To send a looping video to YouTube through Restream, configure Restream as FFmpeg’s RTMP destination, enable your YouTube channel in Restream, then run FFmpeg with the Restream RTMP URL and stream key. FFmpeg sends the video to Restream; Restream forwards it to YouTube. The command below is a practical pattern, not a verified guarantee for every FFmpeg build or Restream ingest address, so confirm the options and URL format for your setup before relying on it.
How the connection works
This setup has two separate streaming hops:
- FFmpeg to Restream: FFmpeg reads and encodes the video, then sends it to the RTMP URL using the stream key Restream provides.
- Restream to YouTube: Restream forwards that incoming feed to the YouTube channel you enabled.
Use the credentials for the hop you are configuring. In this workflow, FFmpeg needs Restream’s RTMP URL and key—not YouTube’s ingest URL and key. YouTube describes a stream key as the credential that lets an encoder send a feed for YouTube to accept, so keep it private. See YouTube’s guidance on managing live stream settings.
Set up Restream and YouTube
Start a software-encoder stream
- Sign in to Restream and create a stream using the Encoder | RTMP option.
- Enable the YouTube channel you want to use as a destination. If you have not connected it, follow Restream’s account connection flow.
- Copy the RTMP URL and stream key displayed by Restream. Store the key securely; anyone who gets it may be able to send a feed to your stream.
Restream’s guide to going live with streaming software, published July 31, 2026, describes this encoder workflow and says the incoming feed is sent to the connected channels. It covers streaming software generally; it does not specifically certify FFmpeg.
Choose how to attach a scheduled YouTube event
If you are streaming to an event that already exists in YouTube Live Control Room, Restream documents two ways to connect it:
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- YouTube integration: Connect the existing event through Restream’s YouTube integration when available. This is the native route for a connected YouTube channel.
- Custom RTMP: Add the YouTube event as a Custom RTMP channel using the event’s YouTube stream URL and key. Restream’s guide says this manual route requires a paid Restream plan and has limitations, including on features that depend on Restream’s API, such as Chat and Analytics.
For the Custom RTMP route, use the YouTube URL and key in Restream’s destination configuration. FFmpeg still sends to Restream’s own ingest URL and key. See Restream’s guides to streaming to an existing YouTube event and streaming to a Custom RTMP channel.
Prepare the video and encoder settings
Check the source file
Use a local video file FFmpeg can read, and decide whether its existing codec, resolution, frame rate, and audio are suitable for the stream. If the file is already in a format and quality you want to send, an FFmpeg stream-copy option may avoid re-encoding; otherwise, select an encoder and output settings appropriate for your source and destination. The exact encoding command depends on the file and the installed FFmpeg build.
Choose a codec, resolution, and bitrate
YouTube’s current encoder guidance supports H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1, up to 60 fps. Its bitrate table distinguishes minimum from recommended rates. For H.264, the cited examples are:
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| Output | Minimum bitrate | Recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s published encoder recommendations, not results from a test of this workflow. Use the current YouTube encoder settings, bitrate, and resolution guidance for other combinations and for updated values.
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YouTube recommends constant bitrate encoding and a two-second keyframe interval; it says the interval should not exceed four seconds. Set the output frame rate and keyframe interval to suit the selected resolution and frame rate. YouTube recommends RTMPS, its encrypted RTMP variant, for direct encoder connections; when using Restream, use the ingest address and protocol Restream supplies.
Allow enough upload capacity
Restream’s general encoder guidance says to have at least 10 Mbps upload and recommends 25 Mbps or higher for Full HD. That is Restream’s general network guidance, not a replacement for choosing an encoder bitrate from YouTube’s codec- and resolution-specific table. Leave capacity for network variation and other traffic on the connection.
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Run FFmpeg with a looping input
A loop flag and real-time pacing solve different problems: the loop flag repeats the file, while real-time pacing prevents FFmpeg from reading and transmitting the file faster than its duration. The following is an example command shape only:
ffmpeg -stream_loop -1 -re -i input.mp4 ... -f flv "<Restream-RTMP-URL>/<STREAM_KEY>"
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Replace input.mp4 with your file and the placeholders with the ingest details shown in your Restream account. Replace the ellipsis with the output encoding options you selected; it is not a literal FFmpeg argument. Confirm the exact loop and pacing options against your installed FFmpeg version, and confirm whether Restream expects the key appended to its RTMP URL or supplied in another format. The command pattern has not been verified against every FFmpeg build or Restream configuration.
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Before running it, check that the output format and codec settings match the destination’s requirements and that the output URL contains the right Restream credentials. Avoid putting a real stream key in a shared command history, screenshot, or public post.
Start the feed and confirm YouTube is live
- Start the FFmpeg command. Check its output for connection or encoding errors.
- Open YouTube Live Control Room for the intended channel or scheduled event. Confirm that YouTube receives an incoming preview and that the picture and audio are correct.
- If the event does not start automatically, click Go live in YouTube. Whether this is necessary depends on the event’s auto-start setting.
- While streaming, watch YouTube’s stream health and messages. YouTube recommends testing before the event, including audio and movement similar to the planned stream, and monitoring stream health while live.
For a scheduled event, check auto-start and auto-stop behavior before depending on an unattended loop. If auto-start is off, you must start the event in YouTube after the feed arrives. If auto-stop is off, you must end the stream in YouTube after stopping FFmpeg. YouTube’s encoder instructions explain the direct-to-YouTube workflow; for this route, the first hop remains FFmpeg to Restream.
Stop the stream and find the archive
Stop the FFmpeg process to end its outgoing feed. Depending on the scheduled event’s settings, you may also need to select End Stream in YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume that rule covers streams lasting 12 hours or longer.
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Troubleshoot common problems
FFmpeg cannot connect to Restream
- Recheck that the command uses Restream’s RTMP URL and key, not YouTube’s direct ingest details.
- Confirm the URL format and whether the key belongs in the path or another field in your Restream encoder details.
- Check that the Restream stream is configured and the intended YouTube destination is enabled.
- Verify your installed FFmpeg recognizes the loop and pacing options used in the command.
Restream receives video, but YouTube has no preview
- Confirm that the correct YouTube channel or event is enabled as a destination in Restream.
- If using a scheduled event, confirm it is attached through the YouTube integration or configured as a Custom RTMP destination with that event’s YouTube URL and key.
- Allow for the incoming feed to appear, then check the event in YouTube Live Control Room.
The video runs too quickly or does not repeat
- Check that the input is configured to loop indefinitely and that real-time pacing is enabled.
- Check FFmpeg’s output for an unrecognized option or input error; exact option support can differ by build.
YouTube reports poor stream health
- Compare the selected bitrate with YouTube’s current recommendation for the chosen codec, resolution, and frame rate.
- Check that the connection has adequate upload capacity. Restream’s general guidance is at least 10 Mbps, with 25 Mbps or higher recommended for Full HD.
- Confirm constant bitrate and the recommended two-second keyframe interval, and test the actual audio and motion before relying on the stream.
The picture or sound is wrong
- Inspect the source file and the FFmpeg output settings for the intended video dimensions, frame rate, audio track, and codec.
- Preview the feed in YouTube before going live and test with movement and audio like the planned stream.
The scheduled stream stays active after FFmpeg stops
Check whether YouTube auto-stop is disabled. If it is, end the event manually in Live Control Room after stopping the feed.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a YouTube channel that keeps prerecorded video running, StreamNeo is the cloud option to try first: it loops uploaded videos around the clock, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers the first day free.
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo keeps the video looping from the cloud.
Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card required, and the monthly option is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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