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Fix Microsoft Stream Video Thumbnail Not Updating in Chrome or Safari

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to resolve an issue where newly updated video thumbnails in Microsoft Stream do not reflect when viewed in Chrome or Safari.

How to Fix Microsoft Stream Video Thumbnail Not Updating in Chrome or Safari

Product: Microsoft Stream
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Updating a video thumbnail for a Microsoft Stream video viewed on the web or embedded in SharePoint.
Observed behavior: The updated thumbnail appears correctly in an InPrivate or Incognito window but remains outdated in standard Chrome or Safari browser sessions due to caching.

Before you start

Ensure that the new thumbnail image was successfully uploaded, saved, and processed within Microsoft Stream before proceeding with caching troubleshooting.

Solution 1Recommended

Clear Browser Cache in Chrome or Safari

Since the outdated thumbnail is caused by browser caching, clearing your cache will force the browser to fetch the newly updated image from Microsoft Stream.

Web browsers temporarily store images to load pages faster. If the cache is not automatically refreshed, the browser will continue to display the old Microsoft Stream thumbnail instead of the newly uploaded one.

Clear Cache in Google Chrome

Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, go to 'More tools', and select 'Clear browsing data'. Choose 'Cached images and files' and click 'Clear data'.

Clear Cache in Apple Safari

Go to the Safari menu at the top, select 'Settings', navigate to the 'Privacy' tab, click 'Manage Website Data', and remove the cached files.

Refresh the Page

Navigate back to the Microsoft Stream or SharePoint page and refresh the browser. The updated thumbnail should now be visible.

Cache Cleared Successfully: Once the cache is cleared, all future visits to the video link will display the most recent thumbnail.

Solution 2

Use Incognito or InPrivate Browsing Mode

Use a private browsing window to bypass your existing browser cache and quickly verify if the thumbnail was successfully updated on the server.

Solution 3

Collect HAR Logs and Contact Microsoft Support

If clearing the cache does not resolve the issue for multiple users across different networks, there may be a service-side caching delay requiring Microsoft Support intervention.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Microsoft Stream thumbnail show up in Incognito but not in standard mode?

Incognito or InPrivate modes do not use your standard browser's local cache. If the updated thumbnail displays in these modes, it confirms the new image is successfully saved on Microsoft's servers, but your standard browser is still loading an older, cached version.

Does this caching issue affect Stream videos embedded in SharePoint?

Yes, SharePoint pages embedding Microsoft Stream videos rely on the exact same browser and service caching mechanisms. Outdated thumbnails will often appear on SharePoint sites until the browser cache is cleared.

How long does it take for a Microsoft Stream thumbnail to update globally?

Thumbnail updates are generally immediate on the server side. However, due to browser caching or Content Delivery Network (CDN) caching, it can sometimes take up to 24 hours for all remote users to see the change without manually clearing their cache.

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