How To Add Video On Wix: Upload, Embed YouTube & More

Are you looking to enhance your Wix website by adding engaging videos? Videos are a powerful tool to capture your visitors' attention and effectively convey your message. With the rise of online content consumption, videos can captivate your audience far better than text or images alone. Wix, a popular website builder with a user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality, makes it easy to add video to your Wix site - whether you're uploading a file directly, embedding a YouTube or Vimeo video, or building out a full video gallery with the Wix Video app.

This guide walks you through all the ways to add videos to your Wix site. Whether you're aiming to showcase product demos, share tutorials, or simply entertain your audience, this guide will help you elevate your content and engage your visitors more interactively.

How to Add Video on Wix: Step-by-Step Guide

Adding videos to your Wix website can greatly enhance the visitor experience, making your site more interactive and engaging. Using Wix's user-friendly tools, you can smoothly integrate videos that complement your content and attract more viewers.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Log into Your Wix Account

Start by accessing Wix and log into your account. You'll need to create an account if you're new to Wix. Sign up using your email address or connecting to a social media account.

Step 2: Add an Element to Your Page Using the "+" Icon

Go to the page where you want to add the video. On the left-hand side of the Wix Editor, you'll see a "+" icon which is the 'Add' button. Clicking this button will open a menu of different elements you can add to your site.

Step 3: Choose a Video Layout from the Elements Menu

After clicking the "+" icon, select 'Video' from the list of elements. This will display various video layout options.

Choose one that best fits the style and design of your page. Each layout has unique features and aesthetics, so pick one that complements your site’s look.

Step 4: Upload Your Video File via the 'Upload Media' Option

Once you've chosen a layout, it's time to upload your video. Click on 'Upload Media' to access your device's storage. Select the video file you want to use and upload it to your Wix media library.

Supported video formats: Wix accepts MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, and WebM files. MP4 (H.264) is the recommended format for the best balance of quality and file size.

File size limit: Wix supports video uploads up to 2 GB per file. For longer or high-resolution videos, consider compressing your file before uploading, or use YouTube/Vimeo embedding instead (covered in the next section) to avoid storage and bandwidth concerns entirely.

Step 5: Customize Video Settings: Autoplay, Loop, and Controls

After uploading the video, you can adjust various settings to enhance the viewer experience. You have options to set the video to autoplay when a visitor lands on the page, loop continuously, and decide whether video controls should be visible to users. You can also set a custom thumbnail, add captions, and toggle mobile optimization. Tailor these settings based on how you want visitors to interact with the video.

Step 6: Position the Video Element on Your Page

Drag the video element to your desired location on the page. You can adjust its size and alignment to ensure it fits well with other content. Proper placement is crucial for maintaining the balance and flow of your page's design.

Step 7: Preview and Publish Your Page

Before publishing the changes, preview your website. This allows you to see how the video will appear to visitors and ensure everything functions as expected. Check the video plays correctly and that it integrates smoothly with the rest of your page’s content. Make any necessary adjustments, and then publish your page to make the video live.

How to Embed a YouTube or Vimeo Video on Wix

Uploading a video file directly is great for short, original content - but for most sites, embedding a YouTube or Vimeo video on Wix is the smarter approach. It keeps your file storage light, leverages the video platform's CDN for fast playback, and lets you reach viewers both on your site and on YouTube's own search results.

Here's how to embed a video from YouTube, Vimeo, or any other video platform:

1. Open your Wix Editor and navigate to the page where you want to add the video.
2. Click the "+" Add button on the left-hand panel.
3. Select "Video" from the elements menu, then choose "Video & Music" and pick a single-video layout.
4. Click the video element once it appears on your canvas, then click "Change Video" in the settings panel.
5. Choose "Add Video URL" and paste in the full URL of your YouTube or Vimeo video (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXX).
6. Click "Add to Page". Wix will pull in the video player with your embedded video automatically.
7. Customize settings - set a thumbnail, choose whether to show controls, and adjust the size and position of the player on your page.
8. Preview and publish your page.

