Can You Turn Off Autoplay on Instagram?

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can stop Instagram videos from playing automatically, this guide will provide the answer.

Here’s the key thing to note:

• On Instagram’s desktop version, autoplay is disabled by default. Videos will only play when you manually click on them.

However, the Instagram mobile app doesn’t have a built-in option to completely disable autoplay. That said, there are ways to reduce data usage and stop videos from preloading, which can help save mobile data.

How to Manage Autoplay Settings on Instagram

Let’s explore how you can reduce video autoplay and data usage on Instagram for Android and iPhone.

For iPhone Users

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
4. Go to Settings > Account > Data usage.
5. Toggle on Use Less Mobile Data.

That’s it! From now on:

• Videos in your feed will remain muted by default.
• If you tap and unmute a video, it will play with sound.

For Android Users

1. Open the Instagram app.
2. Tap your profile picture in the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
4. Go to Settings > Account > Cellular data use.
5. Enable the Data Saver toggle.

That’s it! Now:

• Videos in your feed will be muted by default.
• If you tap and unmute a video, it will play with sound.

Save Data by Adjusting High-Resolution Media Settings

1. On Android, you can further save data by preventing Instagram from loading high-resolution media:
2. In the Cellular Data Use section, tap High-Resolution Media.
3. Choose one of these options:
• Never: High-resolution media will not load, regardless of your connection.
• Wi-Fi Only (default): High-resolution media will load only on Wi-Fi.
• Cellular + WiFi: High-resolution media will load on any connection (not recommended for saving data).
4. Select Never to save the most data.

Notes

• For iPhone users: To revert to the default settings, simply turn off Use Less Mobile Data.
• For Android users: To return to the default settings, disable the Data Saver toggle.

Final Thoughts

While Instagram doesn’t allow you to completely disable autoplay, these adjustments can help you reduce data usage and control how videos play in your feed.

If you have further questions or need additional tips, let me know in the comments below!