How it works
A video block in Alva Courses can stream from Alva hosting or embed from an external provider — YouTube, Vimeo, Loom or VdoCipher. You do not upload anything when you embed: you point the block at a video that already lives on that platform, and Alva Courses renders the player inside the lesson. The video stays hosted and managed wherever you put it.
Embed an external video
1. Open a lesson and add a video block
In the Shopify admin, open Alva Courses, open the lesson you want, and click Add block, then choose Video. The video block appears in the lesson editor, ready for a source.
2. Choose the external source
In the video block, switch the source from Alva hosting to the provider your video lives on: YouTube, Vimeo, Loom or VdoCipher. Each provider exposes its own player when embedded in the lesson.
3. Paste the URL or ID
Paste the share link or video ID for that provider into the block. Alva Courses reads the ID from the link and builds the embedded player automatically — no embed code to copy.
4. Save and preview
Save the lesson, then preview it to confirm the video loads and plays in the storefront course player before you publish.
When to use each source
Use YouTube or Vimeo for public or already-uploaded videos you want to reuse, and Loom for quick screen recordings and walkthroughs. Choose VdoCipher when you want encrypted, watermarked playback that resists downloading. For full control without a third-party account, embed nothing external and stream from Alva hosting instead.
See also
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Last updated 2026-05-12