As you might have read Microsoft enhances Stream by better integrating it into Microsoft 365. Stream classic is not that seamlessly integrated in Microsoft 365. That’s what’s being changed by the transition from Stream classic to Stream on SharePoint. First of all, complete Stream classic will be retired on February 15, 2024 and certain components even earlier based on Microsoft’s 365 message center notification MC496849. Beginning on May 15, 2023 users will not be able to upload new videos to Stream (Classic) except you delay this change.

What impact does the Stream (Classic) retirement have?

To keep it short, all your video on Stream (Classic) are deleted with reaching the retirement’s date except you have migrated your video content from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint). Up to the retirement’s date certain measured are applied, e.g. users cannot upload videos anymore except you change it (as a Stream (Classic) admin).So, if you want to keep your enterprise video contents you must migrate it to Stream (on SharePoint) because it is not done automatically by Microsoft.

Transition timeline for the retirement of Stream (Classic)

The latest details on the timeline can be read on https://aka.ms/StreamClassicRetireTimeline.
Also check out the Microsoft 365 message center because there you will get the most recent updates on the subject.

How to migrate to Stream on SharePoint?

In the following steps I quickly walk through the migration process with the goal that all relevant videos are on Stream on SharePoint. There is coexistence scenario possible, however I’m not explaining the coexistence or transition period you could configure. I tend to migrate fast onto Stream on SharePoint Online.

Things I might should know and limitations?

• Migrate on your own pace as long as you stay within the due dates
• Maybe not everything must be migrated – you might check your existing content to plan what must be migrated and what you can leave behind (in my walkthrough, I don’t do this) – utilize Stream (Classic) inventory & usage reports
• Only a SharePoint Online or global admins can use the Stream migration tool
• Only a Stream (Classic) admin or global admin can configure migration settings
• No user migration option – users can download their videos and upload them to SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams and Yammer
• Critical metadata and permissions are migrated (title, description, transcripts, etc.) but not all metadata
• URLs pointing to (migrated) Stream (Classic) videos will work after the migration by redirecting to the new video destination on Stream on SharePoint (till approx. February 15, 2025)
• For an in-depth feature comparison check out the following Excel by Microsoft Stream Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) comparison
• You might better inform users about the upcoming change and/or the migration you are going to carry out
• There are Stream (on SharePoint) adoption and end user guides

Migrating from Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint)

This approach is intended to be a simplified cutover which is not feasible for each and every organization depending on the video content which has to be migrated. In my demo I’m only migrating user video content.

Please note, that you might should consider a different approach in case you have to migrate many videos from Stream (Classic). Also, you might not want to disable Stream (Classic) right away, as I do hereinafter, you might better only disable the option to save or upload videos on Stream (Classic) and decide later (after content migration) on disabling the Stream (Classic) user access. 

The following screenshots and steps are intended to provide a migration overview to Stream (on SharePoint).

Preparation and configuration on Stream (Classic) Admin Center

• Open the Stream (Classic) Admin Center https://web.microsoftstream.com/admin
• It opens the migration page

Please note, it could be a good idea to read the most recent documentation. In case something changed, you can read it there.

• Go to the Stream (Classic) settings, first
• Later, go the migration tool

• We directly disable the upload of videos to Steam (Classic).
• We disable user access to Stream (Classic) as well (this could and should be done later)

• We enable to display a message that Stream (Classic) is the old experience and users should use Stream (on SharePoint)
• We save the settings

Preparation and migration on SharePoint Online Admin Center

• By clicking on 3 “Launch Migration Tool” you get redirected to the SharePoint Online Admin Center.
• Alternatively, you can open it via your SharePoint Online Admin Center.

• The migration tool (on SharePoint) shows now your video containers which you have on Stream (Classic).
• We select my user’s video container

• Scan, to check what data (amount) is on Stream (Classic) for the selected container

• Depending on the amount of data the scan can take some time [time for a break or doing something else, come back later]
• After a while the scan is completed
• A container “Erik Kleefeldt” can be selected and added to migration

• Users get now the message displayed if they access Stream (Classic) – in can view it because I’m an admin, users won’t because they don’t have access anymore

• On the scan tab we add the “Erik Kleefeldt” container to the migration
• We switch to the migration tab

• Now, we select the container
• By clicking on migrate I initiate the migration process

• The migration job is queued [this can take some time]

• The migration job is in progress [this can take some time]

• The migration job is completed

It shows that more videos were migrated than discovered with the scan initially? Yes, this is probably due to the fact that I uploaded some demo videos shortly before the scan started. That's nice no video is left behind.

• On the migration tab we can see migration details
• We are done with the user’s video container

User Experience after the migration

• Videos which were uploaded by my user on Stream (Classic) are now migrated.
• The videos are stored on OneDrive in a new folder called Stream Migrated Videos.

• The folder is not shared.
• The videos are shared.

• We can see all four videos on OneDrive
• but not on the new Stream portal

• We make a quick Stream recording to test it
• We open one of the four videos on OneDrive
• Now we can notice that both videos (the recording and the watched video are showing up on the new Stream user overview

• The recording is stored on OneDrive, my OneDrive root path
• It is not shared, because I did not share it with anyone

• Watching or just opening all videos in the folder Stream Migration Videos adds them to my user’s Stream overview

Conclusion, opinion and summary

Stream on SharePoint provides a tighter integration into Microsoft 365. That’s an advantage compared to the Stream (Classic) platform for enterprise video content. However, some features are not available (now? see comparison list) and video content will be on OneDrive or SharePoint Online.

If you have loads on video content on OneDrive/SharePoint Online it is important to know that your storage space is limited. Although the limits are very high, there are limits. That’s why there are features in place to expire Teams meeting recordings. Do not be afraid, I would claim that common usage will not quickly let you reach these limits. Nevertheless, you can monitor OneDrive and SharePoint Online usage to be sure.

Enjoy the new Steam on SharePoint!

Additional notes

• A new vision for Microsoft Stream: Video as a content type
• Microsoft 365 MC496849 Stream (Classic) Sets Retirement Date of Feb 15, 2024
• Microsoft Stream Classic Retirement Timeline
• Overview of migrating from Microsoft Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) – Microsoft Stream | Microsoft Learn
• Overview of Stream (on SharePoint) – Microsoft Stream | Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft Stream customer connections – Microsoft Stream | Microsoft Learn
• Stream (Classic) video report
• Stream (Classic) to Stream (on SharePoint) comparison
• Stream (on SharePoint) adoption and end user guides
• Manage meeting policies for recording and transcription – Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn
• SharePoint limits – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn
• OneDrive service description – Service Descriptions | Microsoft Learn