You can use FFmpeg to send a video file or other media input to YouTube Live, then use Windows Task Scheduler to launch the command without starting it manually. The FFmpeg and YouTube settings are well documented; the exact Task Scheduler configuration depends on your Windows version and on whether the task must run after sign-out or restart, so verify those options on your own system rather than assuming one setup guarantees an uninterrupted stream.
What you need before scheduling FFmpeg
- A Windows computer that stays powered on and has a reliable internet connection. Task Scheduler can start software on that computer; it cannot keep the stream going if the computer or connection is unavailable.
- An installed FFmpeg build that supports the RTMP or RTMPS protocol you plan to use. The commands below show the documented FFmpeg command shape, not a tested command for every Windows build or YouTube configuration.
- A YouTube channel with access to YouTube Live, plus the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room.
- A media input, such as a video file. For a continuous loop, you also need to decide how FFmpeg should repeat or otherwise provide the input; the example command below sends one file and does not itself establish a 24/7 loop.
Set up the YouTube encoder stream
- In YouTube Studio, open the Live Control Room and create or select an encoder stream.
- Copy the current server URL and stream key shown there. YouTube recommends RTMPS, its secure extension to RTMP; use the RTMPS URL displayed in Live Control Room when available. YouTube’s RTMPS guidance explains the protocol.
- Treat the stream key as a password. Do not publish it in a script, screenshot, or public repository. If it is exposed, reset it in YouTube’s live-stream settings and update your local configuration. YouTube’s stream settings guidance describes stream keys and related settings.
Choose encoder settings YouTube can accept
YouTube’s published guidance covers RTMP/RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), H.264, H.265/HEVC or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, and AAC or MP3 audio. For H.264, its listed figures include these 30 fps examples:
| Output | YouTube-listed minimum | YouTube-listed recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps, H.264 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p at 30 fps, H.264 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
These are YouTube-published guidance figures, not a promise that your encoder or upload connection can sustain them. The appropriate bitrate varies with codec, resolution, and frame rate. Choose a setting your upload can maintain reliably, use CBR, and set a two-second keyframe interval; YouTube recommends two seconds and says not to exceed four seconds. Check the current YouTube encoder settings for other resolution, frame-rate, and codec combinations.
Before relying on a scheduled stream, test with motion and audio similar to the intended broadcast. Preview it in Live Control Room and monitor stream health, picture, and sound. YouTube recommends starting setup early enough to check the feed and confirm the event can be accessed through the channel and watch pages.
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Build and test an FFmpeg command
FFmpeg processes global options, input options and an input, then output options and the destination. Its protocol documentation gives this real-time file-to-RTMP example:
ffmpeg -re -i myfile -f flv rtmp://myserver/live/mystream
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For YouTube, replace the input and destination with your actual media path and the current server URL plus stream key from Live Control Room. The example illustrates the syntax; it is not a tested YouTube command, and your encoding options must match your chosen video and audio settings. Confirm your installed build supports the protocol you use. For background use, FFmpeg recommends -nostdin to prevent interactive input checks. Its FAQ also documents redirecting standard input to NUL on Windows as an alternative. See the FFmpeg FAQ and FFmpeg protocol documentation.
Test the command interactively before scheduling it. Confirm that FFmpeg connects, YouTube receives the feed, and audio and video play as expected. Keep the key private in whatever command or configuration you use; a script containing it should not be shared publicly.
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Use Task Scheduler to launch the command
Windows Task Scheduler can launch a program or script, but the exact choices for starting at boot, running after sign-out, storing credentials, and retrying after a failure vary with Windows version and intended behavior. The sources cited here do not establish a current, universal click-by-click configuration, so do not treat a particular trigger or checkbox combination as verified for every PC.
- Save the command that you have already tested in a stable script or command file on the Windows computer. This makes it easier to keep the scheduled action consistent with the working command.
- In Task Scheduler, create a task and configure its action to launch that script or command file. Select a trigger and run conditions that fit your Windows version and whether the stream should start after sign-in, at startup, or under another condition.
- Review the task’s account and power settings deliberately. Confirm how your selected configuration behaves after sign-out, sleep, or restart; do not assume a task will keep running when the computer is off or sleeping.
- Run the task manually once from Task Scheduler and check its result, FFmpeg output, and YouTube preview. Then test the restart or sign-out scenario you actually need before relying on it.
- Plan how you will respond to a process exit or lost connection. A scheduled launch does not, by itself, establish that FFmpeg will restart after every failure or that YouTube will resume the same live event.
What “24/7” means for the encoder and the YouTube event
A process that runs continuously and a YouTube live event are separate lifecycle concerns. YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; that does not establish that a 24/7 encoder produces one uninterrupted event or a single archive indefinitely. If preserving the broadcast matters, monitor the live event and archive behavior rather than inferring it from the fact that FFmpeg remains open. See YouTube’s live-stream archiving guidance.
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A Windows-hosted stream also depends on the host remaining available, the network maintaining sufficient upload capacity, FFmpeg continuing to run, and YouTube continuing to accept the feed. Task Scheduler is a launch mechanism, not an uptime guarantee.
Troubleshooting common failures
- YouTube does not receive the feed: Check that you copied the current server URL and key from the correct Live Control Room stream, that the key has not been reset, and that the FFmpeg build supports the selected RTMP(S) protocol.
- The scheduled action works manually but not in the intended scenario: Revisit the task’s trigger, account, and conditions for your Windows version. Test the exact sign-out, startup, or restart behavior you need; no universal configuration is established here.
- FFmpeg appears to wait for input or stalls in the background: Add
-nostdinto the invocation, or use the documented Windows standard-input redirection toNUL, then test again. - Video or audio quality is poor, or the stream health is unstable: Preview the feed and monitor stream health. Check that the actual codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, keyframe interval, and audio settings align with YouTube’s current guidance and that the connection can sustain the chosen bitrate.
- The process stops and the live event does not resume: A running scheduled task does not prove automatic recovery after a process or ingest failure. Check the FFmpeg result and YouTube Live Control Room, then restart or reconfigure the stream as needed. Do not assume a reconnect continues the same event or archive.
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