How to Fix SharePoint Cannot Upload MOV or QuickTime Video Files
Question details
The user is experiencing an upload error when trying to add MOV or QuickTime video files to a standard SharePoint Online document library, even though MP4 files upload successfully.
- Product
- SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to upload MOV or QuickTime video formats into a standard SharePoint document library.
- Observed behavior
- SharePoint displays an upload error for MOV and QuickTime files, while standard MP4 files process and upload without any issues.
Ensure your SharePoint site has sufficient storage capacity and verify your network connection stability before attempting to upload large video files.
Verify File Size Limits and Library Restrictions
Check if the document library has specific restrictions against certain file types or if the MOV file exceeds the allowed upload size limit.
SharePoint administrators can configure document libraries to block specific file extensions or limit file sizes. Testing with a smaller file helps isolate whether the issue is related to size or the file format itself.
Create or obtain a very small MOV or QuickTime sample file (under 5MB) and attempt to upload it to the same document library.
Navigate to a different SharePoint site or create a new test document library, then attempt the upload again to see if the issue is library-specific.
Contact your SharePoint administrator to confirm if MOV or QuickTime formats have been added to the restricted file types list for your organization.
Use an Asset Library or Convert to MP4
Utilize SharePoint's optimized Asset Library for media files or convert the problematic MOV files to the universally supported MP4 format.
Contact Microsoft Support for Log Analysis
If confidentiality prevents you from sharing files publicly and the issue persists, open a secure support ticket with Microsoft.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum file size limit for SharePoint Online uploads?
SharePoint Online currently supports file uploads up to 250 GB per file. However, your organization's SharePoint administrator may have configured custom limits or storage quotas that restrict large video uploads.
Do I need to use an Asset Library to upload videos in SharePoint?
While standard document libraries support many video formats, an Asset Library is optimized for media files. It provides enhanced features like automatic thumbnail generation, video metadata, and improved playback experiences.
Why do MP4 files upload but MOV files fail in SharePoint?
This discrepancy can happen due to specific file type restrictions configured by your administrator, missing codec support in your browser during upload, or corruption within the MOV file header. MP4 is a universally supported web format, making it less prone to upload blockages.
