---
title: Video
description: A video preview with a thumbnail, title, and provider byline.
---

`video` renders a video preview (a thumbnail with a play pill, a title, a description, and a
provider byline) the way Slack shows an unfurled video before it's expanded into a player.

<Preview
  payload={{
    blocks: [
      {
        type: "video",
        title: { type: "plain_text", text: "How to use Slack.", emoji: true },
        title_url: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRxQQxiM7AA",
        description: {
          type: "plain_text",
          text: "Slack is a new way to communicate with your team.",
          emoji: true,
        },
        video_url: "https://www.youtube.com/embed/RRxQQxiM7AA?feature=oembed&autoplay=1",
        alt_text: "How to use Slack?",
        thumbnail_url: "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RRxQQxiM7AA/hqdefault.jpg",
        author_name: "Arcado Buendia",
        provider_name: "YouTube",
        provider_icon_url: "https://a.slack-edge.com/80588/img/unfurl_icons/youtube.png",
      },
    ],
  }}
/>

## Fields

| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| - | - | - | - |
| `type` | `string` | - | Always `video`. |
| `video_url` | `string` | - | An embeddable video URL, opened in a new tab when the frame is clicked. |
| `thumbnail_url` | `string` | - | The preview image shown inside the video frame. |
| `alt_text` | `string` | - | A plain-text summary for screen readers. |
| `title` | `PlainTextElement` | - | The video's title, shown below the description. |
| `title_url?` | `string` | - | Wraps the title in a link, opened in a new tab. |
| `description?` | `PlainTextElement` | - | A line of text shown above the title. |
| `author_name?` | `string` | - | Shown in the byline, after the provider name. |
| `provider_name?` | `string` | - | Shown in bold in the byline, e.g. "YouTube". |
| `provider_icon_url?` | `string` | - | A small icon shown before the provider name in the byline. |
| `block_id?` | `string` | - | A unique identifier, up to 255 characters. |

:::note
Slack also documents `is_animated` on the `video` block. This library doesn't read it: the preview
always renders the same static thumbnail-and-play-pill frame that a message surface shows before a
video is expanded into a live player.
:::

## Examples

### Full video block

The preview above sets every optional field: `description`, `title_url`, `author_name`,
`provider_name`, and `provider_icon_url`.

### Minimal video block

<Preview
  payload={{
    blocks: [
      {
        type: "video",
        title: { type: "plain_text", text: "How to use Slack.", emoji: true },
        video_url: "https://www.youtube.com/embed/RRxQQxiM7AA?feature=oembed&autoplay=1",
        alt_text: "How to use Slack?",
        thumbnail_url: "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RRxQQxiM7AA/hqdefault.jpg",
      },
    ],
  }}
/>

Without `provider_name` or `author_name`, the byline row doesn't render at all. Without
`description`, that line is skipped too, leaving only the thumbnail and title.

## Related

**[Image](/blocks/image)**

A standalone image with an optional title row.

**[File](/blocks/file)**

A card referencing a remote file.

**[Card](/blocks/card)**

A richer, freeform preview card for links and rich content.