To loop local video files continuously into a YouTube Live stream, list them in order in an FFmpeg concat manifest, then feed that manifest to FFmpeg with -stream_loop -1 and real-time input pacing. The concat demuxer works best when every file has matching stream layouts, codecs and time bases; mismatched files need normalization and re-encoding instead of a blind stream copy.
What you need before you start
- FFmpeg installed on a computer that can remain online and send the stream for as long as needed.
- Local video files you have the right to broadcast. This method does not download or rebroadcast videos from YouTube.
- A YouTube Live stream and its current server URL and stream key, copied from YouTube Studio or Live Control Room.
- Sufficient, stable upload bandwidth for the output bitrate, plus time to test the full playlist and its repeat point.
YouTube describes the stream key as similar to a password and address. Keep it private: do not include it in a public script, screenshot, tutorial, or shell-history excerpt.
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Prepare the concat manifest
Create a plain-text file named playlist.txt. Put the version header on the first line exactly as shown, followed by one file line per local video, in playback order:
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file '/media/show/part-01.mp4'
file '/media/show/part-02.mp4'
file '/media/show/part-03.mp4'Replace the example paths with paths that exist on your computer. The concat demuxer reads the listed files in sequence and derives subsequent timestamps from each file’s duration. FFmpeg’s documentation requires the files to have the same streams, codecs and time bases. Incorrect duration metadata can create gaps or artifacts, so matching file extensions alone is not enough.
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Check whether stream copy is suitable
For compatible files, stream copy avoids a decode-and-encode pass, saving CPU and avoiding another generation of encoding loss. It is not a promise of seamless transitions: the demuxer remains sensitive to stream compatibility and duration metadata.
| Input situation | Approach | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Files have matching streams, codecs and time bases, and transitions have been tested | Concat demuxer with -c copy |
Low processing overhead and no re-encode; stricter compatibility and duration requirements. |
| Files have different stream layouts or codec parameters, or need a consistent output profile | Decode, normalize and re-encode; use FFmpeg’s concat filter when re-encoding is needed | More CPU use and an encoding step, but output can be normalized. |
Do not assume packet-copy concatenation will work for arbitrary files. If the sources differ, decide on a target resolution, frame rate, video and audio codecs, and audio layout before building a re-encode workflow. There is no universally safe re-encode command without those details.
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Send a compatible playlist to YouTube Live
- Get the current destination. In YouTube Studio / Live Control Room, create or select the live stream and copy its current server URL and stream key. Enter the matching values in your encoder; never expose the key.
- Use a supported output profile. YouTube’s current encoder guidance covers RTMP/RTMPS; H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); and frame rates up to 60 fps. For broad compatibility, H.264 video with AAC audio over RTMPS is a sensible starting point, but follow the settings for your stream in YouTube’s live setup.
- Choose a bitrate for the actual output. YouTube gives separate bitrate guidance by resolution, frame rate and codec. Select the applicable recommendation and confirm your available upload bandwidth can sustain it; a single bitrate is not correct for every stream.
- Check keyframes. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. Configure the encoder accordingly when you are encoding; with
-c copy, the source files determine their encoded keyframes, so inspect the source profile rather than assuming FFmpeg is changing it. - Test before going public. Start an unlisted or test stream if appropriate, check the Live Control Room preview and stream health, and watch transitions between every file, including the transition from the last file back to the first.
For compatible files, an adaptable command is:
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c copy -f flv 'rtmps://<ingest-host>/<stream-key>'Replace the destination with the URL and key supplied by YouTube Live Control Room, in the format required by that ingest. Do not paste a real key into a public example or share it. Confirm your FFmpeg build and the target ingest configuration support the chosen output before relying on the command.
-repaces file input in real time for live output.-stream_loop -1is an input option that repeats the input indefinitely.-f concatselects the concat demuxer for the manifest.-safe 0relaxes the demuxer’s path restrictions. Use it only when you control the manifest and every path it names.-c copypasses encoded streams through without re-encoding; it does not repair incompatible files.-f flvselects the output container commonly used for RTMP-family live ingest. Use the current YouTube-provided destination and settings.
Copyright, audience and ending the stream
Only include media you are authorized to broadcast. A playlist being local, or being available on YouTube, does not by itself give you permission to rebroadcast it. Choose the intended audience and visibility in YouTube’s live setup, and check that your stream’s privacy and audience settings match your intent.
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When you are finished, stop the outgoing stream from FFmpeg and end the stream in Live Control Room as appropriate. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived after they end; do not assume that archive behavior applies to a stream that exceeds 12 hours.
Troubleshooting gaps, failures and unexpected output
- The concat input fails to open: Check that
playlist.txtis plain text, theffconcat version 1.0header is the first line, and each listed path is correct and readable. If using-safe 0, verify the manifest and paths are under your control. - FFmpeg reports stream or codec mismatches: The concat demuxer expects matching streams, codecs and time bases. Use compatible source files, or decode and normalize them with a re-encode workflow or concat filter.
- There is a gap, glitch or timestamp artifact between files: Check stream compatibility and duration metadata, then test the affected transition. The demuxer calculates later timestamps from earlier file durations; inaccurate metadata can affect the result.
- The stream does not appear in YouTube: Re-copy the current stream URL and key from the selected Live Control Room stream, verify they match, and review YouTube’s preview and stream-health status. Treat the key as a secret.
- YouTube reports an encoding or connection issue: Compare the actual output codec, audio format, CBR setting, frame rate, keyframe interval and bitrate with YouTube’s current guidance for the chosen resolution and codec. Check that upload capacity is adequate and stable.
- The loop boundary behaves differently from the middle of the playlist: Test the final-to-first transition explicitly. A playlist that plays file-to-file successfully can still reveal a compatibility or duration problem when it restarts.
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