oEmbed
oEmbed is an open format that lets a website turn a plain link to a video, image or post into a rich embedded player automatically. The site sends the URL to the provider's oEmbed endpoint and receives back embed HTML, a title, a thumbnail and dimensions. This is how pasting a video link into many CMS editors or chat apps produces a playable preview.
Why it matters
oEmbed lets customers paste a plain video link into a CMS, chat tool or blog and see a working player, with no embed code to copy. Supporting it makes a video platform easier to share, which can increase reach and reduce support questions about embedding.
How it works
- A user pastes a video URL into a site or app that supports oEmbed.
- The site finds the provider's oEmbed endpoint and sends it the URL.
- The provider replies with JSON or XML containing embed HTML, size, title and thumbnail.
- The site inserts the returned player or preview into the page.
What is the difference between oEmbed and an iframe?
oEmbed is a way to ask for embed code, while an iframe is the embed itself. When a site requests oEmbed data for a video link, the response usually contains iframe HTML plus details like title and thumbnail. oEmbed automates what users would otherwise copy by hand.
Does WordPress support oEmbed?
Yes. WordPress uses oEmbed for many video providers, so pasting a supported video link into the editor creates an embedded player automatically. Providers not on its built-in list may need a plugin or manual embed code. Other platforms like Slack and Notion use similar link preview systems.
Where it's used
Video platforms, CMS tools and team chat apps use oEmbed so a pasted video link turns into a playable preview, used heavily by creator platforms, publishers and SaaS help centers.
By the numbers
- The oEmbed specification defines four response types: photo, video, link and rich. (oEmbed specification)
