Upload a video file from your computer and watch it with the whole room. Hosts and facilitators control playback by default, so everyone sees the same moment at the same time.
Quick links: Add a video to the canvas | Add a Video tool | Synced playback
Which Video Feature Do You Need?
Kolab has three ways to put video in a space. This page covers the first one.
| Uploaded video (this page) | Ambient Animation | Web Content embed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | A video file you upload | A GIF or short video file | A YouTube, Vimeo, or other link |
| Plays | When a host or facilitator presses play | Automatically, on a loop | When someone presses play |
| Controls | Play/pause and a scrub bar | Volume only—it just loops | The provider's own player |
| Watch together | Synced by default | No—everyone sees their own loop | YouTube and Vimeo can sync |
| Best for | A welcome video, a case study, a clip to discuss | Atmosphere and background visuals | Content that already lives online |
Who Can Upload
Only hosts and facilitators can upload videos. If a participant drops a video file on the canvas, they see "Only hosts can add videos" and nothing is uploaded.
Note: Videos can only go on the main space boards for now. In a breakout room you'll see "Videos aren't available here."
Canvas Video or Video Tool?
You can upload a video in two places. Pick based on how you want people to find it.
| On the canvas | As a Video tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | A player element on the board | A tool that opens for everyone |
| How people find it | They move to it, like any element | It appears for everyone, wherever they are |
| Sound | Spatial—louder the closer you are | Same volume for everyone |
| Conference mode | Muted | Plays normally |
| Agenda | Stays on its board | Can sit on an agenda section |
Tip: Use a canvas video for a "gallery" where small groups watch different clips. Use a Video tool when you want the whole room to stop and watch the same thing.
Add a Video to the Canvas
From the toolbar
- Click Tools and Media (the + at the bottom of the canvas toolbar)
- Under Tools, click Video
- Choose a video file from your computer
The player appears in the middle of your view straight away, so the room can see a video is on its way.
By dragging a file
Drag a video file from your desktop or another app window and drop it on the canvas. The player lands where you dropped it. You can drop several videos (and images) at once.
Add a Video Tool
- Open the Agenda panel and go to the Library tab
- Click Add tool
- Pick Video
- Give it a Name and click Choose a video
- Click Add video
The upload starts as soon as you save, with progress in a notification. When you're ready, activate the tool from the Library tab and it opens for everyone.
Tip: In Sidebar and Interactive modes you can maximize the Video tool so it fills the screen.
Upload and Processing
After you pick a file, the video moves through a few stages. Everyone in the space sees the same status card.
| Stage | What you see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Uploading | "Uploading" on the card, plus a notification with a percentage | Keep this tab open until it finishes |
| Processing | "Getting your video ready" | Nothing—it starts playing here on its own |
| Ready | The video and its controls | Press play |
| Failed | "This video didn't make it" | Delete it and add the video again |
Processing time depends on the video's length. There's no retry for a failed upload, so add the file again.
Tip: If you edit a Video tool while it's still processing, the form shows Still processing. Once it's done, it shows Video ready.
Supported files
- Formats: Any video file your device can choose, including MOV and HEVC from a phone camera. Kolab converts it for smooth streaming.
- Quality: Videos stream at up to 1080p.
- Size: Kolab doesn't set a file size limit. Large files upload in small chunks, so a brief connection blip won't restart the whole upload.
Playback Controls
Once a video is ready, a control bar sits along its bottom edge:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Play / Pause | Starts or stops the video |
| Scrub bar | Drag to jump to a point in the video |
| Time | Shows where you are and the total length |
| Link button | Turns synced playback on or off (hosts and facilitators only) |
The Video tool also has a Mute button in its top-left corner. Muting is personal and only affects you.
Synced Playback
Synced playback is on by default for both canvas videos and Video tools.
When sync is on
- Hosts and facilitators drive. When any of them plays, pauses, or scrubs, everyone follows.
- Participants follow. Their play button and scrub bar are turned off, and they see a Synced label. Hovering the play button says "The facilitator controls playback."
- Drift is fixed for you. If someone falls more than 2 seconds behind or ahead, their video jumps back in step.
- Late joiners catch up. Anyone who arrives mid-video starts at the current spot. If the video has already ended, it stays at the end instead of restarting.
Note: If a participant's browser blocks autoplay with sound, their video keeps up in step but plays muted. They can unmute it themselves.
Turn sync off
Click the link button on the control bar. The icon changes to a broken link, and the tooltip reads "Everyone plays on their own." Now everyone can play, pause, and scrub their own copy.
Click it again to turn sync back on. Everyone jumps to wherever your video is at that moment.
Tip: Turn sync off when participants should rewatch parts at their own pace, like during a solo review activity.
Volume and Spatial Sound
A canvas video uses the same audio controls as other canvas media. Hover the speaker icon in the video's top-right corner.
| Control | Who sees it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Mute / Unmute | Everyone | Mutes the video just for you |
| My volume | Everyone | Your personal volume |
| Default | Hosts and facilitators | The starting volume for everyone |
| Range | Hosts and facilitators | How far away people can hear it; slide all the way up to play it everywhere |
| Color swatches | Hosts and facilitators | The accent color of the audio controls |
In Interactive mode, volume depends on how close your avatar is to the video. In Sidebar mode, it depends on how close your view is.
Note: Canvas videos start muted. They unmute once you've clicked into the page, as long as your Ambient Audio isn't muted. In Conference mode, canvas videos are always muted and the audio controls are hidden. Use a Video tool if you need sound in Conference mode.
Undo, Delete, and Copies
- Undo removes a video you just added. Redo brings it back, still playable.
- Deleting a video element doesn't delete the uploaded file, so undoing a delete restores a working player.
- Duplicating a ready video gives you a second player of the same video, with no re-upload.
Troubleshooting
"Participants can't press play"
That's sync doing its job. Hosts and facilitators control playback while sync is on. Turn sync off if you want everyone to control their own copy.
"Participants can't hear the canvas video"
Check the space mode. Canvas videos are muted in Conference mode. In other modes, ask participants to move closer, unmute the video, or check their Ambient Audio.
"The video is stuck on 'This video didn't make it'"
The upload or processing failed. Delete the video and add it again.