How To Turn Off Autoplay Video On Major Social Platforms

Autoplay can make a social feed feel fast and convenient, but it also consumes mobile data, battery and attention. Videos may begin while you are on a train in Melbourne, waiting for a bus in Brisbane or using a limited connection in regional Australia. Turning off automatic playback gives you more control over what loads and when.

The exact setting depends on the platform and device. Some services offer a proper “Never” option, while others only provide data-saving controls that delay videos or reduce their quality. App updates can also move these options, so the names may vary slightly between Android, iPhone and desktop browsers.

The instructions below cover the main social networks used in Australia, including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Reddit. They also explain what to do when a platform does not provide a complete autoplay switch.

Facebook And Instagram

In the Facebook app, open the Menu, select Settings & privacy, then Settings. Under Preferences, choose Media and find Autoplay. Select Never autoplay videos. On the desktop website, open your profile menu, go to Settings & privacy, choose Settings and then Media. Set Autoplay videos to Off.

Instagram does not offer a universal option to stop every video from starting as you scroll. You can reduce loading by opening your profile, tapping the three-line menu, selecting Settings and activity, then Data usage and media quality. Turn on Use less mobile data. This can be useful on a prepaid plan or when you are away from home Wi-Fi, but videos may still play automatically.

Instagram also lets you mute video sound by tapping the speaker icon on a Reel or video. Your sound preference may persist while you continue browsing, although the video itself can still load. On mobile browsers, the available controls are more limited than in the app.

X And TikTok

On X, open your profile picture or navigation menu and select Settings and privacy. Go to Accessibility, display and languages, choose Data usage, then tap Video autoplay. Select Never. The same general path is available on the web version, although the layout can differ after an update.

TikTok does not provide a straightforward setting that completely stops videos from playing as you scroll. Its Data Saver option is the closest built-in alternative. Open Profile, tap the menu button, choose Settings and privacy, then select Data Saver. Enable it to reduce video quality and limit data use when using mobile networks.

TikTok videos will generally continue to play automatically with Data Saver enabled. To avoid unexpected sound, lower your phone’s media volume before opening the app. This is particularly useful when browsing in a quiet place, such as a library, café or Sydney commuter carriage.

YouTube And Short-Form Feeds

YouTube has two different autoplay features. To stop another video starting after the current one ends, open YouTube, tap your profile picture, choose Settings and open Autoplay. Switch Autoplay next video off. On a computer, use the Autoplay switch in the video player.

To control previews while browsing the Home feed, open Settings, choose General, then Playback in feeds. Select Off. Some versions also offer Wi-Fi only, which allows previews on a home connection while avoiding them over mobile data. This is a practical choice for people with a smaller data allowance from Telstra, Optus, TPG or another Australian provider.

YouTube Shorts are designed around continuous vertical scrolling and may still begin as soon as they appear. There is no standard setting that turns Shorts into a tap-to-play feed. Turning off feed playback and the next-video function will, however, stop much of YouTube’s background activity.

LinkedIn, Reddit And Snapchat

LinkedIn usually includes a dedicated autoplay control. In the app, tap your profile photo, open Settings, select Data privacy and choose Video autoplay. Set it to Never. On the website, open Me, choose Settings & Privacy, then Data privacy and Video autoplay. This prevents professional videos from starting while you scan your feed.

In Reddit, tap your avatar, open Settings and select View options. Find Autoplay media and choose Never. Some Reddit versions place the option under Media or Feed settings. On desktop, open User Settings, select Feed settings and turn off Autoplay media if the option is available.

Snapchat uses a data-saving approach rather than a universal autoplay switch. Tap your profile icon, open the gear icon, select My Privacy & Data and then Data Saver. Choose whether it should apply all the time or only on mobile data. Stories may still advance automatically after one has loaded, but the setting reduces preloading and unwanted downloads.

Device And Browser Controls

Your phone can provide an extra layer of control. On an iPhone, open Settings, select Mobile Service and review which apps can use mobile data. Turn off access for social apps that you only want to use over Wi-Fi. Low Data Mode, found under Mobile Data Options, can also reduce background network activity.

On Android, open Settings, select Network & internet or Connections, then Data Saver. You can usually allow selected apps to use unrestricted data while limiting others. Menu names differ between Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other phones, so use the Settings search bar for “Data Saver” or “autoplay”.

A browser can also block media from starting automatically. In Microsoft Edge, open Settings, select Cookies and site permissions, then Media autoplay. Firefox includes autoplay controls under Settings and privacy, while Safari provides website-specific settings under Safari Settings. These controls may block sound without stopping every video, and social websites can sometimes override them.

Settings At A Glance

The most reliable approach is to change the platform setting first, then use your phone’s data controls as a backup. A Wi-Fi-only preference is useful if you want previews at home but do not want them using mobile data while travelling between Adelaide, Perth or Canberra.

Platform	Where To Look	What You Can Expect
Facebook	Settings and privacy → Settings → Media	Full autoplay option, including Never
Instagram	Settings and activity → Data usage and media quality	Reduces data use, but does not fully stop video playback
X	Settings and privacy → Data usage → Video autoplay	Never option available
TikTok	Settings and privacy → Data Saver	Reduces quality and loading, but feed videos still play
YouTube	Settings → General → Playback in feeds and Autoplay	Controls feed previews and the next video separately
LinkedIn	Settings → Data privacy → Video autoplay	Never option available
Reddit	Settings → View options or Feed settings	Autoplay media can usually be set to Never
Snapchat	Settings → My Privacy & Data → Data Saver	Limits loading, but does not stop every Story from advancing

These controls do not prevent every animated advertisement, live stream preview or platform notification. They mainly affect video playback in the feed. If a setting seems missing, update the app, search its settings for “video”, “media”, “autoplay” or “data”, and check whether you are using the correct account.

The key distinction is simple: Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and Reddit generally provide direct autoplay controls, while Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat rely more heavily on data-saving tools. Combining those settings with iPhone or Android data controls is the best way to reduce unwanted playback, conserve battery and keep mobile data available for what matters.