Jetpack VideoPress: Uploading your videos

For more efficient video performance, videos hosted via Jetpack VideoPress use WordPress.com’s servers rather than your host’s server.

There are a few ways to upload videos into Jetpack VideoPress:

• Upload via WordPress.com
• Upload via WP Admin
• Upload via the VideoPress Block while building a page or a post

Only Jetpack-connected users with the Administrator role can upload videos to a VideoPress-powered site. All Administrators can view all the uploaded videos on the site’s Media Library, irrespective of which Administrator uploaded the video.

Video File Recommendations for Successful Video Uploads

For best results, we recommend uploading a video with the following specifications:

Resolution	1920×1080 (1080p)
Max Resolution	3840×2160 (4k) Larger is OK, but this is the largest size currently available in the VideoPress player.
Format	h.264 If you are uploading a video that will only be played in the VideoPress block, videos encoded with the h.265 or VP9 codecs can be uploaded if desired.
File size	Less than 5GB, but less than 1GB is recommended Most networks will time out before you’re able to upload a file that’s larger than 1.4 GB. We cannot support files that are larger than 5 GB.
Bit Rate	8mbps for 1080p30, 12mbps for 1080p60 Recommended, but other values are OK.
Length	Shorter than 3 hours If a video is longer than three hours, the video will only be available at standard resolution (240p) after upload.
Audio	AAC minimum 160kbps
Other Settings	Fast Start / Web Optimized / progressive download (so the whole file doesn’t need to be downloaded before playback can begin)

If your source video doesn’t meet the above specifications, a tool like HandBrake can be used to convert it before you upload it to the Media Library. To convert your video:

1. Open HandBrake and when prompted select your source video.
2. Select a “Preset” (ex Fast 1080p30 or HQ 1080p30: HQ presets will be slower but will produce better results)
3. Ensure “MP4” is selected in the “Format” dropdown, and “Web Optimized” is checked.
4. If your video has a higher resolution than 1080p, you can adjust the “Resolution Limit” in the “Dimensions” section under the “Video” menu to preserve the original resolution.
5. If you want to change the default name and location for your new file, you can change it at the bottom of the window.
6. Then press “Start” and your video conversion will begin. Once completed, upload the new file to your Media Library.

Uploading a Video via WordPress.com

To upload a video to Jetpack VideoPress via WordPress.com:

1. Go to WordPress.com.
2. In the top left corner, click Switch Site and select the Jetpack-connected site you want to upload videos to.
3. Go to Media.
4. Click Add new and find the file on your computer. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your new video from your computer into the Media Library.

5. Once you add your video, you will see it show up in the media library as the upload process.

6. Once the video is done uploading, you’ll see the video’s thumbnail update to show an image from the video.

Uploading a Video via the WP Admin

You can upload videos via the WP Admin of your site as well. Please note, that we don’t recommend uploading via the WP Admin because your host may have upload limits in place that will prevent the video from being processed.

To upload a video to Jetpack VideoPress via the WP Admin:

1. Go to your site’s WP Admin.
2. Go to Media → Library.
3. From the Media Library, you can drag and drop the video file from your computer into the media library or use the Add New button at the top. Once uploaded, Jetpack will begin processing the video.

4. Once your video is done processing, you’ll see the video’s thumbnail update to show an image from the video.

Uploading a Video via the VideoPress Block

To upload a video to Jetpack VideoPress via the VideoPress Block:

1. Go to an existing post or page, or create a new one.
2. Wherever you want to add your video, click on the Add Block button, then search for and select VideoPress.
3. The block will appear, allowing you the options of Upload, Media Library, or Insert from URL. You’ll be selecting Upload.

4. You will see your video appear within the block as it uploads. Here you’ll be able to change your Video Title and choose a thumbnail for your video.

5. Once your video is uploaded completely, you’ll see a notification ‘Upload Complete!’ and you can select Done once you are finished editing your Video Title and selecting a thumbnail.

Note that if you select a local video (hosted on your site) from your Media Library in a VideoPress block, the video will be automatically uploaded to VideoPress.

Modify a Video’s Settings

For more information about how to customize your videos, check out this page.