For a deeper look at this method, see our full guide on how to embed a YouTube video on Wix.

YouTube vs. uploading directly - which is better? For public-facing content (tutorials, brand videos, product demos), embedding from YouTube is usually the better choice. You get YouTube's global CDN, free storage, and the SEO benefit of your video being discoverable on YouTube as well as your own site. Uploading directly to Wix makes more sense for private videos, gated content, or short background clips where you don't want a YouTube presence.

Using the Wix Video App for a Video Gallery

If you want to build out a full Wix video channel or gallery - rather than just placing a single video on a page - the Wix Video app is the right tool. It gives you a dedicated video gallery with a channel-like layout that visitors can browse, filter, and play without leaving your site.

To set it up:

1. In the Wix Editor, click "+" and go to "Apps", then search for "Wix Video".
2. Click "Add to Site". The app will install and place a video gallery element on your page.
3. Open the Video Manager from your Wix dashboard to add videos - either by uploading files or pasting in YouTube/Vimeo URLs.
4. Organize your videos into channels or playlists to group related content.
5. Customize the gallery layout, player colors, and display options to match your site's branding.
6. Preview and publish.

The Wix Video app is ideal for coaches, creators, course providers, and any site that publishes video content regularly. It also supports paid video access if you want to monetize your content through Wix's paid plans. For a full walkthrough, see our guide on how to add and set up Wix Video.

Best Practices for Adding Videos on Wix

Videos are a dynamic way to enhance your Wix website, capturing the visitor's attention and conveying information in an engaging format. When implemented effectively, videos can improve user engagement, boost SEO, and help you stand out.

To make the most out of adding videos to your Wix website, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

Keep it Relevant

Ensure your videos directly relate to the content of your page or the products and services you offer. Relevant videos keep viewers interested and increase the likelihood of them engaging with more content on your site. Irrelevant videos can confuse visitors and lead to higher bounce rates, as users may not find what they originally searched for.

Keep Videos Short and Engaging

Attention spans online are short. Aim to keep your videos concise - usually no longer than two minutes for page embeds. Start with a captivating moment or statement to grab attention, and make sure every second adds value. Engaging content encourages viewers to watch through to the end and potentially explore more of your website.

Optimize File Size Before Uploading

Large video files can slow down your website, negatively affecting user experience and SEO. Compress your videos before uploading and stick to MP4 (H.264) format for the best balance of quality and file size. If your video is over 500 MB, consider embedding from YouTube or Vimeo rather than uploading directly, since those platforms handle transcoding and delivery automatically. You can also learn more about adding a video background on Wix if you want to use video as a page design element rather than standalone content.

Include Captions

Adding captions to your videos makes them accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and viewers who prefer to watch videos without sound. Captions can also improve SEO as they are crawlable by search engines and can contribute to your website's keyword strategy.

Use a Custom Thumbnail

A compelling thumbnail is the first thing a visitor sees before clicking play. Use a high-quality still from the video or a custom-designed image that clearly represents the content. Good thumbnails increase click-through rates and make your page look more polished and professional.

Track Performance

Use analytics tools to monitor how your videos are performing on your website. Tracking views, watch time, and engagement rates can provide insights into what content works best for your audience. This data allows you to refine your video strategy, improving content and placement for future updates.

Conclusion: How To Add Video On Wix

There are three main ways to add video on Wix: uploading a file directly to your media library, embedding a YouTube or Vimeo video via URL, or using the Wix Video app to build a full video gallery. Each approach suits different use cases - direct uploads work well for short private clips, YouTube/Vimeo embedding is best for public content and performance, and the Wix Video app is ideal when you want a channel-style experience on your site.

Whichever method you choose, keep your videos relevant, optimize file sizes, add captions for accessibility, and always preview before publishing. With the right setup, video can significantly boost engagement and time-on-site for your Wix website.