To stream prerecorded videos vertically on YouTube Live with FFmpeg, encode a portrait video output and push it to the RTMPS address and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. For one clip repeated indefinitely, FFmpeg’s loop video filter can repeat frames. For a playlist of different clips, you also need a file-queue or scheduling method: the loop filter alone does not advance through multiple files.
This guide shows how to prepare the channel and files, configure a vertical output, test the stream, and keep the local process running. The example assumes a conventional H.264/AAC stream; exact command details depend on your FFmpeg build, shell, and source files.
Choose the playback method: repeat one clip or advance through a playlist
Repeat one video
FFmpeg’s loop video filter can repeat frames from a single input indefinitely with loop=-1. It repeats that input; it does not select the next file in a playlist. Consult the FFmpeg filter documentation for the filter’s options and behavior.
Play multiple videos in order
For a queue of distinct clips, maintain an ordered list and feed the files into one continuous encoding process, or use an orchestration method that starts the next file while preserving output timing. A playlist that works as a local list of files is not automatically a YouTube live stream. Test each file boundary: mismatched codecs, frame rates, dimensions, or audio layouts can cause transition problems or require normalization or re-encoding.
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The exact multi-file command depends on how your files are organized and the platform shell you use. Do not substitute the single-input loop filter for playlist scheduling.
Prepare portrait video and decide how to frame it
For a conventional full-height portrait output, use a frame such as 1080 × 1920. Choose a framing approach before encoding:
- Crop to fill: fills the portrait frame but may cut off the sides of a landscape source. Check that faces, captions, and other important details remain visible.
- Fit with padding: preserves the full source image, with unused space around it where aspect ratios differ.
- Designed layout: places the source in a portrait composition, for example with a background or stacked elements.
YouTube Live Control Room documents vertical layouts including center crop, fit-to-phone-width, and stacked. A third-party encoder can also send a vertical feed to the corresponding stream key. If you want both horizontal and vertical versions, configure and verify the matching formats and keys rather than assuming one portrait output will produce both. See YouTube’s live streaming help for current channel and vertical-live details; interface labels may change.
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Enable YouTube Live and get the RTMPS details
- Confirm channel eligibility. YouTube requires channel verification for live streaming, and the channel must not have live-streaming restrictions in the prior 90 days. Check the channel’s status before scheduling a long stream.
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and create or open the live stream you intend to use. Copy the server address and stream key shown there.
- Use RTMPS. For an ordinary FFmpeg encoder push, use the RTMPS endpoint supplied by YouTube, not a guessed address or cleartext RTMP URL. Google’s developer documentation specifies RTMPS over TLS on port 443 and notes that the correct endpoint, application path, and TLS server hostname (SNI) matter for authentication. See Google’s RTMPS ingestion guide.
- Protect the stream key. Treat it like a password: keep it out of public scripts, screenshots, and logs. If it is exposed, replace it in Live Control Room and update the encoder.
Set encoder settings for a vertical live stream
A sensible baseline for conventional SDR streaming is H.264 video with AAC audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and a keyframe interval of two seconds. YouTube’s current general encoder guidance supports up to 60 fps and says not to exceed a four-second keyframe interval. Its H.264 recommendations for common 30 fps outputs are:
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| 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 encoding recommendations, not a guarantee that your internet connection can sustain the upload. Select a bitrate your connection can maintain reliably, leaving headroom for normal fluctuations. The cited figures are for the stated resolutions and frame rate; do not treat them as universal targets for every vertical format or frame rate. Check the current YouTube encoder settings for updated guidance.
Start the FFmpeg push and verify before going public
- Build the command for your input and shell. Use the appropriate input or playlist-scheduling method, create the portrait output, set compatible H.264/AAC encoding, CBR and the chosen bitrate, and set keyframes at two-second intervals. The final output must be sent to the RTMPS server address and stream key from Live Control Room. Command syntax varies with FFmpeg build and operating system; the information available here does not establish one tested command that fits every playlist and shell.
- Start with a private or unlisted test. In Live Control Room, inspect the preview for portrait orientation, crop, readable text, and correct audio. Test clips with motion and audio similar to the planned stream.
- Watch stream health and transitions. Confirm that the first clip starts correctly, audio stays continuous, and the next file begins as intended. Check YouTube’s stream-health status and the local FFmpeg process rather than assuming a running terminal means a healthy broadcast.
- Only then use the intended audience setting. Check the live preview and broadcast status before relying on the stream as a continuous channel.
YouTube’s encoder guidance recommends testing with similar audio and motion and monitoring stream health.
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Keep a 24/7 stream operating
A continuous presentation depends on at least three separate components: FFmpeg must keep reading and encoding the files, the network must carry the upload, and YouTube’s ingest and broadcast must remain active. Google’s Live Streaming API describes a broadcast as a distinct watchable YouTube video bound to a stream, and its documentation includes a 24/7 feed use case. That establishes the platform model, not a guarantee of uninterrupted delivery. See the YouTube Live Streaming API broadcast guide.
For a self-managed setup, consider these operational safeguards:
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- Keep logs and monitor them for input, encoding, or ingest errors; avoid exposing the stream key in logged command lines.
- Monitor upload capacity and alert on a lost connection or encoder exit.
- Check available disk space if inputs or logs accumulate.
- After a restart, verify the YouTube preview and stream health and confirm the intended file is playing. A restarted local process does not itself prove that YouTube’s broadcast has recovered.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube does not receive the stream | Wrong server address or key, cleartext RTMP instead of RTMPS, or a TLS setup that lacks the required hostname/SNI | Copy the current endpoint and key from Live Control Room; use RTMPS on port 443 and verify the client’s TLS/SNI behavior against Google’s RTMPS guidance. |
| Portrait video appears cropped incorrectly | The source does not match the portrait frame or the chosen layout crops its edges | Review the preview, change the crop/fit/layout choice, and keep important subjects and text inside the output frame. |
| A file transition fails or audio changes abruptly | Adjacent clips have incompatible codecs, frame rates, dimensions, or audio layouts, or the playlist scheduler does not preserve a continuous output | Inspect the boundary, normalize incompatible inputs, and test the sequence before using it for a long broadcast. |
| The video buffers or stream health degrades | The available upload cannot reliably sustain the selected bitrate, or the connection is unstable | Check upload stability, reduce the bitrate if necessary, and repeat a test while watching stream health. |
| The stream stops after FFmpeg exits | The local playback/encoding chain ended or lost its input | Check the process and logs, restore the input or process, then verify the YouTube preview and broadcast status. A local restart is not a guarantee of automatic recovery at YouTube. |
RTMPS is not the same as an HLS playlist
For a straightforward FFmpeg encoder push, RTMPS is the relevant YouTube path. YouTube’s HLS ingestion is a different, specialized segment-upload workflow: it requires muxed M2TS segments with H.264 or HEVC video and AAC audio, a rolling media playlist, and constrained segment and sequence behavior. A local playlist of prerecorded files is not the same thing as YouTube’s HLS live-ingest protocol. See Google’s HLS ingestion guide.
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Check copyright and YouTube monetization rules
Having permission to upload a video does not automatically resolve every copyright or monetization issue for a livestream. Before using a continuous playlist, confirm that you have the rights needed for the video, music, and other included material, and review YouTube’s current policies for live content and reused content. Do not assume that a stream being prerecorded changes those obligations. You can use StreamNeo’s copyright safety checklist as a planning aid.
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