Video Embed using File Viewer webpart in SharePoint Online Modern Page

Recently our client provided us company anniversary video and asked us if we could add it to SharePoint online site and showcase the result. So, I thought about what the options available are. And I am writing this blog to showcase the options available and their advantages and limitations. Let’s see the options first:

• Stream (Classic)
• YouTube
• File Viewer - This blog
• Embed
• Hero
• Highlighted Content

If you want to check any previous options, you can click on that option in the above list and read more about that option. Let's see how we can use the File Viewer webpart in detail:

This is the new alternative for Stream (Classic). With that going out of the picture you need to store the videos in your OneDrive, SharePoint, or Yammer.  Once you move your video to one of those places, then you can use this option for embedding a single video on your modern page. 

• For this blog, we will add the video to the documents library. 

 

• Now add the File Viewer webpart to your page.

• It will open the file select panel. If it doesn’t open, click add file in webpart.

 

• In the open panel, click on site. Select the library.

• Select the video file. Then click select. This will load the video on the page.

• Provide a caption/ description for the video if you want.

• Save the page. 

• The video will render as below.

Advantage:

• No need to copy the video link. You can select the video directly. 
• Video is available to any user who has access to the file. If you want to manage permission, that can be done using SharePoint’s permission management. 
• The video takes full section width.
• Video provides you with expected functionality like showing thumbnails and providing a play icon. On the play icon click, and the video starts.
• Caption/ description allows multiple lines of text content. 

Limitations:

• The file select option is not showing classic libraries like site assets to select a video. So, avoid creating such a library to manage videos.
• We can’t display any additional metadata associated with the video even though now we are using SharePoint as storage.