For a YouTube Live stream sent over RTMP or RTMPS, configure a keyframe about every 2 seconds and do not exceed 4 seconds. In FFmpeg, that means setting the GOP size from the output frame rate—for example, -g 60 at 30 fps—and requesting a closed GOP with -flags +cgop. These are encoder settings, not a guarantee of the keyframe spacing in the resulting stream.
First identify what “playlist” means in your setup. A local playlist feeding a continuous RTMP stream follows YouTube’s live-encoder guidance. An HLS playlist sent to YouTube is a different, segmented ingest workflow with additional requirements.
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Choose the right workflow: RTMP/RTMPS or HLS
| Ingest method | What it means | Key settings and constraints |
|---|---|---|
| RTMP/RTMPS | A continuous live feed, commonly used when FFmpeg reads or loops local media. | Target a keyframe every 2 seconds; do not exceed 4 seconds. Request a closed GOP and configure the encoder for the selected codec, frame rate and bitrate. |
| HLS | A segmented feed with a rolling output playlist, rather than one continuous RTMP feed. | YouTube requires 1–4 second MPEG-TS segments, HTTPS POST/PUT, no byte-range mode, and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments. YouTube says HLS has higher latency than continuous RTMP. |
If “looping playlist” means a set of local files that FFmpeg feeds continuously to YouTube, use the RTMP/RTMPS section below. If you are generating HLS segments for YouTube ingest, use the HLS section. The settings are not interchangeable.
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Calculate the GOP size from the output frame rate
YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds for live encoder settings. FFmpeg’s -g option sets the maximum GOP size in frames, so calculate it using the output frame rate. YouTube Help’s example is 60 frames at 30 fps:
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- At 30 fps, use
-g 60for a two-second target. - At 60 fps, a two-second target is 120 frames, so the corresponding GOP size is
-g 120.
Use the frame rate actually sent to YouTube, not merely the source file’s frame rate. For a fixed frame rate, the calculation is output frames per second × 2. The four-second ceiling corresponds to twice that GOP size.
Request a closed GOP
Add -flags +cgop to request a closed GOP. The FFmpeg manual defines cgop as “Use closed gop,” and YouTube Help says its pipeline requires a closed GOP for optimal transcoding. For a 30 fps output, the relevant illustrative option fragment is:
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-g 60 -flags +cgop
This is only an encoder-option fragment, not a complete streaming command. The correct input handling, looping behavior, codec, audio mapping, bitrate, output URL, and protocol depend on your files and setup. The sources do not establish one universal FFmpeg command for every playlist format.
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These options describe requested encoder behavior; they do not prove that the resulting stream has evenly spaced keyframes. Encoder implementation, changes in frame rate, dropped frames, and timestamp or time-base handling can affect observed spacing. YouTube also notes that ingest errors can cause incorrect GOP sizes. If YouTube reports a keyframe or GOP error, inspect the encoded output and the ingest path rather than assuming the configured -g value guarantees compliance.
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FFmpeg also documents -force_key_frames for forcing keyframes at timestamps or by expression. Its correct use depends on matching the time base and encoder behavior; it is not a substitute for verifying the resulting stream.
Match the other RTMP encoder settings
Keyframe interval is only one part of a valid live feed. YouTube’s live-encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 for RTMP/RTMPS, supports up to 60 fps, and recommends constant bitrate (CBR). Choose settings in YouTube Live that match the codec and frame rate you are actually sending.
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| YouTube recommendation | H.264 bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
Those are YouTube’s resolution- and frame-rate-specific H.264 recommendations, not universal bitrate values for every resolution, codec, or frame rate. Consult YouTube’s current encoder table for the configuration you select.
Configure HLS ingest separately
Meet YouTube’s HLS requirements
For HLS ingest, YouTube requires MPEG-TS segments between 1 and 4 seconds, a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments, and HTTPS POST/PUT. Byte-range mode is not supported, and HTTPS is the only supported encryption. Because HLS sends segments instead of a continuous RTMP stream, YouTube says it has higher latency.
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Coordinate segment duration with keyframes
FFmpeg’s HLS muxer treats -hls_time as a target: it cuts a segment on the next keyframe after the target duration has passed. As a result, a requested segment duration is not necessarily the exact duration of every segment; keyframe placement matters. The FFmpeg manual advises using a closed GOP and a GOP size that fits the segment-time constraint.
Do not confuse FFmpeg’s -hls_list_size, which controls the number of entries in its output playlist, with YouTube’s ingest requirement of no more than five outstanding segments. Setting that option alone does not establish that the full HLS output complies with YouTube’s requirements.
Troubleshoot keyframe and playlist problems
- YouTube reports keyframes are not arriving every 2 seconds: calculate
-gfrom the output frame rate, request-flags +cgop, and verify the actual encoded output. Check for frame-rate changes, dropped frames, timestamp issues, or ingest errors. - The stream uses a GOP that exceeds four seconds: reduce the maximum GOP size so the intended interval is no longer than four seconds; the recommended target is two seconds.
- HLS segments are longer or shorter than expected: remember that
-hls_timeis a target and the muxer cuts at the next keyframe. Align GOP timing with the segment target and confirm actual segment durations. - YouTube rejects or mishandles the HLS playlist: check that the segments are MPEG-TS and 1–4 seconds, the playlist is rolling with at most five outstanding segments, byte-range mode is off, and the connection uses HTTPS POST/PUT.
- A local playlist will not loop as expected: verify the input format and the intended continuous-stream behavior before choosing FFmpeg loop options. A playlist file, a collection of local media files, and an HLS output playlist are not the same workflow.
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