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To stream a video from a USB drive to YouTube Live with FFmpeg, mount the drive, confirm the file path, then have FFmpeg read the file in real time and send it to YouTube’s current RTMPS ingest address with your stream key. This is a live feed made from a local file—not a normal YouTube video upload. The steps below use a looping command template; your Raspberry Pi’s ability to encode it in real time depends on its model, the video and FFmpeg build.
What you need
- A YouTube channel that is permitted to livestream, with the intended live stream’s current RTMPS ingestion address and stream key.
- A Raspberry Pi with FFmpeg installed and network access to YouTube’s ingest service.
- A mounted USB drive containing a video file that your FFmpeg build can read.
You do not need a camera, capture card or microphone to send an existing video file. If you already have a suitable USB drive, no additional storage is required.
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Prepare the YouTube Live stream
In YouTube Studio, create or select the live stream you intend to use and copy its currently displayed RTMPS ingestion address and stream key. The exact interface and assigned values can change, so use the values shown for your stream rather than a hard-coded endpoint. YouTube requires livestreaming to be enabled for the channel; permission-related errors can prevent an incoming stream from working. See YouTube’s liveStreams documentation and livestreaming eligibility information.
YouTube distinguishes the incoming feed from the event viewers watch: a liveStream represents the ingest, while a liveBroadcast is the broadcast. In YouTube Studio, check that the feed is arriving on the broadcast you plan to show. The distinction is also described in the liveBroadcast documentation.
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Treat the stream key like a password. Do not publish it in an article, screenshot, public log or shell history. Anyone with access to the key may be able to send a feed to your stream.
Mount the USB drive and verify the file
Connect the drive and locate its mount point using your operating system’s file manager or command line. There is no single Raspberry Pi path that applies to every OS and configuration. Confirm the video is present and readable before starting FFmpeg. For a shell check, substitute the actual path:
ls -l "/path/to/usb/video.mp4"Keep the quotation marks if the file or directory name contains spaces. FFmpeg reads regular files as inputs, but it does not mount a removable drive or discover its path for you. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
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Check which FFmpeg features are available
Run these commands on the Raspberry Pi that will stream:
ffmpeg -version
ffmpeg -encoders
ffmpeg -protocolsCheck that the installed build includes the encoders and output protocol you plan to use. Availability of libx264, AAC encoding and RTMPS output varies by build. A file’s container and codecs also affect whether it can be sent without conversion. Copying the source audio and video with -c:a copy and -c:v copy is appropriate only when those codecs and the container are acceptable for the chosen YouTube ingest; otherwise, transcode to suitable output codecs.
Send the video to YouTube with FFmpeg
This is a command template, not a tested configuration for every Raspberry Pi. Replace the quoted input path with the USB file’s real path and replace the destination placeholder with the current RTMPS ingest address and stream key shown for your YouTube stream. Keep the key private, and first confirm that your FFmpeg build supports the selected encoders and RTMPS output.
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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "/path/to/usb/video.mp4"
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -b:a 128k
-f flv "<RTMPS_INGESTION_URL>/<STREAM_KEY>"FFmpeg’s option order matters: input options go before their corresponding -i; output options go before the output URL; and the destination URL belongs at the end. In this template, -re reads the file at its native rate instead of sending it as fast as possible. -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely. Remove -stream_loop -1 for a single play-through; when that file ends, FFmpeg exits and the live ingest may stop. FFmpeg documents these input options in its command-line reference.
Choose output settings for the Pi and source
The codec and preset in the example are choices for illustration, not a guarantee that a particular Pi can sustain real-time encoding. Performance depends on the Pi model, source resolution and codec, FFmpeg build, and available network capacity. Set the output video bitrate, frame rate, resolution, GOP/keyframe interval and audio settings to values appropriate for YouTube’s current encoder guidance and your hardware and connection. No single bitrate or configuration is established as correct for every Pi and video.
If encoding is too demanding, consider whether the source can be sent without re-encoding, but only use stream copy when its codecs and container suit the ingest. Confirm the result in YouTube’s live preview rather than assuming a command that starts locally is producing a usable broadcast.
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Choose an ingest protocol
For this ordinary FFmpeg workflow, RTMPS is the practical default: YouTube documents it as RTMP tunneled through SSL, using a valid endpoint and port 443. That adds encrypted transport while retaining the familiar RTMP-style workflow. Copy the exact current endpoint provided for the stream, and ensure the network permits access to port 443. See YouTube’s RTMPS guide.
YouTube also documents RTMP, HLS and DASH ingestion. HLS and DASH have different encoder requirements and generally higher latency, so they add complexity without a clear benefit for this straightforward file-to-live workflow unless a specific codec or delivery need calls for them. Protocol options are outlined in YouTube’s ingestion protocol documentation.
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Open the live control room or preview and verify that YouTube is receiving both video and audio before making the broadcast public. Check the broadcast association as well as the incoming feed: sending data to a stream does not by itself establish that the intended event is ready for viewers.
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Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What to check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube shows no incoming feed | Channel livestream permission, the current ingest address and stream key, and the destination URL formatting. | Confirm livestreaming is enabled, recopy the values from the intended stream, and check YouTube’s permission-related live-stream errors in its liveStreams documentation. |
| Connection fails over RTMPS | The endpoint spelling, the RTMPS destination and network access to port 443. | Use the exact current RTMPS address from YouTube and allow outbound access to port 443. YouTube describes endpoint and port requirements in its RTMPS guide. |
| FFmpeg cannot open the file | The drive’s mount point, exact filename, quotation marks around paths with spaces, and read permissions. | Verify the path with ls -l, correct it in the command, and make sure the USB volume is mounted and readable. |
| FFmpeg reports an unknown encoder or protocol | The output of ffmpeg -encoders and ffmpeg -protocols on the Pi. |
Use components present in that build or install an FFmpeg build that includes the required encoder and RTMPS support. |
| Video stutters, falls behind or fails to encode in real time | Pi model, input resolution and codec, encoding load and upload capacity. | Use output settings the hardware and network can sustain; if suitable for the source and ingest, stream-copy compatible codecs instead of transcoding. There is no universal Pi setting that guarantees real-time output. |
| The feed stops when the video finishes | Whether the command includes -stream_loop -1. |
Add the option before -i to loop continuously, or keep it out if you intend one play-through and expect FFmpeg to exit at the end. |
| Feed arrives, but the intended event is not ready | Whether the incoming liveStream is associated with the broadcast you mean to show. | Check the selected event in YouTube Studio and its preview before making it public. |
Copyright and YouTube policy checks
Having a file on a USB drive does not establish that you have the rights to broadcast it. Before going live, confirm that you are allowed to stream the video and its music, artwork and other included material. YouTube’s copyright and reused-content rules are separate from whether FFmpeg can transmit a file; technical success does not establish policy compliance.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuing YouTube stream rather than operating a Raspberry Pi, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. The cloud keeps the loop running, so nothing has to stay on at home. Each slot streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly billing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo streams to YouTube and plays uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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