Fix Access Denied When Viewing Videos in Microsoft Lists
Question details
Users encounter an access denied or request access prompt when trying to view videos embedded or linked within Microsoft Lists.
- Product
- Microsoft Lists
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user adds a video to a Microsoft List or playlist from their personal OneDrive, and other team members attempt to play it.
- Observed behavior
- Other users are unable to view the video and receive an access request message because the underlying file permissions were not automatically granted to them.
Verify that you are the owner or have full control permissions over the original video files stored in OneDrive or SharePoint before attempting to modify access settings.
Move Videos to a SharePoint Document Library
The most effective long-term solution is to host shared team videos in a centralized SharePoint Document Library rather than individual OneDrive accounts.
Adding a file to a List does not automatically grant other members permission to view the source file. Because OneDrive is designed for personal storage, sharing from it often causes permission discrepancies. A SharePoint Document Library simplifies this by allowing you to manage permissions for the entire team at once.
Open your OneDrive account and navigate to the folder where the original video file is stored.
Select the video file, click the three-dot menu (ellipsis) at the top, and choose 'Move to' or 'Copy to'.
Choose the SharePoint site associated with your team or Microsoft List, and select the appropriate Document Library as the destination.
Navigate to the SharePoint library, click the gear icon to access settings, and ensure the intended users have 'Read' or 'View' access to the library.
Manually Grant Access via OneDrive
If the video must remain in your personal OneDrive, you will need to manually adjust the file's sharing permissions to include the users viewing the List.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Lists say 'Access Denied' for my uploaded videos?
When you add a video to a Microsoft List from your OneDrive, the List merely links to the file. It does not automatically grant the other people in the List permission to view your private OneDrive file, resulting in an access denied error.
What is the best place to store videos linked in Microsoft Lists?
The best practice is to store shared videos in a SharePoint Document Library associated with your team site. SharePoint is designed for collaborative access, making it easier to grant default viewing rights to all members.
Can I bulk update permissions for multiple videos in OneDrive?
Yes. You can place all the necessary videos into a single folder within your OneDrive, and then share the entire folder via the 'Manage access' menu. Anyone with access to the folder will automatically inherit access to the videos inside.
How do I report permission syncing issues to Microsoft?
You can report unexpected behavior or request new features by using the feedback option located directly within the Microsoft Lists application interface.
