How to Turn Off Autoplay on Facebook and Instagram

Are you tired of videos playing automatically on Facebook or Instagram? Autoplay can be distracting and use up your mobile data unnecessarily. This guide will show you how to disable autoplay on Facebook, enable data saver in Facebook Messenger, and explore your options for managing autoplay on Instagram.

Let’s dive in!

How to Turn Off Autoplay on Facebook

Facebook allows you to disable autoplay for videos and GIFs on both desktop and mobile devices. Here’s how:

On PC

1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings.
4. In the left sidebar, click on Videos.
5. Look for the Auto-Play Videos option on the right.
6. Open the drop-down menu and select Off.

Note: If you want to re-enable autoplay, go back to the drop-down menu and select On.

On Android or iPhone

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the Menu (three horizontal lines). On Android, this is at the top-right; on iPhone, it's at the bottom-right.
2. Select Settings & Privacy and then choose:
• Cellular Data Usage (on Android).
• Cellular Data Use (on iPhone).
3. In the Autoplay section, you’ll see three options:
• On mobile data and Wi-Fi – Autoplay videos on both mobile data and Wi-Fi.
• On Wi-Fi only – Autoplay videos only when connected to Wi-Fi.
• Never Autoplay Videos – Disable autoplay completely.
4. Choose Never Autoplay Videos, and you’re done!

Alternate Method

1. In the Facebook app, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Profile Settings.
2. On Android, tap Media and Contacts, then Autoplay.
3. On iPhone, tap Videos and Photos, then choose Never Autoplay Videos.

Notes:

• To re-enable autoplay, select any option other than Never Autoplay Videos.
• Autoplay will automatically stop when your phone’s battery is low.

Enable Data Saver in Facebook Messenger (Android)

If you’re using Facebook Messenger on Android, you can save mobile data by enabling the Data Saver feature. By default, Messenger automatically downloads all images and videos when you receive them. However, with Data Saver turned on, you’ll need to download media manually when using mobile data.

Here’s how to enable Data Saver:

1. Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture at the top-left corner.
2. Scroll down and tap Data Saver.
3. Turn on the toggle switch.

Note: To disable Data Saver, simply turn off the toggle switch.

Can You Turn Off Autoplay on Instagram?

Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t offer an option to completely disable autoplay for videos in its app. However, you can reduce mobile data usage and prevent videos from preloading.

Desktop Version

Instagram’s desktop site does not autoplay videos by default. To play a video, simply click on it.

Mobile App (Android and iPhone)

You can minimize data usage and prevent videos from loading in advance by enabling Data Saver or adjusting settings. Here's how:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile by tapping your profile picture at the bottom-right corner.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Settings > Account.

For iPhone:

1. Tap Data Usage.
2. Enable Use Less Cellular Data.

To revert, turn off Use Less Cellular Data.

For Android:

1. Select Cellular Data Use.
2. Turn on Data Saver.

For additional data savings:

1. Tap High-Resolution Media.
2. Choose one of the following options:
• Never (to stop showing high-resolution media entirely).
• Wi-Fi Only (default option).
• Cellular + Wi-Fi (if you want high-resolution media on both).

What Happens Next?

Once Data Saver is enabled:

• Videos in your feed will remain muted and won’t preload. However, if you tap on a video and unmute it, it will play with sound, and all other videos will autoplay with sound.

To revert these settings on Android, disable the Data Saver option.

Final Thoughts

Autoplay can be an unnecessary drain on your data and a distraction from what’s important. Whether you want to disable autoplay completely on Facebook or minimize its impact on Instagram, the steps above will help you regain control of your social media experience.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy using Facebook and Instagram with fewer interruptions!