Yes, you can still turn off autoplay on YouTube in 2023. While YouTube enabled autoplay by default for all users in 2020, there are still ways to disable autoplay on both desktop and mobile devices.
Understanding YouTube Autoplay
YouTube autoplay refers to the feature that automatically starts playing another video after the current video finishes. When enabled, YouTube will continuously play videos one after the other based on recommendations and relevance.
YouTube enabled autoplay for all users in 2020 in order to provide a more seamless viewing experience. Prior to that, autoplay was an optional setting that users could toggle on or off.
With autoplay enabled by default, YouTube automatically queues up recommended videos it thinks you’ll want to watch next. The recommended autoplay queue is based on your watch history, interactions, and other signals.
Reasons to Disable YouTube Autoplay
While autoplay provides a more continuous viewing experience, there are reasons you may want to disable it:
- To avoid watching too many videos in one sitting
- To avoid spoilers in the recommended videos
- To reduce distractions and stay focused on specific videos
- To avoid videos with explicit content popping up
- To avoid listening to audio from videos you did not select
- To avoid eating up mobile data
Disabling autoplay gives you more control over which videos play and prevents YouTube from automatically advancing to the next video.
How to Turn Off YouTube Autoplay on Desktop
You can disable autoplay on the YouTube desktop website by following these steps:
- Go to youtube.com and sign into your YouTube account, if logged in
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner
- Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu
- Scroll down to the “Autoplay” section
- Uncheck the box next to “Autoplay next video”
- Click “Save” at the bottom to save your new autoplay setting
With autoplay disabled, YouTube will stop after each video finishes and will not automatically continue to the next video.
Disabling Autoplay on YouTube Desktop in Older Layout
For older YouTube layouts the steps are slightly different:
- Click on your profile picture and select “Settings”
- Click on “Autoplay” on the left sidebar
- Uncheck “Autoplay next video”
- Click Save changes at the bottom
This will similarly disable autoplay and prevent YouTube from queueing up the next video.
How to Turn Off YouTube Autoplay on Mobile
To disable autoplay in the YouTube mobile app, follow these steps:
On iOS
- Open the YouTube app and tap on your profile picture
- Go to Settings > General
- Tap on “Autoplay”
- Select “Don’t Autoplay Videos”
On Android
- Open the YouTube app and tap on your profile picture
- Go to Settings > Autoplay
- Uncheck “Autoplay next video”
This will stop autoplay from continuing after each video ends on mobile. You can toggle it back on anytime in your mobile app settings.
Other Ways to Control Autoplay on YouTube
In addition to disabling autoplay entirely, there are a couple other options to help control autoplay behavior:
- Use Autoplay toggle: YouTube provides an Autoplay toggle underneath each video which you can click to disable autoplay for that video only.
- Pause watch history: Pausing your YouTube watch history prevents YouTube from using your history to recommend autoplay videos.
- Use Incognito Mode: Watching YouTube videos in Incognito/Private mode also prevents YouTube from updating your watch history and autoplay recommendations.
While not as complete as fully disabling autoplay, these options give you some additional flexibility in controlling autoplay behavior on a case-by-case basis.
What Happens When You Disable YouTube Autoplay?
When you have autoplay disabled, YouTube will simply stop after each video ends. The video screen will freeze on the last frame and you will see a replay icon in the middle.
Without autoplay enabled, YouTube won’t automatically advance to the next video in your recommendations queue. You’ll need to manually select the next video you want to watch.
YouTube won’t recommend similar autoplay videos after each video. So you’ll have more control in picking the exact videos you want to watch.
Re-Enabling YouTube Autoplay
If you change your mind later, re-enabling autoplay is easy. Just follow the same steps above but toggle autoplay back on in your account settings on desktop or mobile.
You can also use the Autoplay toggle underneath individual videos to enable Autoplay for specific videos as needed.
Autoplay makes for a more seamless viewing experience. But disabling it prevents unwanted videos from interrupting your watching. Manage autoplay to find your ideal YouTube viewing balance.
Tips for Controlling Your YouTube Experience
Here are some additional tips for controlling your YouTube experience when autoplay is disabled:
- Use YouTube’s queue feature to line up videos you want to watch in advance
- Create playlists around topics you want to focus on
- Use YouTube search filters like duration to find specific types of videos
- Bookmark videos you want to watch later
- Subscribe to channels you like most for quick access
While autoplay might provide endless viewing, taking some control over your YouTube habits can enable more meaningful watching. Carefully choose which videos to play next based on your interests and current mood.
YouTube still offers a massive amount of content even without autoplay enabled. Find the right videos for you and enjoy YouTube on your own terms.
