Before you start
- The apps you use
Method 1 Facebook
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Step 1: Open Media settings
Tap Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings, then Media under Preferences.
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Step 2: Choose Never
Under Autoplay, choose Never autoplay videos (or On Wi-Fi only).
Method 2 X (Twitter)
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Step 1: Open Data usage
Go to Settings and privacy > Accessibility, display and languages > Data usage.
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Step 2: Turn off autoplay
Tap Video autoplay (web: Autoplay) and choose Never. App and web settings are separate.
Method 3 LinkedIn and Reddit
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Step 1: LinkedIn
Settings > Account preferences > Autoplay videos: turn it off.
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Step 2: Reddit
In the app, go to Settings and set Autoplay to Never.
Method 4 YouTube
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Step 1: Feed previews
Tap You > Settings > General > Playback in feeds and choose Off.
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Step 2: Next video
Turn off the Autoplay toggle on the video player to stop the next video starting.
Method 5 Instagram and TikTok
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Step 1: Instagram
There’s no full autoplay switch. Go to Settings > Data usage and media quality and turn on Use less cellular data to stop videos preloading.
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Step 2: TikTok
Videos always play. Turn on Data Saver in Settings and privacy to reduce data use.
Troubleshooting
Videos still autoplay
Settings may be per device; change them in each app on each device. App updates sometimes move options; search the app’s settings for “autoplay”.
Frequently asked questions
Does turning off autoplay save battery?
Yes, and mobile data too, especially when scrolling a lot.
Can I stop sound when videos autoplay?
Most apps start videos muted. Facebook has a setting to start videos with sound off.
Summary
Turn off autoplay in Facebook (Media), X (Data usage), LinkedIn, Reddit and YouTube (Playback in feeds). For Instagram and TikTok, use their data saver settings.
