The core WordPress has a video embed feature which allows you to embed a video in WordPress very easily. This video embed feature was included in WordPress 3.6 which made it easier for you to embed a video in WordPress without having to install a plugin. In this post, I will show you how you can directly embed a remotely hosted video in WordPress or a video that you have uploaded to your WordPress media library.
How to Embed a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
The easiest way to embed a video in the WordPress block editor is to add a Video block.
You can then choose to Upload a video file, pick one from your media library, or add one with a URL. If you wish to embed an existing video from the WordPress media library choose Media Library, select the video and click Insert.
How to Autoplay a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
Once the video is embedded in the WordPress block editor, you can simply select the block and enable Autoplay under Video settings.
How to Loop a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
Once the video is embedded in the WordPress block editor, you can simply select the block and enable Loop under Video settings.
How to Mute a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
Once the video is embedded in the WordPress block editor, you can simply select the block and enable Muted under Video settings.
How to Hide Video Player Controls in the WordPress Block Editor
Video player controls are shown by default in WordPress. You can choose to hide these controls by selecting the video block and disabling Playback controls under Video settings.
How to Play a Video Inline in the WordPress Block Editor
playsinline is an attribute that tells mobile browsers to play the video right where it is instead of opening it up fullscreen. You can choose to apply playsinline to a video in WordPress by selecting the block and enabling Play inline under Video settings.
How to Add Preload to a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
Once the video is embedded in the WordPress block editor, you can customize the Preload attribute by selecting the block and choosing Metadata, Auto or None under Video settings.
How to Add a Poster Image to a Video in the WordPress Block Editor
Once the video is embedded in the WordPress block editor, you can simply select the block and click Select under Poster image to either upload a new poster image or use an existing one from the media library.
How to Embed a Video in the WordPress Classic Editor
The easiest way to embed a video in the WordPress classic editor is to copy and paste its URL into your post/page editor.
http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4Please note that this option will only work on a self-hosted WordPress site where you can install plugins/themes. So if your website is hosted elsewhere (e.g. wordpress.com), make sure to move to a managed WordPress hosting environment. If you wish to embed a video in lightbox you will need to use the Lightbox Ultimate plugin.
Insert from Media Library (Classic Editor)
While you are writing content in the classic visual editor, you can click on the Add Media button to upload and insert a video into the post/page.
Once the video is embedded, you will be able to see a preview of the thumbnail even before publishing it.
How to Embed a Video Using the WordPress Video Shortcode
WordPress core comes with a video shortcode that can be used to manually embed a video. In order to embed a video using this method in the WordPress block editor, you need to add a Shortcode block.
Once the shortcode block is added, you can embed a video by inserting this shortcode.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4"]
In the WordPress classic editor you can directly insert the shortcode.
WordPress Video Shortcode Options
Embedding a video by using the video block or directly pasting the URL is easier. But if you use the video shortcode you will have more customization options.
Currently, the video shortcode supports the following options.
src
This is the source of your video file. It is recommended to use mp4 file format since it is compatible with most browsers (including browsers running on mobile devices).
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4"]
You can specify other file formats to allow for graceful fallbacks.
- mp4
- m4v
- webm
- ogv
- wmv
- flv
[video mp4="http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" ogv="http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.ogv" mov="http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mov"]
poster
“poster” attribute defines an image to show as a placeholder before the video plays.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" poster="http://example.com/wp-content/uploads/poster.jpg"]
loop
“loop” attribute allows for the looping of a video. If set to “on” the video will start over again every time it is finished.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" loop="on"]
autoplay
“autoplay” attribute causes the video to automatically play as soon as it is ready.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" autoplay="on"]
preload
“preload” attribute defines if and how the video should be load when the page loads. Default is “metadata”.
- metadata – only metadata should load when the page loads.
- none – the video should not load when the page loads.
- auto – the video should load entirely when the page loads.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" preload="auto"]
width
“width” attribute defines the width of the video.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" width="640"]
height
“height” attribute defines the height of the video.
[video src="https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/myvideo.mp4" height="360"]
It’s better not to specify a width and height in the shortcode. WordPress will fit the video in the content area with the best possible width and height (keeping the aspect ratio). This will also make the video responsive.
