How to Upload a Video File to Wikipedia

Uploading video files in Wikipedia needs some technical preparation. You need to use Ogg Theora format, a free-to-use format, to upload your .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, .avi files. To upload a video file, you first need to open an account in Wikipedia.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Video file
• Computer with Internet access

Open an account in Wikipedia

1. Go to the main page of Wikipedia, listed in Resources below. You can also key in Wikipedia in search engines.
2. Go to the top-right corner of the page. Click on the Create Account link and register by providing a username and a unique password. The account is created immediately and the username will be displayed on top of the page.

Upload a Video File to Wikipedia

3. Use a search engine to find a free Ogg Theora converter, and download it.
4. Convert the video file into the Ogg Theora format, accepted by Wikipedia.
5. Go to the main page of Wikipedia, listed in Resources below, and sign in.
6. Go back to the main page after sign-in. Click on the Upload File link at the left-hand side of the main page.
7. Complete the legal disclaimer on the upload page or the file might be deleted without a warning.
8. Click on the Browse button to select the source file name from its location. A file selection dialog will pop up and, once the file is selected, press OK. The local file name will be used. Use descriptive file names to avoid ambiguity. You can change the file name using the Destination Filename field below the Source Filename tab/box. Renaming a file is not possible once it is uploaded.
9. Complete the description of the file in the Summary field. Remember to include a brief description about the file, the source, date, author, permission and the license under which it is uploaded.
   Given below is an example, which you can use for reference.
   Information/Description = What can you see/hear?
   Source = Self-made or URL
   Date = Date image/sound was taken and/or released
   Author = First name and last name of the author
   Permission = Short quote of the permission of the copyright owner (in case it's long, shorten it with a link to the long version).
   Other versions = Wiki link to other versions if they exist within the Wikimedia Commons (for example, a smaller/edited version of the same video file)
   License
   
10. Place the words fair use or a more specific fair-use template in the summary, if appropriate.
11. Use the appropriate image copyright tabs to mention the relevant license details of the image.
12. Click on the Upload File button to save the summary and upload the file. Remember that a preview is not possible at this stage. However once the file is uploaded, you can click the Edit button and make changes to the summary and license, if needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Use descriptive names for files to find them easily. If the file already exists with a similar name, you are given the option to save and overwrite the old file or go back to the upload form and type in a new name. If you overwrite the old file, it will still remain in the image history.
• Read the License Selection guidance page for information on successful uploads.
• File size should be no larger than 20 MB.
• New users of Wikipedia can't overwrite files for four days.