Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhen MediaMTX launches your YouTube publishing process through a path’s runOnInit hook, set runOnInitRestart: yes to have MediaMTX relaunch that command if it exits. This is process recovery, not a guarantee that a stalled process will be detected or that YouTube will resume the same live event after every interruption.
Set MediaMTX to restart an exited publisher
In the MediaMTX configuration for the relevant path, keep your existing publishing command under runOnInit and enable runOnInitRestart. The documented option is intended to restart the command when it exits. Check the MediaMTX hooks documentation and the configuration template for the syntax supported by your installed version.
- Find the path configuration whose initialization starts your publisher, such as FFmpeg. Preserve the command, input, codec options, and destination already appropriate to your setup.
- Set
runOnInitRestart: yesfor that path. The configuration shape is a path-specificrunOnInitcommand together with this restart setting; consult the current template for exact syntax and placement. - Save the configuration and apply it using the procedure for your MediaMTX installation. Confirm that the path initializes and the publisher starts.
- In a controlled test, stop the publishing process so it exits. Confirm that MediaMTX launches it again, then check whether YouTube receives the resumed feed.
There is no universal FFmpeg command to paste here: the correct flags depend on your input, codecs, operating system, and YouTube ingest destination. Keep the YouTube stream key out of public configuration examples and logs; anyone with access to it may be able to publish to your channel.
Know which disconnect or failure you are handling
MediaMTX has several hooks and behaviors that sound similar but respond to different events. Only runOnInitRestart directly addresses an exited command launched by runOnInit.
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| Mechanism | What it responds to | What it does |
|---|---|---|
runOnInitRestart |
The runOnInit command exits |
Restarts that command. |
runOnDisconnect |
A client disconnects from MediaMTX | Runs a command for that client-disconnect event; it is not the restart switch for a path initialization command. |
runOnOffline |
A path goes offline | Runs a hook for that path state change; it does not, by itself, relaunch the publisher. |
alwaysAvailable |
The source is offline | Can serve readers an offline segment; it does not restart the upstream publisher or ensure YouTube keeps ingesting. |
See the hooks documentation, the configuration template, and the always-available feature documentation for the distinctions and configuration details.
Configure and verify the YouTube side
Your encoder or publishing command needs the correct YouTube Live server URL and stream key. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain where to find those settings and how stream settings can be reused. Treat the server URL and key as a matched destination configuration, and verify both when diagnosing a failed publish.
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A successful process restart does not establish that YouTube will continue the same viewer-facing live event. YouTube’s documentation covers encoder settings and auto-start/auto-stop controls, but those controls are not a blanket reconnection guarantee for every event or interruption. Test with the intended event: inspect the stream preview, the watch page, and the actual reconnect result. YouTube also recommends testing encoder failover and monitoring audio and video in its live streaming tips.
What the restart setting will not fix
- A hung publisher: The documented restart behavior is for a command that exits. The official pages cited here do not establish that MediaMTX detects a command that remains running but stops sending usable media.
- An invalid destination or key: Relaunching the same command will not correct a wrong YouTube server URL, stream key, or incompatible publishing setup.
- A YouTube event that does not resume as expected: Process recovery and YouTube’s handling of a reconnection are separate. Confirm behavior on the target event rather than assuming the same live session will continue.
- MediaMTX readers needing a gap filler: An always-available offline segment can help local readers while the source is offline, but it is not upstream publishing recovery.
Troubleshoot a stream that does not come back
- The publisher exits but does not relaunch: Confirm that the command is actually under the intended path’s
runOnInit, thatrunOnInitRestart: yesis set for that path, and that the installed MediaMTX version supports the option as documented for that version. - You used
runOnDisconnect: That hook is for a client disconnecting from MediaMTX. Use the restart setting for an exitedrunOnInitpublisher instead. - The process restarts but YouTube stays offline: Check the configured Live server URL and stream key, then inspect YouTube’s preview and event state. Test the reconnect on the specific event and monitor the stream’s audio and video.
- MediaMTX readers see a gap: Review whether
alwaysAvailableand an offline segment suit those readers. This can cover an offline interval locally, but does not make YouTube ingest resume. - The options or behavior differ on your server: The linked MediaMTX documentation and template are rolling
mainpages, not a release-tagged manual. Confirm option names and behavior against the exact version you run; no minimum supported release is established by those pages.
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