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You can send a prerecorded video from a Windows PC to YouTube Live with FFmpeg by creating a stream in YouTube Studio, then giving FFmpeg the stream URL and key. To make it continuous, the input must loop; the basic FFmpeg example sends a file once and does not create an endless loop or guarantee reconnection. This guide shows a practical looping command, how to test it, and what to check before relying on it in India.

Before you start

  • A YouTube channel eligible for live streaming: YouTube says it must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. Check your own account in YouTube Studio; the official guidance does not establish a separate India-specific eligibility rule. YouTube live-streaming eligibility
  • FFmpeg installed on Windows. FFmpeg distributes source code and links to Windows builds, including builds from gyan.dev and BtbN; those linked executables are not presented as binaries distributed directly by the FFmpeg project. FFmpeg download page
  • A prerecorded video file you have the rights to stream, and a sustained internet upload connection that can support the chosen stream bitrate.

The reviewed official guidance describes general YouTube encoder setup, not a country-specific technical requirement, minimum PC specification, or guarantee of ISP uptime in India. Measure your actual connection and test the account and setup you intend to use.

Install FFmpeg on Windows

  1. Open the FFmpeg download page and choose a linked Windows build source. Download and extract a build appropriate for your system.
  2. Locate the extracted bin folder containing ffmpeg.exe. Either run commands from that folder or add its path to Windows PATH so ffmpeg is available in Command Prompt or PowerShell.
  3. Open a new terminal and run ffmpeg -version. If Windows says the command is not recognized, run it from the bin folder or correct PATH, then open a new terminal.

Create a YouTube stream and protect its key

  1. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create a new stream or schedule one. Use the encoder workflow and copy the displayed stream URL and stream key. YouTube’s exact labels can change, so use the values shown for the selected stream configuration. YouTube encoder setup
  2. Keep the key private. YouTube describes stream keys as like the stream’s password and address: the key identifies where the encoder sends the feed and allows YouTube to accept it. Do not publish it in a script, screenshot, or repository. If it is exposed, reset it in Live Control Room and update your FFmpeg command. YouTube stream settings and keys
  3. Use the RTMP or RTMPS server URL shown by YouTube and follow the key instructions for that stream. Do not assume every configuration combines URL and key in exactly the same way; use the current values and format displayed in Live Control Room.

Choose settings YouTube can ingest

For a straightforward FFmpeg setup, use H.264 video, AAC audio, constant bitrate (CBR), and a two-second keyframe interval. YouTube’s current encoder guidance also lists H.265/HEVC and AV1 ingestion, up to 60 fps; codec availability depends on the chosen encoder and stream configuration. For RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube lists AAC or MP3 audio. YouTube recommended encoder settings

H.264 output YouTube recommended bitrate YouTube minimum bitrate
720p30 6 Mbps 2 Mbps
720p60 8 Mbps 3 Mbps
1080p30 10 Mbps 5 Mbps
1080p60 17 Mbps 6 Mbps

These are YouTube’s listed H.264 recommendations; the reviewed settings page does not show a publication year. Select a bitrate your actual connection can sustain. YouTube recommends leaving 20% upload-bandwidth headroom, accounting for the total bitrate if you also send a backup stream. That is guidance, not an India-specific guarantee. Encoder settings · YouTube network and stream-health guidance

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Send a video once, then make it loop

Basic one-pass command

FFmpeg’s protocol documentation gives this real-time file-to-RTMP pattern:

ffmpeg -re -i "C:\Videos\show.mp4" -f flv "rtmp://SERVER/live/STREAM_KEY"

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Replace the example path and destination with your file and the server URL/key details YouTube displays. The -re option reads the file at its natural playback rate; without looping, FFmpeg reaches the end and exits. This command is a basic send example, not an infinite loop or a tested automatic-recovery script. FFmpeg protocol documentation

Repeat one file indefinitely

For a single prerecorded file, FFmpeg’s input loop option can repeat the input:

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ffmpeg -re -stream_loop -1 -i "C:\Videos\show.mp4" -c:v libx264 -preset veryfast -b:v 6M -maxrate 6M -bufsize 12M -r 30 -g 60 -keyint_min 60 -sc_threshold 0 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -ar 44100 -f flv "rtmp://SERVER/live/STREAM_KEY"

This example targets 720p30-class bitrate, but does not resize the input; it encodes at the source dimensions and sets a 30 fps output rate. For 720p30, make the output dimensions explicit by adding -vf scale=1280:720 before the video encoding options; for 1080p30, use -vf scale=1920:1080. Use an output size appropriate to your source and machine, and choose bitrate from YouTube’s recommendations and your tested upload capacity. The GOP/keyframe interval values shown (60 frames at 30 fps) produce a two-second interval. YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds. This sample is a practical command pattern, not a guarantee that every FFmpeg build, file, or PC will encode it successfully.

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For a playlist of multiple files, a concat input or a generated playlist requires different handling; do not simply assume that looping a single input produces a clean playlist transition. Validate the file codecs, dimensions, audio, and transition behavior before scheduling a long broadcast.

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Start, preview, and monitor the broadcast

  1. Run the FFmpeg command from Command Prompt or PowerShell. Keep the window open: closing it or shutting down the PC stops this do-it-yourself stream.
  2. In YouTube Live Control Room, wait for the encoder preview and check the picture and sound. Start the event from the control room when the stream configuration requires it.
  3. Check that the public or scheduled watch page is accessible and monitor stream health and audio/video during the test. YouTube advises setting up ahead of time, starting the encoder before the scheduled event, previewing, and checking the stream. Encoder setup and control room guidance
  4. To finish, end the broadcast using YouTube’s controls as appropriate, then stop FFmpeg with Ctrl+C. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; do not assume a single session longer than that will be archived. YouTube live-streaming and archive guidance

What “continuous” means—and what can interrupt it

The input loop repeats the file while FFmpeg runs, but it does not make Windows, the PC, or the internet connection failure-proof. A power cut, sleep setting, terminal closure, FFmpeg error, ISP interruption, or YouTube ingest interruption can stop the feed. The official sources reviewed do not establish a universal PC specification or local ISP uptime guarantee. Test on the actual Windows machine and connection; choose reliable networking and preserve upload headroom rather than relying on a bitrate your line only reaches briefly.

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A continuous program is also not automatically compliant content. Only stream videos and audio you are authorized to use, and check YouTube’s copyright and monetization policies for your situation. Repeating a file does not grant rights or ensure monetization eligibility.

Troubleshooting

  • ffmpeg is not recognized: run the command in the extracted bin directory or add that directory to PATH, then open a fresh terminal.
  • YouTube receives no signal or rejects the connection: confirm the current server URL and stream key from the correct Live Control Room stream, check the RTMP/RTMPS format, and reset the key if it may have been exposed.
  • Preview buffers, drops frames, or stream health degrades: measure sustained outbound speed, reduce the video bitrate or resolution, and leave the recommended 20% bandwidth headroom. Include any backup stream bitrate in the total.
  • Video or audio is missing: check that the input file plays locally and that FFmpeg reports successful decoding and encoding. Use an ingest-compatible codec and audio format; YouTube lists H.264 and AAC among the baseline choices.
  • The broadcast ends when the file ends: the basic command is one-pass; add -stream_loop -1 before the input option for a single-file repeat.
  • FFmpeg exits after a network interruption: inspect the terminal error and restart the encoder after addressing the network or destination issue. The loop option repeats input; it is not, by itself, proof of automatic reconnect or guaranteed recovery.
  • A long stream has no automatic archive: YouTube’s stated automatic archive behavior applies to streams under 12 hours. Plan separate sessions if the archive matters.

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