Sharing a Video using Anonymous links no longer allows users to download video

[JithinR2380]

Our end users have reported a new issue this year in which when sharing a video from their SharePoint/OneDrive site collection using the anonymous link + can view privilege (this is using the latest sharing experience), the external users are no longer provided an option to download the video on their end.

This functionality was being used by our end users since last year to allow external vendors and customers to download videos. I can still see the Download option (using an anonymous sharing link) for other non-office files like PDFs from the same work tenant.

As of last week, my personal development tenant didn't have this issue. However, today while trying to reproduce the error, I can see that the Download option is no longer available for Anonymously shared files from my development tenant either.

Is there an update being pushed out that is causing this bug @Marc Mroz ?

[#2]

@JithinR2380 - We made this change in behavior based on the new "Edit / Preview" mode for the Stream player page. Users who have View permission no longer see options for copy or download. This was based on user feedback that if a user has view access even though ODB and SP allow download and copy with that permission most content owners don't want that, so we just removed those buttons in the "View" mode. If the user navigates to the folder in ODB or SP library they'll still have the download button from there. But we don't have plans to add back the download button in the View mode even for users with view permission that technically allows download. 

[#3]

@Marc Mroz Thanks for the response Marc. Can you please clarify why the roadmap item mentions that it's only "Can view, but not download" that is being called out as the option to stop users from downloading the video. In that case, the roadmap item text makes it seem like "Can view" would continue to allow users to download the video.

[#4]

@JithinR2380 the change that caused this wasn’t the one about new permissions for share links it was this one about us adding a view and edit mode to the Stream player. We made the decision to not show download and copy in the new view mode of the player. 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=124992

However we heard the feedback that this change to not show the download button on the Stream player page for videos in OneDrive and SharePoint is affecting many existing workflows. Thank you for sharing it and sorry we made the wrong choice not realizing how often users are sharing with view intending viewers to download. 

We are working on a change right now to add it back. We’ll show the download button in the new view mode if the user has the ability to download based on permissions and policy.

We originally made this change due to feedback that content owners didn’t want viewers to download their videos, but with the feedback on broken workflows and the fact that the ability to permission a video to “view without download” rights is more prevalent we are working as fast as we can to add the download button back in view mode.

Thanks for your patience. 

[#5]

Thank you for the response@Marc Mroz and for highlighting the right roadmap item. No need to apologize, I realize your team is making continuous improvements to the product based on customer feedback and I am happy to see (so will our users) that the team is willing to update the functionality again.

[#6]

Once the download option is added back, will it be available on prior recordings where we were not able to download the video? Ex. Video recording on 1/19/2024, unable to download at this time.

[#7]

@BDibb9125 - Yes when we add the download button back it will be retrospective. Any user who has ability to download the file via permissions and policy will see the button in view mode. 

[#8]

Thank you Marc.  That is good to know.  Any thoughts on an anticipated date when this might be reactivated?@Marc Mroz 

[#9]

@BDibb9125 - We put it in a "hotfix" to get it deployed as fast as possible. It could be as soon as tomorrow but might take a few days if the deployment hits any snags. 

[#10 · Accepted solution]

The fix for this has been deployed, you should see the download button again in view mode for viewers who have access to download the video. Thanks for your patience.

[#11]

 

This affected both anonymous and specified people links but has been resolved now. Massive shoutout to the folks over at Microsoft Stream! You guys rocked it with a quick fix after seeing the posts here and the video I shared on LinkedIn. It’s super cool to see a team that’s not just all talk — you really stepped up to the plate both here and on LinkedIn. Keep doing what you’re doing because it’s making a real difference. Thanks a bunch!