To livestream portrait videos continuously on YouTube with FFmpeg, send a vertical H.264/AAC feed to the RTMPS endpoint and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. For one clip, FFmpeg can loop the video; for a rotating playlist, you need a separate ordered-file workflow that advances between clips. The loop filter alone does not manage a multi-file playlist, and an uninterrupted stream depends on the encoder process, network connection and YouTube ingest all remaining healthy.
What you need before starting
- An FFmpeg build available on an always-on computer or server, plus the prerecorded video files.
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. YouTube requires channel verification and no live-streaming restrictions during the preceding 90 days.
- The RTMPS server address and stream key from YouTube Live Control Room. Keep the key private; it grants access to your stream.
- A reliable upload connection suited to your chosen resolution and bitrate.
This guide uses portrait output of 1080 by 1920 pixels as an example. The command later assumes one compatible input file and a Unix-like shell. Shell quoting, FFmpeg builds, input codecs and desired output settings differ, so treat it as a starting point rather than a tested, universal command.
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Prepare the clips and choose how the playlist advances
First decide whether the stream should repeat one video or progress through several clips. These are different jobs: FFmpeg’s documented loop video filter repeats frames from an input indefinitely with loop=-1; it does not select and advance through a directory of files.
Check compatibility
A sequence is simpler to operate when its clips use compatible video and audio codecs, dimensions, frame rates and audio layouts. If they differ, normalize or re-encode them as part of the workflow and test file boundaries. Watch for a frozen or black frame, a pause, an audio pop, or audio that stops or changes level when one clip ends and the next begins.
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For a playlist of multiple files
Maintain an ordered input list and feed its files into one continuous encoding process, or use an orchestration layer that schedules each next file while maintaining output timing. Confirm that the process advances in the intended order and that transitions work before relying on it for a long-running broadcast. A playlist text file by itself does not make FFmpeg’s loop filter rotate through multiple clips.
Choose a vertical layout
Send an actual portrait frame, such as 1080 by 1920, when you want the delivered stream to be vertical. Decide how each source should fit that frame:
- Crop to fill: fills the portrait canvas but can cut off the sides of landscape footage. Check that faces, captions and other important content remain visible.
- Fit with padding: preserves the whole image but leaves unused space around a landscape clip. You can use that space as a deliberate background or layout.
- Designed layout: places the source within a portrait canvas with intentional borders, background or other visual elements.
YouTube’s vertical layout options include center crop, fit-to-phone-width and stacked. If you use a third-party encoder for a vertical version alongside a horizontal one, configure the matching output formats for their corresponding stream keys. Check the Live Control Room preview on a phone-sized view before making the stream public.
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Set up YouTube Live and copy the RTMPS details
- Enable live streaming for the channel if you have not already done so, then open or create the broadcast in YouTube Live Control Room.
- Copy the RTMPS server address and stream key displayed for that broadcast. Do not publish the key in a public script, terminal screenshot or log.
- Use the RTMPS address as supplied, including its valid server and application path, and port 443. RTMPS carries RTMP over TLS; a client that connects with cleartext RTMP will not satisfy the secure endpoint.
- If the TLS connection fails, check that the client supports RTMPS and presents the expected server hostname through SNI during the TLS handshake.
YouTube documents encoder-based live streaming and vertical live options, but does not prescribe one official FFmpeg command for an advancing multi-file playlist. The exact input and scheduling setup depends on your files and operating environment.
Use encoder settings YouTube recommends
For a conventional SDR stream, use H.264 video and AAC audio with constant bitrate (CBR). YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds; it supports frame rates up to 60 fps. Choose a bitrate your upload connection can reliably sustain, not just a value that looks appropriate on paper.
| Output | YouTube H.264 bitrate guidance |
|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps minimum; 8 Mbps recommended |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps minimum; 14 Mbps recommended |
These are YouTube encoder recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular connection can sustain the feed. Leave capacity for normal network variation and other upload traffic. If the stream health indicator reports connection problems, reduce the output bitrate or improve the uplink before assuming the video files are at fault.
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Example: loop one portrait video indefinitely
The following Unix-like shell example reads one input, scales and pads it to a 1080 by 1920 portrait canvas, and pushes an H.264/AAC stream over RTMPS. It uses 30 fps, 6 Mbps CBR and a two-second GOP at 30 fps. Adjust the input path, audio handling and bitrate to fit the source and connection. Replace the endpoint and key with the values from Live Control Room; do not leave credentials in a publicly readable script.
