How to turn off autoplay on YouTube

Georgina Smith
YouTube logo on dark background

Autoplay on YouTube can be a useful feature when you want to continuously watch videos without having to click anything. However, the feature can also sometimes be an inconvenience — here’s how to switch it off.

Despite the rise of TikTok, YouTube continues to be among one of the best ways to consume a range of long and short-form video content online.

The site has an autoplay feature that makes it even easier to watch content, as it will queue videos related to what you’re watching, and then automatically play them once the current video is done.

The feature can be pretty useful if you don’t want to have to click or tap each time you want to watch a new video, however, it can also be frustrating if it keeps playing things you aren’t interested in, or you want to stay on the same page once the video’s finished.

YouTube logo on a phone
Sometimes autoplay can be inconvenient, but turning it off is simple.

How to turn off YouTube autoplay on mobile

Fortunately, turning off autoplay is a simple process if you decide that you no longer want to use it. Simply do as follows:

  1. Open the YouTube app.
  2. Click on a video.
  3. Tap the screen to show the options.
  4. Look for the slider at the top with the play button on it, and tap it once to turn autoplay off. When the feature is turned off, it should show a pause button.

How to turn off YouTube autoplay on your computer

Turning off autoplay on your computer is not all too different from turning it off on your phone. Just follow these steps:

  1. Open the YouTube website.
  2. Click on a video.
  3. Hover over the video with your mouse to bring up the menu bar at the bottom.
  4. Click the slider with the play button on it to turn off autoplay. Once it’s off, it should show a pause symbol.

If you don’t want a video to autoplay, you can always click ‘cancel,’ but turning it off altogether could make it more convenient in the long run.

About The Author

Georgina was formerly an entertainment writer for Dexerto. She covered all aspects of influencer culture on TikTok and more, including creators such as Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae. She also wrote about hit reality shows such as Love Island and Below Deck.