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How to Set the Default Video Quality in Stream on SharePoint

Huda Qurayshi Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

Administrators and users want to change the default video playback quality in Stream on SharePoint to the highest resolution (such as 720p) instead of Auto to prevent blurry text in screencasts.

How to Set the Default Video Quality in Stream on SharePoint

Product: Stream on SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Watching or distributing company-wide text-heavy screencast videos on SharePoint where clarity is essential.
Observed behavior: Videos automatically start with playback quality set to 'Auto', which often results in low-resolution, blurry video until the user manually adjusts it.

Before you start

Ensure you have a stable and fast internet connection, as Microsoft Stream dynamically adjusts the initial 'Auto' video quality based on your current network bandwidth.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Adjust Video Playback Quality

Since there is currently no global administrator setting to enforce a high-resolution default, viewers must manually change the playback quality for each video.

Microsoft Stream on SharePoint currently uses 'Auto' as the global default playback quality. Stream creates multiple renditions of a video and switches between them dynamically based on the viewer's network conditions. While this adaptive streaming is excellent for live-action videos, it can cause text-heavy screencasts to appear blurry upon starting. Until Microsoft introduces an administrative control for defaults, individual users will need to manually select a higher resolution.

Open the Stream video

Navigate to the SharePoint page or click the link provided to you to open the Stream video player.

Access the player settings

Hover over the video player to reveal the control bar, then click on the gear icon (Settings) located in the lower-right corner of the player.

Open the Quality menu

From the Settings menu, click on 'Quality' to view the available resolution options for the video.

Select a higher resolution

Change the setting from 'Auto' to a specific high resolution, such as 720p or 1080p, to ensure all text and details in the screencast become sharp and readable.

Submit a Feature Request: Administrators seeking global default quality settings should submit their requests through the Microsoft Stream feedback portal so the product team can prioritize this feature in future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can SharePoint administrators force videos to play in 1080p by default?

No, currently Microsoft Stream on SharePoint does not provide an administrative setting to enforce a global default playback quality. All videos default to 'Auto' and adjust dynamically based on the viewer's network connection.

Why do my screencasts look blurry in Stream on SharePoint?

Stream uses dynamic adaptive streaming, meaning it automatically switches to lower resolutions if it detects slower network speeds or instability. While this prevents buffering, it can make fine text in screencasts appear blurry until the resolution is manually increased.

Does changing the video quality save for future videos in Stream?

No, the quality setting does not persistently save across all future viewing sessions. Viewers typically need to manually adjust the quality to a higher resolution for each new video, as the player reverts to the 'Auto' default.

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