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-vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1080:1920:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2"
-r 30 -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 6M -minrate 6M -maxrate 6M -bufsize 12M
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-f flv "rtmps://YOUR_YOUTUBE_RTMPS_ENDPOINT/YOUR_STREAM_KEY"-re reads the file at its normal playback rate instead of sending it as quickly as the computer can process it. -stream_loop -1 repeats the input indefinitely. The scale-and-pad filter preserves the source aspect ratio and fits it inside the portrait frame; for landscape footage, this means padding rather than cropping. The 60-frame GOP at 30 fps sets a two-second keyframe interval. The command’s bitrate is an example, not a universal recommendation.
For a crop-to-fill treatment, use a crop filter designed for the source dimensions and inspect the result for cut-off content. For multiple files, replace the single-file looping arrangement with a playlist or scheduler that advances through inputs; do not assume this example’s loop option will do that work.
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Test the broadcast before relying on it
- Start with a private or unlisted broadcast so you can check the complete path without presenting a public test.
- Inspect the Live Control Room preview for portrait framing, correct orientation, readable text and expected crop or padding.
- Watch stream health and listen at clip transitions. Test with motion and audio similar to the intended program.
- Confirm that the next file starts in the planned order and that neither audio nor video stalls at boundaries.
- After any change to the command, inputs, network or restart setup, check the output again rather than assuming the previous test still applies.
Keep a 24/7 stream operating
A continuous presentation relies on three separate parts: FFmpeg must keep reading and encoding, the network must carry the feed, and YouTube’s ingest and broadcast must remain active. YouTube’s Live Streaming API describes each broadcast as a distinct watchable video bound to a stream and illustrates a 24/7 feed use case. That establishes the workflow’s feasibility, not a guarantee of uninterrupted delivery.
For a self-managed setup, plan for failures rather than treating a running command as a complete reliability strategy:
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- Use process supervision and a restart policy so an encoder exit does not go unnoticed.
- Keep logs and monitor for encoder exits, ingest failures and upload problems. Protect logs and configuration that might contain the stream key.
- Check free disk space if input files or logs accumulate, and monitor the upload connection while the feed is running.
- After an automatic restart, verify the YouTube preview and stream health. A restarted local process does not by itself prove that YouTube resumed the expected broadcast.
RTMPS or HLS: which path applies?
For a straightforward FFmpeg encoder push, RTMPS is the ordinary path: send the encoded feed over the secure RTMP endpoint and key from Live Control Room. YouTube’s HLS ingest is a different, specialized segment-upload workflow. It requires muxed M2TS segments using H.264 or HEVC video and AAC audio, a rolling media playlist and constrained segment and sequence behavior. An HLS playlist of local video files is not the same thing as YouTube’s HLS live-ingest protocol.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FFmpeg cannot connect to YouTube | Wrong endpoint or key, cleartext RTMP instead of RTMPS, incorrect endpoint path or TLS/SNI problem | Copy the current RTMPS details from Live Control Room, confirm port 443 and check that the client uses TLS with the server hostname. |
| Stream health reports connection trouble | Upload capacity is insufficient or unstable for the configured bitrate | Check actual upload conditions and other network traffic; lower bitrate or improve the connection, then run another test. |
| Portrait video has black bars or unwanted cropping | The source aspect ratio does not match the portrait canvas or the chosen fit method is wrong | Choose crop-to-fill, fit-with-padding or a designed layout deliberately, then inspect important subjects and text in the preview. |
| Playback stops after one clip | The command loops one input rather than managing a multi-file queue | Use an ordered file sequence or scheduler, and test transitions. The video loop filter alone does not advance a playlist. |
| Audio cuts out or jumps at a transition | Inputs have mismatched audio layouts or the playlist handoff is not continuous | Normalize audio settings as needed and test boundaries with representative clips before going live. |
| FFmpeg exits but the broadcast is expected to continue | The local encoder process, network feed and YouTube broadcast are separate resources | Check the process supervisor and logs, restart according to your policy, then verify the preview and stream health. |
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Copyright and channel policy checks
Before scheduling prerecorded material, make sure you have the rights to stream every video and audio track. A live encoder does not grant permission to rebroadcast copyrighted material. Review YouTube’s rules for the channel and content, and consider whether a repetitive or minimally changed playlist fits the channel’s audience and monetization obligations. Do not assume that keeping a feed live makes reused material eligible for monetization. See the copyright safety checklist before going live.
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