How to Choose the Load Strategy

Load Strategy controls when each player initializes on the page. The right choice keeps your page speed scores high without making viewers wait for the video. After Page Loads is the default and works well for most sites.

The Four Load Strategies

Open a video in the media editor and go to General > Load Strategy. The setting applies per video.

• Immediately: The player loads as soon as the page starts rendering. Use this only for an above-the-fold video that must start with no delay. It has the biggest impact on initial page speed.
• After Page Loads: The player waits until the page has finished loading, then initializes in the background. The page renders first, and the video is usually ready by the time the viewer reaches it. This is the default.
• When Scrolled Into View: The player loads only when the video enters the viewport. A video far down the page costs nothing until the viewer gets there, which makes this a good fit for long pages.
• On Play Click: Nothing loads until the viewer clicks play. This is the lightest option for page weight, but the viewer waits a moment for the player to initialize before playback starts. Pair it with an attractive thumbnail so the slot doesn’t look empty.

Which Strategy to Pick

Situation	Recommended strategy
Hero video at the top of the page	Immediately or After Page Loads
Video in the middle of a page	After Page Loads or When Scrolled Into View
Video near the bottom of a long page	When Scrolled Into View
Several players on one page	When Scrolled Into View or On Play Click
Performance-critical page	On Play Click

How to Change the Load Strategy

1. Go to WP Media Player > Media and open the video (or add a new one).
2. Open the General section.
3. Under Load Strategy, select the option you want.
4. Click Save Changes.

What to Check

• The page loads without the player blocking the initial render.
• The player initializes when expected: after page load, on scroll, or on play click.
• Above-the-fold videos start quickly enough that viewers don’t notice a delay.

Next Steps

Load strategy is one part of page speed. To lighten every player further, see how to use player presets to pick a skin with only the controls you need, or how to brand your video player with a lightweight visual identity.