Some time ago YouTube added autoplay of videos on your main screen. If you want to remove this feature and make the home screen work as before, follow these steps to disable YouTube autoplay and learn about all the options available on mobile phones, computers, televisions and other devices.
Automatic plays, the biggest obstacle to saving data
The images y youtube These are the elements that most overload data consumption on the end-of-month bill. Whether on social media or simply browsing any website, images and videos will undoubtedly be the heaviest data usage items at that moment. If we add to this equation... automatic video playbackWe have reached a situation where data flies mercilessly.
And there are few obstacles greater for the Mobile data than autoplay. We have no control over it and can suddenly find ourselves running out of data without having barely interacted with the application. To avoid this, few solutions are better than disable autoplay of those places where we know we're going to find it, such as Twitter or, as we'll see now, YouTube.
In addition to data usage, autoplay can also pose a problem for the battery for those who prefer a quieter or more controlled environment, a video starting to play unexpectedly can be annoying in work, study, or public places.
Another major drawback is that autoplay makes you spend more time watching suggested videos that you might not have chosen manually. The platform decides for you what the next content is, which can affect your productivity and make you consume more content than you actually wanted.
Controlling this feature lets you tailor YouTube to your usage style: you can decide whether you want videos to play one after another automatically, or if you prefer choose manually each playback to have more control over your time and data.
How to remove YouTube autoplay
Not long ago YouTube He added autoplay to the main screen of his app. The idea is that they serve as preview To pique interest and encourage users to watch videos other than those offered in their subscriptions feed, these previews, displayed while in motion, attract more attention and are more likely to be clicked. However, it's very likely that if you open the YouTube app, it's to watch a saved video or check your subscriptions, and these previews can be a major annoyance. Luckily, they're very easy to disable.
In addition to these previews on the main screen, YouTube also includes another feature of autoplay It automatically plays a related video when the one you're watching finishes. This feature is intended to make it easier to decide what to watch next, but it doesn't always suit your needs.
It is important to note that the auto-play setting can be Configure per deviceIn other words, you can have it enabled on your mobile and disabled on your computer, or vice versa, depending on your data needs or usage preferences on each screen.
You should also know that, for security and parental control reasons, autoplay is disabled by default for users of 13 and 17 years betweenOn supervised accounts, your parents or guardians may have set up this option, and you won't be able to change it from the app. In that case, only the person managing the account can change it in the parental control settings.
To improve the experience, YouTube also applies certain automatic limitsIf you're connected to a mobile network and spend about half an hour without taking any action, autoplay will automatically turn off; if you're on a Wi-Fi network, it will stop playing new videos after several hours of inactivity to prevent it from playing content indefinitely.
How to disable autoplay on YouTube for Android
Open the app YouTube for Android and click on your avatar in the upper right area. Go to the category of Settings and, once inside, click on Automatic playbackThis is where you'll find the most important controls to adapt the app's behavior to your preferences.
You'll see two main options. The first one is called Automatic play of the next videoThis option prevents YouTube from ever stopping playback once you start watching one. This tutorial is worth two, since this is also where you disable this option, using the switch. If you disable it, when a video finishes, the player will stop and you'll have to manually choose what to watch next, which helps you better control your viewing. use time.
The second option is called Auto Play on HomeIf you press it, you will have three options: Disabled, WiFi only y Always activeThe idea here is to disable it completely so that the home video previews don't autoplay, but the WiFi-only option is also valid if you're just looking for save mobile dataThis way, when you're at home or at work connected to a wireless network, you'll still see animated previews without affecting your mobile data plan.
Another quick way to control autoplay on mobile phones and tablets is from the own playback page of a video. At the top or bottom of the player (depending on the app version), you'll see a switch next to the autoplay text. Tapping it once will turn it on or off without going into the settings menus, which is very useful if you change your mind while watching.
This behavior is very similar in both Android as in iOSIn both cases, you can go to your profile picture, tap Settings, then Autoplay to turn it on or off, or use the switch visible on the display screen of any video.
Automatic playback on computers: control from the player
When you use YouTube in your browser PC On a laptop, you also have a very visible control to decide whether you want the next video to play automatically. There's no need to go into settings menus here: the button is integrated directly into the screen. reproductor.
When the video you're watching finishes, the next video that's about to play will be displayed on the side or bottom. Autoplay it will stop immediately If you scroll down on the viewing page, write a comment, or perform a search, the platform interprets that you want to do another action.
To turn autoplay on or off on your computer, go to the playback page of any video. At the bottom of the video player, locate the autoplay switchIt's usually located to the left of the subtitles button. That's precisely the one that activates and deactivates automatic video playback.
You've probably been used to the default controls in this Google player for a long time. Tapping this toggle will change its state. When autoplay is enabled, the icon usually shows a continuous playback icon; when it's disabled, the toggle button changes to a symbol. break represented by two vertical bars.
Obviously, this is a change you can make again at any time simply by pressing the selector we mentioned. It will all depend on the type of use you need to make of it. YouTube At that moment: whether you want videos to be linked in a playlist, or if you prefer to watch only one specific piece of content without jumping to the next one.
Automatic playback on smart TVs, video game consoles and smart displays
YouTube is also available on smart TVsStreaming devices, video game consoles, and smart displays with the Google Assistant built-in. In all these cases, the platform maintains the autoplay option, but its location changes depending on the interface of each device.
To change the autoplay setting of the YouTube app on your TV or similar device, the usual process is as follows: open the YouTube app on your TV, go to Configuration, scroll down to the section of Automatic playback and choose between On or Off. This determines whether the app will continue playing related videos when the current one finishes.
If you connect the television to your phone You can also use your mobile device to control autoplay. First, connect your phone to your TV and select a video. Then, tap the control bar at the bottom of the screen to display the queue and view the autoplay settings. From there, you can use the switch to turn it off for that session.
Brianda smart displays With Google Assistant and YouTube integrated, control is done through the Google Home app on your phone. Select the smart display you want to change, go to Settings, then Notifications & Digital Wellbeing, and finally YouTube Settings. There you can decide whether autoplay affects all users or only those who have it set up. Voice Match.
This way, even in your living room or on shared devices, you can adjust YouTube's behavior to prevent videos from playing in a loop, which is especially useful if you want to control the screen time from the little ones or avoid distractions while doing other tasks.
Playlists and advanced use of the autoplay function
Along these same lines we also want to focus on a specific use which many of you may never have noticed. We're talking about the automatic playback of content, which is enabled by default and can sometimes be a nuisance, but in other cases, it can be a very useful tool.
For example, this is a feature that is very practical if you have a play listIn this context, the videos play one after another without you having to do anything, which is ideal for listening to music, following a complete course, watching a series of educational videos, or playing your favorite content in the background while doing other activities.
But if you only need to play specific content, you won't want the next video to start automatically, especially if you're reviewing specific information or if you're concerned about the data consumptionBasically, this means that with the autoplay function enabled, when a video you're watching on YouTube finishes, it automatically plays the next recommended video or the next one in the list.
If you prefer to play the next track manually when you want, simply disable automatic playback on the platform, either from the player button on computers, from the mobile app settings, or from the settings section on TVs and smart devices. This way you'll have total control about what you see and when you see it.
Don't let YouTube skip to the next video without your permission when you're not interested. The platform offers all these controls so you can customize the service to your preferences. personal preferencesReduce data usage, limit distractions, and improve your experience, whether you use YouTube for entertainment, educational, or professional purposes.
Understanding and adjusting autoplay on each device therefore becomes a simple way to gain control about your content consumption, your data, your battery and your time, taking advantage of only the benefits of YouTube and minimizing its potential drawbacks.