How to Embed a WMV Video in WordPress
WMV is a Windows Media Video file compressed with Microsoft’s video compression formats. This format is normally used in Windows to store videos on your computer. Since WMV is not an HTML5 compatible video format, it’s not possible to play this type of video file in a modern browser.
If you have a WMV video file that you wish to play on your WordPress site, you should encode it to a supported HTML5 video format instead (e.g. MP4, WebM, and Ogg). You can do this very easily these days with a free video encoder like handbrake.
First, Select the video file on your computer and open it using Handbrake.
Now select a destination where the encoded video file will be saved. Make sure to keep the Web Optimized option enabled. Click Start Encode.
You can upload the newly generated video file to your server and embed using the above method.
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Hi
How can I also get an End Poster Image (endscreen) with a link. Anyone knows a plugin for that?
Thansk 🙂
@Johnny, the poster is an HTML5 video attribute that can only be shown until the user clicks on the play button.
Thank you Admin
What I’m looking for is a image that comes after the video. Like an Ad.
Is there a WP plugin for that?
Johnny 🙂
Hi,
How do I have an embedded youtube video autoplay?
I’ve tried the code you’ve provided here: autoplay=”on” and that does not work.
The following list below is also code that I’ve tried which hasn’t work:
&autoplay=1
?autoplay=1
?autoplay=1&cc_load_policy=1.
@Gwendolyn, I don’t think the WordPress oEmbed API supports autoplay for a YouTube video.
Hi When I use this the poster image I specify fills the space available on the page (full width) rather than constricted by the video dimensions. Then when you click the play button the video shrinks down the dimensions I specified. I have both width and height specified. Do you know how I can restrict the poster size from expanding outside the video?
Hi,
Is there any way to disable navigation bar from embadded video?
I’m trying to add video with autopllay, auto loop and without ‘play’, ‘stop’ etc. buttons.
Is it possible to do?
Thanks!
@Yamen, You should be able to do this with CSS. I added this CSS code to my theme customizer (Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS):
.mejs-controls{
display: none;
}
Th ank you
How would one align the video center?
BTW, my videos would only show the size be using both width & height.
Hi!
I’m adding a mp4 video with autoplay, loop and preload. It all looks great except for a spiral loading effect that appear after each loop. Do you know how to I get rid of it?
Thanks 🙂
@Charlotte, Please provide a link to the page in question so I can take a look.
Great post!! Thanks for sharing!!
I specify fills the space available on the page (full width) rather than constricted by the video dimensions. Then when you click the play button the video shrinks down the dimensions I specified. I have both width and height specified. Do you know how I can restrict the poster size from expanding outside the video?
@decanter, Please provide a link to the page in question so I can take a closer look at the issue.
Hi, I tried all your instructions and successfully added the video, now just one thing is remain, I want the video to full width on page please help me,
Thanks
@Atif, It should already take up the full space of the content area. Are you using a shortcode or did you just copy and paste the video URL? Please provide a link to the page in question so I can take a look.
My videos are cut off when embedded in my blog. Could you show me how to fix it? Thanks a lot.
@Jenny, What shortcode are you using? Please provide a link to the page where you are having this issue.
Hi there, none of these are working for me:
http://www.schusterfamilylaw.com/videos/Can you view it and see if you can tell me what is wrong?
@Kari, If you directly open this URL in your browser you will see that it goes to a 404 (not found) page:
http://www.schusterfamilylaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1.-Adoption-1.mp4Do you know if it’s possible to add videos made in a app like mago video to your site ?
i set the video to autoplay but it doesn’t auto play. could you help? also i added the code for no player control but it shows up as well.
I just like 2drumstix am needing guidance on being able to justify where the video is oriented on my website. Also when in the editor on WP I am seeing that the video window is spanning the entire horizontal space that it sits in. I would like to know how I could wrap test around it or have it say on the right side and then the text on the left? Thanks for any help in advance!
I have many videos embedded on my website. No issues on normal browsers. However seems to not load any of them on mobile devices. Is there an easy fix for this?
Great tutorial!!! Thanks.