Media Embed

Place a video or audio player on the page from a hosting service, from a file you have uploaded, or from an embed address a provider gave you, sized to the aspect ratio you choose. It is shown in the block inserter as Canvas Media Embed and registered as canvas-core/media-embed.

Select the block on a page and its own settings open in the sidebar, in the panels below:

Settings

Each setting is named exactly as the block editor names it, followed by what it does and what it starts as. Where a setting carries a Shown when line, it stays hidden until that condition is met, which is the usual reason a setting looks missing from the sidebar:

Settings

• Embed TypeDefaultYouTube

  Where the media comes from. Choose HTML5 Video to play a file you host yourself, or Custom Iframe to paste embed code from a service not listed here. The rest of this panel changes with the choice.

  ChoicesYouTubeVimeoDailymotionSoundCloudFacebookCustom IframeHTML5 Video

• Video/Embed URLDefaultEmpty

  Address of the video or track to embed, copied from its page on the service.

• Custom Iframe CodeDefaultEmpty

  Embed code pasted from a service that is not listed above. Everything except the frame itself is removed, so scripts cannot come in with it.

  Shown when Embed Type is "Custom Iframe"

• MP4 Source URLDefaultEmpty

  Address of the video file. MP4 plays everywhere, so set this one even if you also supply the format below.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• WebM Source URLDefaultEmpty

  Address of the same video in the lighter WebM format. Browsers that understand it use this one, and the rest fall back to the file above.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• Poster ImageDefaultEmpty

  The still shown before the video plays. A media-library ID is accepted as well as a URL, and is the form that survives an export.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• PreloadDefaultAuto

  How much of the file the browser fetches before anyone presses play. Metadata takes only the length and dimensions; None waits entirely, which saves a visitor data.

  ChoicesAutoMetadataNoneShown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• Show ControlsDefaultOn

  Shows the play, volume and progress controls. Turn them off only for a silent background clip nobody is meant to operate.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• AutoplayDefaultOff

  Starts the video as soon as the page loads. Browsers only allow this when the video is also muted.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• LoopDefaultOff

  Restarts the video from the beginning each time it finishes.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• MutedDefaultOff

  Starts the video with no sound. Needed alongside Autoplay, since browsers block a clip that starts talking on its own.

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• Permissions (allow)Defaultautoplay; fullscreen

  What the embedded player is permitted to do. Clear it to grant nothing.

• Allow FullscreenDefaultOn

  Lets the viewer expand the player to fill the screen.

• Frame Title (accessible name)DefaultEmpty

  What a screen reader announces for this embed. Without it the frame is announced as just "frame", which is a WCAG 2.4.1 failure.

• Frame Extra ClassesDefaultEmpty

  Classes on the frame itself rather than the wrapper around it.

• Load Only When Scrolled Into ViewDefaultOff

  Holds the player back until a visitor scrolls to it, so a page with several embeds does not call out to the third-party service the moment it opens. Add the "lazy" class above for the loader to find it.

• Aspect RatioDefault16:9

  Shape the player keeps as the page narrows. A ratio makes it resize with the column; Fixed size holds the exact width and height set below, which a map often needs.

  Choices16:921:94:31:1Fixed size (no ratio box)

• Width (px)Default560

  Exact width of the player, in pixels.

  Shown when Aspect Ratio is "Fixed size (no ratio box)"

• Height (px)Default315

  Exact height of the player, in pixels.

  Shown when Aspect Ratio is "Fixed size (no ratio box)"

• Sound Toggle ButtonDefaultOff

  Overlay a mute/unmute button on the video (pairs with autoplay + muted; wired by the theme media-actions module).

  Shown when Embed Type is "HTML5 Video"

• No Wrapper ElementDefaultOff

  Emit the player on its own, with no surrounding div, for a design that already provides the box around it.

• Click-to-Load FacadeDefaultOff

  Shows a still with a play button and only loads the real player when a visitor presses it. The page opens faster and the service is not contacted until then.

• Custom ThumbnailDefault0

  Still shown in place of the player before it loads. Leave it empty to use the one the service provides.

  Shown when Click-to-Load Facade is on

• Play Button SizeDefaultLarge

  How large the play button over the still is drawn. A large button reads as the point of a hero section; a small one keeps an inline clip from shouting.

  ChoicesDefault (empty)SmallLargeExtra LargeShown when Click-to-Load Facade is on

• Cookie Consent GateDefaultUse site setting

  Hold the player behind a consent placeholder until the visitor accepts this service's cookies.

  ChoicesUse site settingAlways require consentNever require consent

• Blocked MessageDefaultEmpty

  Shown in place of the player. Use {privacy_link} where the preferences link should appear.

• Preferences Link TextDefaultEmpty

  Wording of the link that reopens the cookie settings, offered to a visitor who has not agreed to load this player.

• Blocked Message ClassesDefaultEmpty

  Classes on the panel shown in place of the player until consent is given, for its background, padding and alignment.

Related

Every Canvas block also carries the Animation, Scroll Effects and Advanced panels, which are described in Controls every Canvas block has.

Other blocks in Content: Background Video / Audio, Cascading Images, Charts, Circle Stack, Clients, Data Tables.