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To run a continuous YouTube stream from a VPS, install FFmpeg, send a supported audio/video input to YouTube over RTMPS, test the picture and sound, then supervise FFmpeg with systemd. For a looping video file, the example below uses -stream_loop -1; for other inputs, adjust the input and reconnect behavior. A systemd restart policy can recover from an FFmpeg process failure, but it cannot prevent or fix every VPS, network, input, or YouTube outage.
What you need before you start
- An Ubuntu VPS with enough sustained outbound bandwidth for your chosen stream settings. There is no universal CPU or RAM size for this job: transcoding and stream-copying have different resource demands, so test the actual media and settings on the server you plan to use.
- A video or other FFmpeg-compatible input. The example below assumes a local video file; a live input or generated feed needs input-specific options.
- A YouTube broadcast and its stream key from Live Control Room. Use the RTMPS ingestion URL, not an unverified default RTMP address.
- Shell access with permission to install packages and configure a system service.
YouTube recommends RTMPS, which encrypts the stream in transit, and warns that Live Control Room may show the standard RTMP URL by default. Select or retrieve the RTMPS address explicitly. See YouTube’s RTMPS guidance and the YouTube Live Streaming API documentation.
Install FFmpeg on Ubuntu
Ubuntu is used here as an example, not a requirement. Package versions vary by Ubuntu release and CPU architecture, so check the package available for your VPS image.
- Update the package index and install FFmpeg:
sudo apt update sudo apt install ffmpeg ffmpeg -version - Check that the installed build includes the encoder you intend to use. For the example below, that is
libx264. Ubuntu documents APT and package management in its package catalog and server package-management guide.
Create a YouTube broadcast and protect its stream key
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or select the broadcast you want to run.
- Retrieve its stream key and the RTMPS ingestion URL. Confirm the URL is RTMPS rather than assuming the default shown is secure.
- Treat the stream key as a password. Do not put a real key in a public tutorial, repository, shell transcript, or support ticket. Store it in a restricted configuration file or a root-readable systemd environment file.
The URL and key are credentials for sending video to your channel. If you believe a key has been exposed, replace it in YouTube’s live settings and update the VPS configuration that uses it.
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Build and test an FFmpeg command for a looping file
This example loops a local file indefinitely, transcodes video to H.264 and audio to AAC, and sends the result to an RTMPS endpoint. Replace the file path, endpoint, key, and encoding settings. It is an illustrative starting point, not a tested universal recipe.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/stream/input.mp4
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p
-r 30 -g 60 -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "<RTMPS_URL>/<STREAM_KEY>"-rereads the file at its native playback rate rather than sending it as fast as possible;-stream_loop -1requests an indefinite file loop.-c:v libx264,-r 30, and-g 60set H.264 encoding, 30 frames per second, and a 60-frame GOP, which corresponds to a two-second keyframe interval at 30 fps.-b:vsets the target video bitrate;-maxrateand-bufsizeshape rate control. The example’s 5 Mbps is an initial example value, not a guarantee that the VPS or source can sustain it.-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100encodes AAC audio at 128 Kbps and 44.1 kHz.-f flvselects the output format commonly used for RTMP/RTMPS ingest. Replace the placeholder with the exact RTMPS address and key provided for the broadcast.
Inspect the input’s audio and video streams before relying on the command. If the source is already compatible and you want to avoid transcoding, stream-copying may reduce encoding work, but the source’s codecs, bitrate, frame rate, and keyframe interval must already suit the intended YouTube stream. FFmpeg options and protocol behavior depend on the input and installed version; see the FFmpeg Protocols Documentation.
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For a network feed, generated pattern, or other live input, do not blindly keep -stream_loop -1. Choose input flags and reconnect/timestamp behavior for that source. Check the installed FFmpeg build and validate the command against representative media before putting it under supervision.
Choose bitrate, resolution, and keyframes
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends constant bitrate (CBR), H.264, H.265, or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, and a two-second keyframe interval that does not exceed four seconds. For stereo audio it recommends a 44.1 kHz sample rate and 128 Kbps. The H.264 video bitrate ranges below are YouTube recommendations, not guarantees of quality or a substitute for testing.
