Stream (on SharePoint) FAQ

This article summarizes frequently asked questions about Stream (on SharePoint).

Stream (Classic) retirement

When will Stream (Classic) retire?

Is there a migration tool?

Yes, there's a migration tool to help you move your videos from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint). Learn more about the retirement timeline and migration tool: https://aka.ms/StreamMigration

Is there still a Stream application?

Yes! Even though all the videos are normal files in SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Yammer, Stream remains a part of the suite. Stream is the application and experience that empowers you to record, upload, discover, share, manage, and play video stored in Microsoft 365. Learn more about what you can do with videos in Microsoft 365.

Where will video files be stored?

Videos in Stream (on SharePoint) will be stored in the same place you store your Office files, in Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Yammer. Stream will enhance those videos—powering the playback and adding intelligent video experiences on top.

What if I want a single video portal?

First, see what the data says from Stream (Classic) on how users are actually using a single video portal..

Second, figure out what content you care about being available organization wide, and feature that video content in the existing intranet or other SharePoint sites, teams, and communities you have. For everything else, let users use what comes naturally and have them upload the videos in their teams and existing sites.

Finally, if you still need a video portal, setup one with a single site or set of sites in SharePoint.

What is happening with Stream live events?

Stream live events is being replaced by Teams live events. Teams is working on the feature to have an external encoder via RTMP/RTMPS ingest into a Teams live event. (See Roadmap ID: 84960) When this feature is available we'll send notice about the retirement of Stream (Classic) live events.

Stream (on SharePoint)

How will storage quota work?

Videos in Stream (on SharePoint) consume the existing file storage quota from OneDrive and SharePoint.

You should note that Teams meeting recordings make up most of many customers’ Stream (Classic) storage. (One of our large customers shared with us after running the Stream (Classic) inventory report, that 90% of their storage was from old meeting recordings). The fact that meeting recordings have shifted heavily to OneDrive means most meetings won’t consume your SharePoint storage quota.

Customers who migrate videos from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) won't be granted extra storage. If you need more storage, you'll need to purchases storage for SharePoint.

There are lots of storage management tools and the ability to monitor and clean up content, as needed. Additionally you can use the following tools to further manage your storage:

  1. Customers with all license types can automatically expire and delete meeting recordings after a set number of days. See the Teams meeting recording expiration policy for more information.

  2. If you have the right Microsoft 365 security and compliance licenses, you can add automatic retention labels and policies via the Microsoft Purview compliance portal to target and clean up meeting recordings after a certain number of days.

How does video playback work?

OneDrive and SharePoint video playback uses different playback technology depending on the video bitrate. Our Microsoft Stream player engine detects the optimal way to play the video for the best playback experience and performance.

  • Smaller videos (<3 Mbps bitrate or video itself is <5 Mb) - Use progressive playback, so the video needs to be created with a video codec supported by the browser and the device

  • Medium bitrate videos (3-50 Mbps) - Use "just in time" encoding to do adaptive bitrate streaming on the fly when a user plays the video and caches AES-128 encrypted parts of the video on the Azure Front Door CDN as many people play the video from the same geographic region

  • Microsoft Teams meeting recordings - Use a single bitrate that is streamed via encrypted chunks via CDN the same as medium bitrate videos above

  • Large bitrate videos (50+ Mbps) - Can't be played in the service and can be only downloaded for local playback

What video formats and codecs are supported?

Most common audio and video formats and codecs are supported. For more information, see the full list of supported video codecs and formats.

As a Stream admin, can I still act on all Stream (Classic) videos in Stream (on SharePoint)?

The Stream admin role only applies to Stream (Classic).

Currently, SharePoint admins can act on any file stored in SharePoint. This ability will remain true for any videos, too. If an admin finds a set of videos from links sent to them or through an audit or eDiscovery search, a SharePoint admin can then add themselves as a site admin for the user's OneDrive or add themselves as a site admin of a shared site, then they can act on all files within it.

Which SharePoint web parts do I use?

The "Stream" web part only works for Stream (Classic) content, it doesn't work with videos from OneDrive or SharePoint.

To feature videos uploaded to OneDrive & SharePoint on SharePoint pages, you can use the File and Media web part for a single video and the Highlighted content web part for a set of videos.

For more information, see these articles:

Oh there are just a few of those, you can't remember them off the top of your head?

All the info about Stream (on SharePoint)...

All of the info about the Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) migration

I'm glad you asked!

🔗 https://aka.ms/StreamLinks

Yeah. Not sure how those Azure Stream Analytics folks snuck in there. 😭