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For YouTube Live with H.264, use CBR, set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds, and choose YouTube’s recommended live-ingestion bitrate for your resolution and frame rate. In FFmpeg with libx264, that means setting -g to about twice the frame rate: 60 at 30 fps or 120 at 60 fps. Use RTMPS when available, confirm your upload can sustain the bitrate, and test before going live.
Recommended H.264 bitrate and keyframe settings
YouTube’s live-encoder guidance recommends a 2-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed 4 seconds. Its H.264 bitrate figures below are recommendations for live ingestion, not guarantees that a particular upload connection or video scene can sustain them. The values are from YouTube Help’s current live encoder settings page, accessed October 3, 2026; the retrieved page does not show a publication date.
| Live input | YouTube-recommended video bitrate | FFmpeg GOP at this frame rate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 8 Mbps | -g 60 |
| 720p60 | 8 Mbps | -g 120 |
| 1080p30 | 10 Mbps | -g 60 |
| 1080p60 | 17 Mbps | -g 120 |
| 1440p30 | 21 Mbps | -g 60 |
| 1440p60 | 34 Mbps | -g 120 |
| 2160p30 | 42 Mbps | -g 60 |
| 2160p60 | 50 Mbps | -g 120 |
The GOP values are the direct conversion of a 2-second interval into frames, not values prescribed by YouTube: frame rate × 2. The table gives H.264 live-ingestion recommendations; YouTube’s live guidance also includes minimum rates and AV1/H.265 recommendations. Do not substitute its separate finished-video upload bitrate table for live-stream settings.
Build an FFmpeg command for YouTube RTMP(S)
This starting example assumes 1080p30 H.264 video encoded with libx264. Replace VIDEO_INPUT and the RTMP(S) destination with the actual input and ingest URL shown in YouTube Live Control Room. Treat the stream key as a password and do not share it.
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ffmpeg -re -i VIDEO_INPUT
-c:v libx264 -pix_fmt yuv420p
-b:v 10M -maxrate 10M -bufsize 20M -g 60
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv 'rtmps://YOUR_YOUTUBE_INGEST_URL/YOUR_STREAM_KEY'In this command, -b:v sets the target video bitrate, -maxrate and -bufsize configure rate control, and -g sets the GOP/keyframe distance in frames for libx264. The 20M buffer is a practical choice in this example, not a YouTube requirement. FFmpeg’s available options can vary by build, so check your local build and inspect YouTube’s stream-health panel.
Adjust bitrate and GOP for another frame rate
- For 1080p60, change video bitrate values to 17M and set
-g 120. - For 720p30, use 8M and
-g 60; for 720p60, use 8M and-g 120. - For other listed resolutions, use the corresponding bitrate in the table and calculate the GOP as frame rate × 2.
Keep -g tied to the encoded output frame rate, not merely the frame rate of the source file. If your command changes frame rate, calculate the interval using the rate FFmpeg actually encodes.
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Audio, color, and encoder considerations
YouTube’s advanced live guidance calls for progressive scan, two B-frames, one reference frame, CABAC, square pixels, Rec. 709 for SDR, and 8-bit SDR. For audio it lists AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz for stereo, 48 kHz for 5.1, and 128 Kbps stereo. The sample command uses AAC stereo at 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps.
Avoid adding -tune zerolatency by default: it changes encoder behavior and can conflict with YouTube’s listed B-frame recommendation. Use it only when you have a specific latency requirement, then verify the resulting stream.
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Choose a rate your connection can sustain
A recommended bitrate only helps if the encoder’s upload path can deliver it reliably. YouTube advises choosing a quality that fits the available connection and testing before the event. Test using representative motion and audio, since a static scene may not expose the same encoding or network issues as the actual program.
- Set the YouTube Live Control Room stream configuration and copy its current ingest URL and stream key into your encoder destination.
- Start a private or otherwise appropriate test stream before the event, using representative content and the intended resolution, frame rate, audio, and bitrate.
- Watch YouTube’s stream-health indicators and messages while the encoder runs. If the connection cannot sustain the selected rate, lower the output quality or improve the upload path, then test again.
- Use RTMPS where available. YouTube recommends RTMPS, the encrypted extension of RTMP.
For official settings, see YouTube’s live encoder settings and bitrates. FFmpeg documents its libx264 encoder options.
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Common configuration problems
Keyframes are too far apart
If the keyframe interval exceeds YouTube’s 4-second maximum, reduce the GOP. For the recommended 2-second interval, use twice the encoded frame rate: 60 at 30 fps or 120 at 60 fps.
The stream buffers or reports poor health
The configured bitrate may exceed what the connection reliably uploads. Reduce the resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to a sustainable setting, then test again; choosing a higher table value does not help if delivery is unstable.
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The command connects but the stream does not appear as expected
Check that the destination uses the current ingest URL and key displayed in YouTube Live Control Room, and confirm the FFmpeg command is using the intended input and output frame rate. Review YouTube’s stream-health messages and verify options against the local FFmpeg build.
Image quality or color looks wrong
Confirm the stream is progressive and, for SDR, uses Rec. 709 and 8-bit video as in YouTube’s advanced guidance. Also check that the chosen bitrate matches the output resolution and frame rate, rather than the source’s nominal properties.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should -g be for a 2-second keyframe interval?
Set it to approximately twice the encoded frame rate: -g 60 at 30 fps or -g 120 at 60 fps.
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Does YouTube require a 2-second keyframe interval?
YouTube recommends 2 seconds and says not to exceed 4 seconds.
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