I have been working in SharePoint for a long time now, and most of the time I need to download important training clips, meeting recordings, or shared videos for offline access. Most users face difficulty in downloading the videos as they don’t see a download button or face a SharePoint Online permission issue.
In this guide, I am going to explain download video from SharePoint in the simplest way and share all my experience so you always have your important media accessible when you need it.
Why You Should Save SharePoint Video?
Below are the reasons from my experience you need to save SharePoint video:
- You are able to watch the video anytime without an internet connection.
- You can watch the video smoothly without buffering or playback as it downloads locally.
- If you are working with your team, then you can easily share the video offline when needed.
- After downloading the video locally, you can avoid accidental deletion or version change in SharePoint.
- It helps you when you are traveling or working remotely.
- You can track who is using the video and when.
- It helps you with better productivity and long-term file management.
Related Guide: Export List to Excel
How to Download Video from SharePoint- Step-by-Step
Below are the simplest and easiest methods that I personally use
#Step 1. Download Directly from the SharePoint Library
This is the common way.
- Open your SharePoint site
- Go to the Document Library where the video is saved
- Select the video file
- Click the Download button from the top menu
If you don’t see the download option, it means you don’t have permission. The only option is to contact the site admin to solve this.
#Step 2. Download from SharePoint Video Preview Page
After opening a video, it plays directly inside the built-in viewer. You can still download it:
- Click the Three Dots on the video
- Choose Download
- Save the file locally
The video works in MP4, MOV, WMV, and other supported media files
#Step 3. Use “Open in OneDrive” to Save SharePoint Video
Sometimes you see that SharePoint videos sync with OneDrive. I use the steps below when the download option is not available:
- In the library, select the Sync or Open in OneDrive
- Let OneDrive sync the video
- Find the synced folder on your PC
- Copy or download the video from the local folder
#Step 4. Download Video from SharePoint via Microsoft Stream
If you or your company uses Stream, downloading will work in a different way:
- In Stream (Classic): Only owners or admins can download
- In Stream on SharePoint: You can download it like a normal SharePoint file
After receiving a stream link, check where the file is stored.
Advanced Method: Move Videos from SharePoint in Bulk
Sometimes, when I need to move multiple videos, I feel that the manual downloading is a time-consuming process, and it hampers my workflow. And it gets stored locally, so in this situation, I prefer using a professional and reliable solution to make a replica for another tenant, via the SharePoint Online Migration Tool. It stores your videos online so you have access to the videos on any device from any location.
Before I migrate, I always tick all the points of SharePoint migration checklist.
Here are some helpful points that I experienced using the tool
- It is very helpful in downloading and transferring bulk videos
- Supports you in copying files between SharePoint sites and OneDrive
- It helps in maintaining video quality and metadata
- Less time-consuming and saves hours of manual work
- It’s really useful when moving from one tenant to another or when creating a backup.
By using the professional tool, you can move the bulk of videos smoothly, instead of using time-consuming manual methods to download video from SharePoint.
How I Save SharePoint Video When Download Button Is Missing
Most of the users get panicked when they don’t see the download option. Below are the points that I follow:
- Request Edit or Download permission
- Ask the owner to share the video through a folder
- Download using OneDrive sync
- Check if the file is locked or is under an update process
- Make sure that the link is not flagged as read-only
Why Can’t You Sometimes Save SharePoint Video
Before going into the steps, I want to share some points that I noticed about why the download does not appear :
- The site owner doesn’t give you permission
- It might be possible that the file is stored in a restricted library
- The video is opening on another platform instead of SharePoint
- Admin restricted the download option
- The file is locked or being edited
Once I got to know these limitations, it became easier for me to save the video in SharePoint
Read Also: Merge Two SharePoint Sites
Tips to Avoid Video Download Issues
Some practical tips I follow and very useful:
- Always update your SharePoint permissions
- Never store videos in restricted folders
- Make sure you have enabled syncing of important libraries in OneDrive
- Always put the videos in a dedicated folder for easy access.
- Use a professional and reliable tool for bulk migration
Author’s Verdict
After you understand where the files are stored and what permissions you have makes downloading videos from SharePoint becomes an easy and smooth task. In this article, I have shared all the experiences that I have had so far in download video from SharePoint using different methods.
The above steps help you in downloading a single video or multiple videos smoothly and swiftly. While transferring bulk files, use the reliable tool that I have mentioned above to save your time.
FAQ’s
Q.Why am I not seeing the download option in SharePoint?
It is because you don’t have permission to download the file.
Q.Is it possible to download videos shared through stream?
Yes, it is possible if you are an owner or have download rights.
Q.What are the steps to download multiple videos at once?
You can do it easily by selecting all files and clicking Download, or using a migration tool
Q.Can I download a video from SharePoint?
Yes, you can download a video from SharePoint by clicking the file > select Download from the toolbar.
Q.Why does the video fail to download?
Multiple reasons prevent the video from downloading, like file locks, network issues, or browser limits.