What is Microsoft Stream? Here's what you need to know about the video platform for businesses

Advertisement
What is Microsoft Stream? Here's what you need to know about the video platform for businesses
Microsoft Stream is most often used by companies for internal video management.10'000 Hours/Getty Images
  • Microsoft Stream is a business-focused video storage, sharing, and collaboration platform.
  • There's a new version of Stream that integrates video content with Microsoft SharePoint.
  • Here's a brief overview of everything you need to know about both the new Stream and Stream (Classic).
Advertisement

Unlike many other video platforms, Microsoft Stream is intended specifically for corporate and enterprise users. First introduced in 2016, it integrates with tools like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Yammer.

What is Microsoft Stream?

Microsoft Stream is a video storage, sharing, and collaboration platform.

Stream is akin to an internal video platform for corporate users, like a cross between SharePoint (traditionally used mainly for documents) and a private version of YouTube. Only users with valid Microsoft 365 credentials can get access to add, organize, share, and view video content in Stream. Users can launch Stream from the list of apps in the Microsoft 365 launcher.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More
What is Microsoft Stream? Here's what you need to know about the video platform for businesses
Microsoft Stream is a video platform for businesses, like a private version of YouTube.Microsoft

Once in Stream, users have access to channels, which organize the video content in Stream, and let users embed videos in SharePoint, Teams, and other Microsoft tools.

To make Stream videos searchable by content, the audio within each video is automatically transcribed. This enhances accessibility and enables deep search of video content.

Advertisement

Two versions of Microsoft Stream

While the original version of Stream is still currently available, Microsoft introduced a new version of Stream in September 2020. Microsoft has not yet set a retirement date for the original version of Stream, or "Stream (Classic)," because the new Stream is rolling out slowly with a lengthy roadmap of features and capabilities under development. Microsoft is being quite transparent about this roadmap, which you can see in detail on the Microsoft website.

One of the most significant changes in the vision for Stream is moving away from the independent video hub that characterized Stream (Classic). Instead, Stream is being fully integrated into SharePoint, recognizing video as a content type that's now on equal footing with all other content types within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

This change means that video content will now work like any other content type for sharing and collaborating within Microsoft 365. Stream video content will now be stored and managed with the same compliance, governance, permissions, external sharing, and other settings as traditional SharePoint content.

Sometime in 2021, Microsoft will release information and tools to allow existing Stream users to start to migrate their Stream (Classic) video content to the new Stream.

Product Card (small)

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

{{}}