If you would like to upload a new version of a video that you uploaded to Vimeo but keep the URL, analytics, likes, and comments associated with its video page, use the Replace video feature.
In this article, learn:
- How to replace your video
- About version history
- Why is the Replace video button greyed out?
- What happens to the existing thumbnail when the video is replaced?
How to replace your video
- Log in to your Vimeo account and navigate to your Library.
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Click on the video you want to update and select the options menu (…) in the top right corner of the video settings page.
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Select Replace video from the dropdown menu to upload a new version of your video.
⚠️Note: Replacing the file doesn’t change the URL of the video or the video’s review page.
- After the upload is complete and your video finishes transcoding you will see it on the video page.
During the replacement process, a message will appear indicating that a replacement is in progress, and the original video will remain viewable while the new one is uploaded. Once the replacement video finishes uploading and begins conversion, the original video will no longer be visible, and will soon be replaced.
⚠️Note: Your newly replaced file needs to complete the conversion process before it is available for playback. If you notice optimization taking longer than usual you may want to validate that your video matches our compression guidelines and re-upload if required. If this doesn’t help, please contact us for assistance.
Additional notes:
- The comment history on the Review page of a video is reset when that video is replaced.
- If you have auto-closed captions enabled on a video, new captions will be generated when that video is replaced.
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Replacing a video with a shorter video will remove any chapters with time stamps beyond the end of the replacement video.
About version history
If you're a Standard member and higher or Pro member and higher, Vimeo also keeps your video's version history for you. Each time you upload a new version of your video, the previous versions will be preserved and available to you on the video’s settings page, keeping your videos organized for easy comparison and organization. Select the options menu (…) in the top right corner of the video settings page and then Version history to access this feature.
Your video’s version history also keeps all of your notes and changes within the review page, allowing easy access for your team for collaboration in the process. (Please note that you must be the main account owner or an admin switched into the main account to be able to view the history on the review page.)
If you encounter any issues during the replacement upload process, visit the Troubleshoot uploading problems article for some tips on how to troubleshoot them. If you're still having trouble, please contact us.
⚠️Note: Replacing a video on Vimeo doesn't replace it on any other platforms if you've used the Publish to Social feature. You'll need to republish the new video to share it on any other platform.
Why is the Replace video button greyed out?
Replacing videos is not currently available on mobile, for videos made in or modified with the Editor, for videos that have been trimmed, videos that have been edited with the text-based video editor, or for Interactive videos. The Replace video button will not be "selectable" in these cases.
There are two potential workarounds if you are not able to replace your video:
- You can make a copy of your video to use as a replacement, however, in this case, the URL of the video will change if you are referencing the copied video instead of the original.
- You can choose to change the video using the Editor (such as trimming the video) by using the Timeline and save any changes. In this case, the URL of the video will stay the same.
If your video was not made in or modified with the Editor, was not trimmed, or is not an Interactive video and the Replace video button is still greyed out, please contact Support.
What happens to the existing Thumbnail when a video is replaced?
When the video is replaced, we do not generate a new thumbnail; the older one that was generated or uploaded during the initial upload remains the same. After replacing a video, a new thumbnail has to be set.
The only exception here is with the Create videos where we generate a thumbnail automatically to update the existing one if a Create video is replaced.