Upload process overview in Microsoft Stream (Classic)
Warning
Microsoft Stream (Classic) is being retired and replaced by Stream (on SharePoint) and Microsoft Teams live events. It is recommended to start using Stream (on SharePoint) by uploading videos to SharePoint, Teams, Viva Engage, or OneDrive, and to run your live events through Teams and Viva Engage.
Functionality in Stream (Classic) will be changed and removed leading up to the retirement date. Learn more about Stream (on SharePoint)...
Whenever you upload a video, Microsoft Stream (Classic) automatically encodes it into multiple bitrates so that the video can be streamed using adaptive bitrate streaming. Microsoft Stream (Classic) optimizes the bitrate and quality of the playing video based on the viewer's available bandwidth. For more information, see Change the bitrate.
Processing time varies based on the length and resolution of your video. Your video will be ready to play as soon as possible. Stream (Classic) waits for the 360p version of the video to be ready, not all resolutions. This means you'll get lower resolution playback of your video for a short time while we backfill the rest of the higher quality versions of the video.
We'll send you an email letting you know when your video is done being processed. See email notifications for more information.
Note
The highest quality encodes take longer, especially if the video is being encoded for high-definition (HD) streaming renditions.
For information about how to upload a file and add things like thumbnails, description, and other metadata, see Upload a video.
Tip
Add your videos to one or more channels for discoverability. For more information, see Add videos to a channel.