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| H.264 output | YouTube-recommended video bitrate |
|---|---|
| 720p30 | 3–8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 5–14 Mbps |
| 720p60 | 3–8 Mbps |
| 1080p60 | 6–17 Mbps |
These are YouTube encoder recommendations on a page whose publication year is not stated; they were verified in 2026. Select a bitrate your VPS can sustain with margin, accounting for other outbound traffic and any provider egress limits. Higher resolution or frame rate can increase bandwidth needs and, when transcoding, encoding work. YouTube’s current guidance is in Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions.
Run FFmpeg as a systemd service
Once the command works in a test, a systemd unit can start it at boot and restart it after abnormal process exits. Create /etc/systemd/system/youtube-stream.service and adapt the service user, working directory, paths, endpoint variable, and command to your setup.
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[Unit]
Description=FFmpeg YouTube live stream
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=stream
WorkingDirectory=/srv/stream
EnvironmentFile=/etc/youtube-stream.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i /srv/stream/input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p -r 30 -g 60 -b:v 5M -maxrate 5M -bufsize 10M -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv ${YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL}
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetIn /etc/youtube-stream.env, set YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL to the combined RTMPS address and stream key. Restrict file access to root and the service account. The unit assumes the environment variable expands as intended for your installed systemd version; check its substitution and escaping rules. A wrapper script with restrictive permissions may be easier for a complex command.
- Reload systemd, enable and start the service, then inspect its status:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable --now youtube-stream.service sudo systemctl status youtube-stream.service - Follow the service journal while testing:
sudo journalctl -u youtube-stream.service -f - Confirm both that FFmpeg is running and that YouTube Live Control Room receives a healthy broadcast. Consider how you will be alerted if the service stops; a process that exists is not proof that the stream is reaching viewers.
Restart=on-failure is useful for a long-running service, but systemd also applies start-rate limits, so repeated failures do not necessarily cause endless immediate restarts. An intentional systemctl stop does not trigger the restart policy. See the Ubuntu Noble systemd.service manual for restart and rate-limit behavior.
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Test the stream and diagnose common failures
Before depending on an unattended broadcast, test with audio and movement similar to the intended content. Review FFmpeg’s logs and YouTube’s preview and stream-health messages, including audio presence, aspect ratio, and motion. YouTube recommends testing beforehand and monitoring stream health during the event.
| Symptom | What to check | Practical response |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive the stream | RTMPS address, key, broadcast selection, and FFmpeg error output. | Confirm that the endpoint is the RTMPS URL for the selected broadcast and that the key is current. Check that the server can reach the endpoint. |
| FFmpeg exits immediately | Input path and permissions, encoder availability, malformed options, and logs. | Run the command interactively, correct the first reported error, and verify the service user can read the input and configuration files. |
| Service keeps restarting or stops restarting | systemctl status, journal output, and systemd start-rate limiting. |
Fix the underlying command or input problem before clearing any start limit; avoid treating frequent restarts as a substitute for diagnosing the failure. |
| Video stutters or stream health degrades | Sustained VPS egress capacity, competing traffic, bitrate, and encoder load. | Test the real content and lower the output demands if the server cannot sustain them. Check provider bandwidth and egress limits. |
| Video works but audio is absent or wrong | Whether the input contains audio, stream mapping, audio encoder support, and YouTube preview. | Inspect the input streams and adjust mapping or audio encoding to match the source. |
| FFmpeg is healthy but broadcast is unavailable | YouTube broadcast status, account restrictions, and Live Control Room health. | Check the broadcast and account state in YouTube; systemd cannot repair a disabled broadcast or account restriction. |
A restart policy does not recover from every failure: a missing input file, invalid key, provider network outage, expired or disabled broadcast, and account restriction require a separate fix. Plan to verify the actual broadcast periodically rather than relying only on service status.
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