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How to Autoplay a YouTube Video on SharePoint Sites
Question details
Users are looking for a reliable way to make embedded YouTube videos play automatically when a SharePoint page loads.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Embedding a YouTube video onto a SharePoint site using an iframe and attempting to enable autoplay functionality.
- Observed behavior
- Embedded YouTube videos do not autoplay reliably, as browser media policies and restrictions within the SharePoint Embed web part block the automatic playback.
Ensure you have Site Member or Site Owner permissions to edit the SharePoint page and add or modify the Embed web part.
Modify Iframe Code with Autoplay and Mute Parameters
While modern browser policies restrict autoplaying audio, adding autoplay and mute parameters to your YouTube iframe code offers the best chance of successful automatic playback on SharePoint.
SharePoint Online does not have a reliable built-in autoplay toggle for external videos. The most common workaround is to manually edit the iframe code provided by YouTube.
Because modern browsers (like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari) block autoplaying videos that contain sound, you must configure the video to start muted.
Navigate to the YouTube video you want to embed. Click the 'Share' button beneath the video, select 'Embed', and copy the provided HTML iframe code.
Paste the code into a text editor. Locate the video URL within the src attribute and add '?autoplay=1&mute=1' to the end of the URL (e.g., src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID?autoplay=1&mute=1").
Go to your SharePoint page and click 'Edit' in the top right corner. Hover over the section where you want the video, click the '+' icon, and search for the 'Embed' web part.
Click 'Add embed code' on the web part. In the right-hand property pane, paste your modified iframe code into the 'Website address or embed code' box.
Click 'Republish' or 'Save as draft' at the top right of the screen to apply your changes. Open the page in a new incognito window to test if the video autoplays in a muted state.
Seek Custom SharePoint Development Solutions
If standard iframe parameters are blocked by your organization's SharePoint environment, you may need a custom web part or developer assistance.
Draft SharePoint Content and Manage Documents with WPS Office
While SharePoint is designed for intranet site hosting, you still need robust tools to create the documents, presentations, and video scripts you share. WPS Office provides a lightweight, free alternative to Microsoft Office that is fully compatible with your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my YouTube video autoplay locally but not on SharePoint?
SharePoint's Embed web part utilizes security mechanisms that can strip or block certain iframe behaviors. Additionally, SharePoint pages often load dynamically, which can interfere with the browser's ability to trigger the autoplay event correctly.
Can I autoplay a video hosted directly on Microsoft Stream in SharePoint?
Currently, the modern Stream web part and File viewer web part do not offer a reliable built-in autoplay feature. Users typically must click the play button to start the video.
How do I make a YouTube video loop continuously on a SharePoint page?
You can try adding loop parameters to the iframe source URL by appending '&loop=1&playlist=[YOUR_VIDEO_ID]' to the embed link. However, just like autoplay, this is subject to SharePoint's Embed web part restrictions and may not work consistently across all browsers.
Does SharePoint allow embedding videos from any website?
No. By default, SharePoint restricts embedding to a specific list of approved domains (like YouTube and Vimeo). If the domain is not approved, SharePoint site administrators must manually add it to the HTML Field Security settings to allow embedding.
