To loop a playlist of local video files into YouTube Live, create an FFmpeg concat-demuxer playlist, then send it to YouTube’s encoder URL and stream key. If the files are compatible, you may be able to stream-copy them; if they differ in codecs or stream parameters, encode them to a consistent output. The command below is a starting point, not a guarantee for every media set or FFmpeg build.
What you need before running FFmpeg
- An installed FFmpeg build with the required input and output codecs available.
- Local video files that FFmpeg can read, plus a playlist file containing their paths.
- A YouTube live stream configured in Live Control Room, where YouTube supplies the encoder server URL and stream key.
- A computer and sustained upload connection capable of encoding and sending the selected resolution and bitrate for the duration of the stream.
Keep the stream key private: it is a credential. Do not publish it in scripts, screenshots, or logs. YouTube’s encoder setup flow is documented at Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Create the concat playlist
Make a UTF-8 text file named playlist.txt beside your media files. For the explicit ffconcat format, its first line must be the header shown here:
ffconcat version 1.0
file 'clip-01.mp4'
file 'clip-02.mp4'
file 'clip-03.mp4'Each path must point to a file accessible to FFmpeg. Use correct ffconcat escaping for quotes or special characters in paths; consult the FFmpeg documentation for the format’s syntax and optional per-file directives such as duration and inpoint. Those directives are only appropriate when the playlist needs those behaviors and the media supports them.
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Send a looping playlist to YouTube Live
Replace the environment-variable values with the server URL and stream key shown for your live stream. The server URL and key are commonly joined with a slash for an RTMP-style destination; use the exact values and format YouTube provides for the selected ingest setup.
ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -f concat -safe 0 -i playlist.txt
-c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -pix_fmt yuv420p
-c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100
-f flv "$YOUTUBE_RTMPS_URL/$YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY"-repaces file input in real time rather than sending it as fast as the files can be read.-stream_loop -1requests indefinite looping of the input.-f concatselects the concat demuxer.-safe 0relaxes its path restrictions; use it only with a playlist you control.-c:v libx264and-c:a aacencode video and audio, while the remaining options set an H.264 pixel format and example audio settings. They are not universal quality or compatibility guarantees.-f flvselects the muxer used for this RTMP-style output pattern. YouTube recommends RTMPS; check the server URL and current ingest instructions for your stream.
This command encodes rather than stream-copies. For stream copy, replace the codec options with -c copy only after confirming that the files’ streams, codecs, and parameters are compatible with one another and with continuous muxing and YouTube ingest. If they are not, normalize or re-encode them consistently. FFmpeg distinguishes the concat demuxer, which can join compatible inputs without re-encoding, from the concat filter, which is an option when re-encoding is needed; see the FFmpeg FAQ.
Set encoder parameters and verify the live feed
YouTube’s encoder settings guidance recommends RTMPS and constant-bitrate encoding. It lists H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 for RTMP/RTMPS, with frame rates up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says it should not exceed four seconds. Its bitrate recommendations vary by codec, resolution, and frame rate, so choose a target that both the encoder and the sustained upload connection can support rather than treating the example command’s settings as a prescribed YouTube profile.
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- Start the live stream setup in YouTube Live Control Room and copy the encoder server URL and stream key.
- Check that the command’s output codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and keyframe interval match a supported configuration. Configure or add FFmpeg options as needed; the example command does not set every encoder parameter.
- Start FFmpeg and inspect the preview in Live Control Room for picture, sound, and stream health.
- When the stream is scheduled and awaiting confirmation, use Live Control Room’s Go live control. Monitor stream health during the run.
YouTube transcodes ingested video into viewer formats. Test with representative motion and audio before relying on the setup unattended. The currently published encoder guidance can change, so check it again when configuring a stream.
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Use the concat demuxer when inputs are compatible
The concat demuxer reads a list of files as a joined input. It is a candidate for stream copy when the files have suitable, compatible streams and parameters. Stream copy avoids encoding, but it does not make arbitrary media files compatible.
Normalize files when they differ
If codecs, stream layouts, or other parameters differ, re-encode to a consistent output. FFmpeg’s concat filter is the documented alternative when re-encoding is needed. This uses more processing capacity than stream copy, and the machine must still encode quickly enough to sustain real-time output.
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Do not confuse input concat with YouTube HLS
The text playlist above is an FFmpeg input playlist; it is not a YouTube HLS output playlist. YouTube has a separate HLS ingest path with segment and rolling-playlist requirements. YouTube describes HLS as higher latency than RTMP in its HLS setup help and HLS ingestion documentation. Use that workflow only if you specifically need HLS and can meet its requirements.
Plan for long runs and archives
YouTube Help states that streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. The cited guidance does not promise that a single stream running longer than 12 hours will be archived in full. For longer operation, plan the stream lifecycle separately and verify current behavior for the channel rather than assuming a complete archive.
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FFmpeg cannot open a playlist file
Check that the playlist is readable, that its first line is exactly ffconcat version 1.0 when using the explicit format, and that every listed path resolves from the process’s working directory. Correct special-character escaping. If you use -safe 0, keep the playlist under your control.
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The stream fails at a file boundary
Files that differ in codec, stream parameters, or layout may not work as a seamless stream-copy concat. Inspect the inputs and either use compatible files or normalize and re-encode them to a consistent output before streaming.
YouTube does not receive a stable feed
Verify the server URL and stream key, the selected ingest protocol, and the available sustained upload capacity. Check that the chosen bitrate is supported by the encoder and connection, then review YouTube’s preview and stream-health indicators.
The output is rejected or the picture is unsuitable
Compare the emitted codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate mode, and keyframe interval with YouTube’s current encoder guidance. The sample command is only a starting point and does not set a full bitrate or keyframe profile.
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The stream stops when you close the computer
A local FFmpeg process depends on the computer and connection running it. For a locally hosted process, prevent sleep and ensure the connection remains available; for an unattended workflow without a home machine running, a cloud service is an alternative.
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