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How to Change a Microsoft Stream Video Thumbnail in Microsoft Forms

Khadija Khan Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users need a way to change or update the video thumbnail for Microsoft Stream videos embedded into Microsoft Forms.

How to Change a Microsoft Stream Video Thumbnail in Microsoft Forms

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adding Microsoft Stream MP4 videos to online courses or quizzes in Forms.
Observed behavior: Forms selects an unexpected video frame as the default thumbnail and provides no built-in settings to modify it.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary edit permissions for the source video file in Microsoft Stream or SharePoint before attempting to modify its thumbnail settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Video Thumbnail at the Source in Microsoft Stream

Since Microsoft Forms lacks a native thumbnail editor, you must upload or select a custom thumbnail within Microsoft Stream before embedding the video.

Microsoft Forms inherits video metadata, including the thumbnail, directly from the source file. To change what appears in your form, you must adjust the video's properties in Stream (on SharePoint).

Open Video Settings in Stream

Navigate to Microsoft Stream or SharePoint where your video is hosted. Open the video and click on the 'Video settings' option located in the top-right corner.

Modify the Thumbnail

In the settings panel, expand the 'Thumbnail' section. You can choose to upload a custom image or select a specific frame from the video to serve as the new thumbnail.

Update the Form

Save your thumbnail changes. Go back to Microsoft Forms, delete the existing video from your quiz question, and re-paste the video URL to force Forms to load the updated thumbnail.

Change the Video Thumbnail at the Source in Microsoft Stream

Synchronization Delay: It may take a few minutes for the updated thumbnail to propagate from SharePoint to Microsoft Forms. If the old thumbnail persists, clear your browser cache or wait briefly before re-adding the link.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the video thumbnail directly inside Microsoft Forms?

No, Microsoft Forms does not currently offer a built-in feature to adjust or replace video thumbnails directly. You must change the thumbnail at the video's source platform.

Why does Microsoft Forms pick a random frame for my MP4 video?

By default, Forms extracts a specific timestamp frame from the linked Stream or OneDrive video. If no custom thumbnail is set at the source, it defaults to this automatically generated frame.

Do custom thumbnails set in SharePoint always sync to Microsoft Forms?

Yes, but you may experience a slight delay. Once you set a custom thumbnail in Stream on SharePoint, you usually need to remove and re-add the video URL in Forms for the new image to reflect.

Does this thumbnail issue affect YouTube videos embedded in Forms?

Videos imported from external platforms like YouTube typically retain the custom thumbnail set by the YouTube creator. The customization limitation primarily affects internal Microsoft Stream or OneDrive videos.

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