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MC1194603: Manage version expiration for audio and video files in SharePoint Online

By: Author Alex Lim

Posted on

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Home » Update » MC1194603: Manage version expiration for audio and video files in SharePoint Online

Summary

  • Introduction of version storage management for audio and video files in SharePoint Online, allowing admins to set automated expiration policies.
  • Administrators can define maximum retained versions, expiration periods, and enable auto-trim behaviors for media files.
  • Support for managing policies through PowerShell, including tenant, site, and library-level overrides.
  • Requires SharePoint Online Management Shell version 16.0.26712.12000 or later for implementation.
  • Compliance considerations include potential impacts on data processing, retention policies, and legal holds related to version management.

Admin Impact: Medium
User Impact: Low
Release Start: 01 Dec 2025
Release End: 15 Jan 2026
Services: SharePoint
Category: Stay informed
Tags: New Feature, Admin Action

History

12/12/2025 Item Added to Message Center

Microsoft Message

Introduction

We’re introducing version storage management for video and audio files in SharePoint Online. This new capability allows admins to define and automate version expiration policies for large media files, helping reduce storage consumption, prevent version sprawl, and maintain consistent governance across sites and libraries.

When this will happen

General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins mid-December 2025 and is expected to complete by mid-January 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected: Admins managing SharePoint Online sites and libraries that store audio or video files.

What will happen:

  • Admins can apply file-type-specific version policies for audio and video files.
  • Capabilities include:
    • Setting maximum retained versions.
    • Defining expiration periods.
    • Enabling auto-trim behaviors.
  • PowerShell support includes:
    • Tenant, site, and library-level overrides.
    • Syncing policies across existing libraries.
    • Trimming existing versions to reclaim storage.
  • Requires SharePoint Online Management Shell 16.0.26712.12000 or later.
  • Policies apply forward unless libraries are manually synced; trimming jobs can delete older versions.

What you can do to prepare

  • Install the latest SharePoint Online Management PowerShell.
  • Review media-heavy sites and plan version policies.
  • Test cmdlets in non-production:
    • Tenant‑Level Controls
      • Set-SPOTenant (new parameter: FileTypesForVersionExpiration, RemoveVersionExpirationFileTypeOverride )
      • Get-SPOTenant (new property: VersionPolicyFileTypeOverride).
    • Site‑Level Contols
      • Set-SPOSite (new parameter: FileTypesForVersionExpiration, RemoveVersionExpirationFileTypeOverride )
      • Get-SPOSite (new property: VersionPolicyFileTypeOverride).
    • Document Library‑Level Controls
      • Set-SPOListVersionPolicy (new parameters: FileTypes, sync, RemoveVersionExpirationFileTypeOverride )
      • Get-SPOListVersionPolicy (new property: VersionPolicyFileTypeOverride).
      • Manage Version Policy Jobs
      • New-SPOSiteManageVersionPolicyJob
      • Get-SPOSiteManageVersionPolicyJobProgress
      • Remove-SPOSiteManageVersionPolicyJob
    • File Version Trimming Operations
      • New-SPOListFileVersionBatchDeleteJob (new parameter: TrimUseListPolicy)
  • Decide whether to:
    • Override audio, video, or both.
    • Use default or custom expiration periods.
    • Sync all libraries or target specific file types.
  • Communicate to site owners:
    • Old versions may be deleted.
    • Only new versions get expiration stamps unless trimming jobs run.

Before rollout, we will update this post with new documentation.

Compliance considerations

The following compliance impacts may apply. Review as appropriate for your organization.

Compliance area: Data processing changes

Explanation: This change may alter how existing customer data is processed because older audio/video versions can be deleted when exceeding thresholds, and trimming jobs may add or clear expiration timestamps.

Compliance area: Purview retention and legal hold

Explanation: Retention policies and legal holds will prevent deletion, and trimming jobs respect these constraints. Admins should review retention and legal hold settings to avoid conflicts with version expiration policies.

No new customer data is stored, and no changes to user-facing access or GDPR workflows.