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how to stop autoplay on youtube

You can stop autoplay on YouTube in a few different places: on individual videos, in app settings, and on desktop. Here’s a clear breakdown so you can fix the specific kind of autoplay that’s bothering you.

Turn off “next video” autoplay (mobile app)

This is the toggle that makes YouTube automatically play another video after the current one ends.

Quick in‑player toggle (iPhone & Android)

  • Open any YouTube video in the app.
  • Tap the screen once so the controls show.
  • Look for the Autoplay switch near the top/right of the video; tap it so it turns off (often slides left / turns gray).
  • This stops YouTube from automatically starting the next video on that device.

Via Settings (mobile app)

Useful if you want to double‑check or you don’t see the toggle clearly.

  • Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture (top right).
  • Go to Settings → General.
  • Look for options like Autoplay next video (wording can vary) and turn it off.
  • Some tutorials also suggest checking Playback in feeds and setting it to Off or Wi‑Fi only to reduce auto‑playing previews.

Turn off autoplay previews in feeds (mobile)

YouTube can auto‑play muted previews as you scroll the home/feed; this is separate from the “next video” autoplay.

  • In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture → Settings → General.
  • Tap Playback in feeds.
  • Choose Off (no autoplay) or Wi‑Fi only if you mainly want to save data.

This stops videos from automatically playing while you scroll through the homepage or subscriptions.

Turn off autoplay on desktop (web browser)

On the web, YouTube also shows a simple autoplay control next to the player.

  • Open YouTube in a browser and start any video.
  • To the right of the title or near the “Up next” section, find the Autoplay toggle.
  • Click it so it’s off (no highlight / switched left).

This prevents YouTube from automatically starting the next “Up next” video when the current one ends.

If the autoplay toggle seems missing or broken

Some users report that the autoplay button disappears or doesn’t save their preference, especially after design tests or changes.

  • Try logging out and back in, or switching accounts, then checking the autoplay toggle again on a video.
  • Clear your browser cache or update the YouTube app if you’re on an older version; interface experiments can cause glitches.
  • On smart TVs or console apps, you may need to check the app’s Settings or create a “Watch Later” playlist and play from there to avoid aggressive autoplay logic.

Because YouTube experiments with UI, the exact labels may shift slightly over time, but the options above (Autoplay toggle in player, “Autoplay next video,” and “Playback in feeds”) are the main controls you need.

Mini FAQ

Does this work across all devices automatically?
No. Autoplay is typically stored per device/app, so you may need to turn it off on your phone, computer, and TV separately.

Can autoplay be disabled completely, forever?
There’s no global “forever” switch, but once turned off, it usually stays off unless you sign out, reinstall, or YouTube changes something in the interface.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.