Media ID
A media ID is the internal identifier a video platform assigns to an uploaded video or recording. The API uses it to manage the asset: encode it, add subtitles, create clips, delete it. Viewers never see it; they see a playback ID instead.
Why it matters
The media ID is how a business keeps its own records in step with the video platform. Every later action, from adding captions to deleting a file or reading analytics, depends on it. Storing it correctly prevents mismatched videos and broken workflows.
How it works
- Your app uploads or imports a video through the platform's API.
- The platform creates an asset and returns its media ID.
- Your app saves the media ID next to the video's record in its own database.
- Later API calls use the media ID to encode, clip, caption, delete or report on the asset.
Where do I find the media ID of a video?
You find the media ID in the API response when an upload or import is created, and in the webhook sent when processing finishes. Most platforms also show it in their dashboard. Save it in your own database at upload time so you never have to search for it later.
Should I store the media ID or the playback ID?
Store both. The media ID is what your backend uses to manage the video through the API. The playback ID is what your player needs to stream it. Keeping both on the same record lets you change access or replace playback IDs without losing track of the asset.
Where it's used
Video platforms and creator apps store the media ID against each video in their own database so every later action, from clipping to analytics, points at the right file.
Where it usually goes wrong, and how FastPix handles it
Teams that do not save the media ID at upload time end up matching videos by title or filename, which breaks when names change or repeat.
FastPix returns the media ID when an upload or import completes and sends a signed video.media.ready webhook when the media is ready. The same media ID appears in Video Data for every view. Your records, webhooks and analytics all point at the same file, so workflows keep working when titles change.
