How to disable autoplay for videos on Facebook

Have you ever logged into your Facebook feed and been confronted with a visual chaos of videos that started playing without you doing anything? You're not alone. This feature, known as autoplay, is here to stay as Mark Zuckerberg's big bet to prioritize native content above all else, making browsing a sometimes rather overwhelming experience.

The truth is, while it's a lucrative business for the social network, it can be a real headache for us , especially if we're trying to browse discreetly or don't want to be overwhelmed by the noise. The good news is that we don't have to resign ourselves to living like this; there are simple ways to stop this behavior in the settings and regain control of our feed.

Why does Facebook force us to watch videos automatically?

The explanation is simple and reeks of money. By having clips autoplay, the platform's viewership statistics skyrocket . For advertisers, this is paradise, as someone is much more likely to watch an ad if it starts automatically than if they have to click on it manually. In fact, this strategy has been shown to dramatically increase the number of daily video views, sometimes surpassing the figures of giants like YouTube.

However, this model has a dark side: mobile data consumption . For those with limited data plans, autoplay is a trap, since preloading videos and photos can increase data usage by up to 60%. It's not uncommon for several megabytes to be consumed in just one minute of scrolling, even if the user hasn't actually decided to watch any content, making it a financial drain.

How to disable autoplay depending on your device

One crucial thing to know is that this setting doesn't sync across devices. If you remove it on your PC, it will still be active on your mobile device , so you'll have to repeat the process on each device you use.

From the computer (Web)

To stop being bothered by autoplaying videos on the web, the process is very quick. First, click on the drop-down arrow located in the upper right corner of the screen. Then, go to the "Settings" section and look for the "Videos" tab. Once there, simply select the "Off" option in the autoplay section.

On Android devices

If you're using an Android phone, the process is slightly different. Tap the menu icon (the three horizontal lines) and go to "App settings ." Find the section that says videos autoplay and turn it off to clear your timeline.

On iOS devices (iPhone/Apple)

For Apple users, the process is slightly longer. You need to go to the Settings menu and select "Account Settings ." Then, navigate to the "Videos & Photos" tab and go to "AutoPlay." There, make sure to turn off Smart Play and check the box next to "Never autoplay videos . "

The problem of sound and reels

Sometimes the problem isn't that the video moves, but that it starts with sound . Facebook has implemented tests where videos not only play, but the volume rises and falls as you scroll. If you only want to remove the noise but keep the motion, look in the app's settings for the "Videos in News Feed Start With Sound" option and disable it.

On the other hand, some users report that, despite following these steps, some Reels links still play sound when clicked. While the "Media" options in the general settings should cover this, it's recommended to check that "Never autoplay videos" is selected in the media preferences section to try and mitigate this behavior.

Having control over what we see and hear on social media is vital for saving battery, data, and, above all, avoiding unnecessary annoyances. By adjusting the media settings on each of our devices, we can transform a chaotic feed into a smooth and quiet browsing experience , preventing the platform from deciding for us what content we consume.