MP4 Sharepoint Videos This video playback is not supported.

Question

This video playback is not supported.

The file format or structure is not supported for playback. To resolve this issue, please transcode the video to a standard format and upload the updated version. More information

PlaybackSessionId:xxxxxxxxx

Unable to play certain video files stored in SharePoint, receiving an error message indicating that the file format or structure is not supported for playback

Site, Folder, Library permissions are set

After re‑encoding the video file with HandBrake (default settings plus Web Optimized), the file became playable. This suggests the issue may be related to web streaming. Is there any settings in SharePoint, Edge, or related platforms that would allow video files to open directly without requiring re‑encoding?

Is this a limitation?

Answer 1

Dear @ZTS,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on your description, certain video files stored in SharePoint cannot be played in the browser and show a “file format or structure is not supported” error, even though permissions are correctly configured. After re‑encoding the video, playback works, which suggests a web streaming limitation. You wonder there is any SharePoint, Edge, or related setting that allows these videos to play without re‑encoding, or this is a known limitation.

SharePoint and Stream on SharePoint only support specific video codecs and MP4 container structures for web streaming. Certain MP4 files (such as fragmented MP4 or files encoded for non‑web playback) are intentionally blocked and will show the message “This video is not supported for playback.”

There is currently no SharePoint, Edge, or Microsoft 365 setting that can override this limitation. Re‑encoding the video to a standard MP4 format (H.264 video + AAC audio), as you did with HandBrake, is the recommended and supported workaround.

For more detail information, you can refer to this article Video formats you can play on Microsoft 365

Note: Please understand that as forum moderator, my primary goal is to provide helpful guidance and support through general troubleshooting steps. While I don’t have access to internal systems or test devices required to resolve backend issues, I truly appreciate your understanding of these limitations. I genuinely hope the information I share helps guide you in the right direction, and I'm always here to assist as much as I can within my scope.   

I hope information above helpful, if I misunderstand your point, please pardon me and provide more information so I can support you more effectively

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Answer 2

SharePoint and the Microsoft 365 video player only support playback for specific container formats and codecs. When a file shows “This video playback is not supported. The file format or structure is not supported for playback,” it means the video’s container/codec/bitrate/profile is outside what the Microsoft 365 player can handle, even if the file extension is .mp4.

There is no SharePoint or Edge setting that forces such files to play without re‑encoding. This is a limitation of the supported formats and codecs in the Microsoft 365 playback pipeline, not a permissions or browser configuration issue.

The behavior observed with HandBrake confirms this: re‑encoding with a web‑friendly profile (e.g., H.264 in MP4 with streaming‑optimized structure) brings the file into a supported combination, so it becomes playable.

To avoid re‑encoding on a case‑by‑case basis, videos need to be created/exported in a format that matches Microsoft 365’s supported containers and codecs from the start. Microsoft recommends, for best compatibility and playback experience:

• Container: MP4
• Video: H.264 / MPEG‑4 AVC, 30 fps, with approximate bitrates:
  • ~8 Mbps or less for 1080p
  • ~5 Mbps or less for 720p
  • ~2.5 Mbps or less for 480p
  • ~1 Mbps or less for 360p or smaller
• Audio: AAC, 384 Kbps or less

If a file does not play, the format may be unsupported by Microsoft 365 or by the device. DRM‑protected video files also cannot be played.

In some reported cases, simply renaming the extension from .mp4 to .m4v has allowed playback by making the player select a different handling path, but this is a workaround and not guaranteed for all files.

So yes, this is effectively a limitation of the supported formats/codecs in Microsoft 365 video playback. The reliable solution is to ensure videos are encoded using the recommended container and codec settings before upload, or to transcode incompatible files.

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References:

• Video formats you can play on Microsoft 365
• Using video player settings to control playback experience
• "Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server" error when you click a .mov or .mp4 file
• MP4 file cannot be played on a non-Windows-based device if it was created in Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2
• Clicking on MP4 in OneDrive, Will not Play - Microsoft Q&A