In short. Grok can inspect videos in X posts when xAI's X Search tool enables video understanding.
Definition: Yes. In xAI's X Search tool,
enable_video_understandinglets the agent analyze videos in X posts. The option defaults to false, and xAI documents it for X Search.
Key facts
- xAI's X Search documentation describes keyword search, semantic search, user search, and thread fetch on X.
- The
enable_video_understandingparameter defaults to false. Setting it to true lets the agent analyze videos in the X posts found during the search. - The video setting is limited to X Search. xAI's documentation excludes Web Search from its scope.
- With image or video understanding enabled, the model can view the media in posts it finds. xAI says this usage is billed as image tokens.
- X's API data dictionary describes media as an image, GIF, or video attached to a post. The media object is expanded from the post with
attachments.media_keys.
How does X Search inspect a video?
The X Search page, updated 10 October 2026, presents video understanding as a tool parameter. When the parameter is enabled, xAI says the agent can analyze videos in X posts. The model chooses which X Search functions to call and how often, then reads the fetched posts and answers with citations.
The documented configuration is:
tools=[
{
"type": "x_search",
"enable_video_understanding": True,
},
]
The default matters for interpreting a research result. A request that leaves the parameter out has video understanding disabled according to the parameter table. A request that sets it to true gives the agent permission to view videos in posts encountered during X Search. The page describes this behavior for X Search, while its video-understanding note places Web Search outside the setting's scope.
What does X expose about the attached media?
X's data dictionary, updated 25 July 2026, says that a post object contains text, metadata, and references to related objects such as authors, media, and polls. It lists attachments as the field that specifies the attachment type and media_metadata as metadata for media attachments.
The same dictionary defines the media type values as animated_gif, photo, and video. For a video, duration_ms contains its duration in milliseconds. Other documented fields include preview_image_url and variants, which can describe a static preview and alternative playback files. These are post and media fields supplied by X; xAI's video setting is the separate instruction that lets the agent view the video during X Search.
How can you narrow the research task?
xAI's X Search documentation supports handle filters and date limits. allowed_x_handles limits posts to named handles, while excluded_x_handles removes named handles. The two handle filters cannot be used together in one request. The documentation says handle names omit the @, and each filter accepts a maximum of 20 handles, or 10 in the Vercel AI SDK.
The date parameters use YYYY-MM-DD. from_date starts at 00:00 UTC on the start date, and to_date ends the range before that date. xAI says these handle and date parameters apply to keyword and semantic searches; thread fetches do not use them. A focused query can therefore combine a handle or date range with video understanding, then inspect the returned citations and usage counts.
Related terms
FAQ
Does enabling video understanding search every X video?
No. It applies to videos in the X posts that the X Search tool finds. The model selects its search functions and query rounds, and xAI documents handle and date filters for narrowing keyword and semantic searches.
Is video understanding enabled by default?
No. The X Search parameter table gives enable_video_understanding a default of false. The request must set the parameter to true for the documented video analysis behavior.
Does this describe every Grok interface?
The cited xAI page documents a developer tool named x_search. It does not document video inspection behavior for every consumer Grok surface.
Sources
- xAI, "X Search", 10 October 2026
- X, "X API v2 data dictionary: Post, User, Space fields", 25 July 2026
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