropriate to your host; do not assume the sample command handles every reconnect case. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If the aim is to keep uploaded videos looping on a YouTube channel without leaving a computer running, StreamNeo is a cloud alternative: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos from the cloud; it does not stream from a camera.
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