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To send a MediaMTX stream to YouTube Live, configure MediaMTX’s outbound forwarding destination for the relevant path as rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2#YOUR_STREAM_KEY, replacing the placeholder with the current key from YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room. This is different from MediaMTX’s inbound RTMP listener: listener settings determine how a source reaches MediaMTX; forwarding sends that source onward to YouTube.
Understand the two RTMP connections
A typical setup has two separate links:
- Source to MediaMTX: an encoder such as FFmpeg or OBS publishes to a MediaMTX path.
- MediaMTX to YouTube: MediaMTX forwards that path to YouTube’s ingest endpoint using the channel or event’s stream key.
Settings such as rtmpAddress, rtmpsAddress, rtmpServerKey and rtmpServerCert configure MediaMTX’s own RTMP server and listener behavior. They do not specify the outbound YouTube destination. See the MediaMTX configuration reference and its stream forwarding documentation; the reference tracks the latest release, so check it against your installed version.
Configure MediaMTX forwarding to YouTube
1. Identify the source path
Find the MediaMTX path on which your encoder publishes. Your source client and the forwarding rule must refer to the same path. MediaMTX documents publication examples for clients including FFmpeg and other RTMP clients and OBS Studio.
2. Get the current YouTube stream key
In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and use the stream’s current ingest details and stream key. Keys are credentials: do not paste a real key into a public example, share it, or commit it to a public configuration repository. YouTube’s ingestion API documentation describes the stream ingestion settings at Google for Developers: LiveStreams.
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3. Set the outbound destination
Use MediaMTX’s forwarding configuration for the source path and set the destination to the documented YouTube format:
rtmps://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2#YOUR_STREAM_KEY
Replace YOUR_STREAM_KEY with the actual key for the channel or event. The # separates the YouTube endpoint from the key in MediaMTX’s destination syntax; it is not part of the key. Do not substitute the destination with an inbound listener setting. The exact YAML shape and path configuration can vary by MediaMTX release, so follow the forwarding example for the version you run rather than copying an example from a different release.
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4. Validate and apply the configuration
MediaMTX supports configuration through its file, environment-variable overrides and Control API. Its configuration documentation also covers validation and reload behavior. Validate the edited configuration with the validation command documented for your installed release, then apply it using the documented reload method or restart the service if required. See MediaMTX configuration methods and reload guidance. Keep secrets protected wherever you store the key.
5. Start the source and confirm the forward
Start the encoder so it publishes to the intended MediaMTX path, then check MediaMTX logs and YouTube Live Control Room. Confirm that YouTube receives a signal and reports healthy stream status before relying on the stream. Forwarding relays the incoming stream; it does not establish that the source codec, bitrate or timing meets YouTube’s requirements, and should not be treated as transcoding.
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Set the source encoder for YouTube
YouTube recommends RTMPS, the encrypted extension of RTMP. Its current encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265/HEVC and AV1 video over RTMP/RTMPS, up to 60 fps, CBR, and a recommended two-second keyframe interval that should not exceed four seconds. Audio guidance includes AAC or MP3; AAC is required for 5.1 surround over RTMP/RTMPS. Check YouTube’s current encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions for the selected codec and mode.
| H.264 video mode | YouTube recommended bitrate |
|---|---|
| 1080p at 60 fps | 17 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 14 Mbps |
| 720p at 60 fps | 8 Mbps |
| 720p at 30 fps | 8 Mbps |
These are YouTube’s published recommendations, not guarantees of picture quality or a replacement for checking the full table. Choose resolution and frame rate first, then select the matching bitrate and ensure your available upload bandwidth can sustain it. Test with representative motion and audio, monitor stream health, and read any warnings shown during the event.
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Troubleshoot a stream that does not appear
- YouTube receives no signal: Confirm the encoder is publishing to the path named in the forwarding configuration, then inspect MediaMTX logs for source and forwarding errors.
- The source reaches MediaMTX but YouTube does not: Check that the outbound destination uses the YouTube RTMPS format and the current key for the intended channel or event. Do not confuse it with MediaMTX listener addresses.
- YouTube reports an encoder issue: Compare the incoming codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe interval and audio format with YouTube’s current encoder requirements. A forwarder does not make an incompatible source compliant.
- The configuration fails validation or does not reload: Check syntax and available fields against the documentation for your installed MediaMTX release; the online reference may describe a newer version. Use that release’s documented validation and reload procedure.
- The signal arrives but stream health is poor: Check source stability and available upload bandwidth, then test again with representative content while watching YouTube’s stream-health messages.
Copyright and YouTube Live rules
MediaMTX forwarding does not grant rights to the video or audio you transmit. Before going live, make sure you have permission for copyrighted music, video and other material, and review YouTube’s live-streaming policies and account requirements in YouTube Studio. A technically accepted stream can still be subject to copyright claims or platform enforcement.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a pre-recorded YouTube stream running around the clock rather than forward a live encoder feed through MediaMTX, StreamNeo is a cloud option. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; it plays the uploaded video rather than broadcasting a camera. It supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start the free day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
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