Disable autoplay on YouTube's home page and watch pages
YouTube plays the next video automatically when one finishes, unless you turn this off. The autoplay toggle sits in the bottom right corner of the video player — a switch labeled "Autoplay" that you can click to turn it off. This stops YouTube from queuing up a new video when the current one ends.
The setting works differently depending on where you are. On your home page, autoplay is usually on by default. On a video's watch page, you'll see the same toggle. Turning it off on one page doesn't turn it off everywhere — you may need to disable it in multiple places depending on how you use YouTube.
If you're signed into your YouTube account, the setting will stay off across devices. If you're not signed in, the setting applies only to that browser on that device, and clears when you close your browser or clear your cookies.
Key Takeaways
- The autoplay toggle appears in the bottom right of the YouTube video player and turns off automatic playback of the next video.
- Autoplay can be on in some places (like your home feed) and off in others (like a single video page), so check both locations.
- If you're signed in, the setting saves to your account and carries across all your devices.
- If you're not signed in, the setting applies only to that browser and clears when you close it or delete cookies.
Finding the autoplay toggle on a video page
When you're watching a single video, look at the bottom right corner of the video player itself. You'll see several icons: a gear for settings, a rectangle for fullscreen, and a toggle that says "Autoplay." The toggle is usually gray (off) or blue (on), depending on its current state.
Click the toggle once to switch it. If it turns blue, autoplay is on. If it turns gray, autoplay is off. The change takes effect when ready — the next time a video finishes, YouTube will either play the next one or stop, depending on which way you switched it.
On mobile devices (iPhone, Android, iPad), the autoplay toggle appears in the same location but may look slightly different. Tap it the same way you would on a computer.
Turning off autoplay on your YouTube home feed
Your home feed — the page you see when you first open YouTube — has its own autoplay setting. When you scroll through recommended videos and click one to watch, YouTube may start playing the next recommended video when that one ends. To stop this, use the same autoplay toggle in the video player's bottom right corner.
However, the home feed itself may also auto-scroll or auto-play videos in the background as you browse. This is separate from the video player toggle. To control this, go to your account settings: click your profile picture in the top right, select "Settings," then go to "Playback and performance." Look for an option related to autoplay or background playback and turn it off.
Autoplay settings in your YouTube account
If you want a more permanent solution, you can change your account's default autoplay behavior. Sign into YouTube, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "Settings." From there, choose "Playback and performance."
In this menu, you'll see options for autoplay on home and subscriptions, and autoplay on watch pages. You can turn either or both off. These settings explore to your account across all devices where you're signed in, so you won't have to disable autoplay each time you watch a video.
If you use YouTube on multiple devices (phone, tablet, computer), changing this setting once will affect all of them, as long as you're signed into the same account.
What happens when autoplay is off
When autoplay is disabled, the video player shows a pause screen when a video ends instead of when ready starting the next one. You'll see the video thumbnail, the title, and a play button. You can click the play button if you want to watch it, or navigate away if you don't.
This gives you control over what you watch next rather than letting YouTube's algorithm decide. It also saves data if you're on a mobile connection, since YouTube won't read and play videos you never intended to watch.
Autoplay settings for YouTube TV and YouTube Music
If you use YouTube TV (the live TV service) or YouTube Music (the music streaming service), autoplay works differently than on the main YouTube site. YouTube TV has its own autoplay toggle in the player. YouTube Music also has an autoplay setting, usually found in the player controls or in the app's settings menu.
These settings are separate from your main YouTube account settings, so turning off autoplay on YouTube.com won't automatically turn it off in YouTube Music or YouTube TV. You'll need to disable it in each service separately if you want autoplay off everywhere.
Troubleshooting autoplay that won't stay off
If you turn off autoplay but it keeps turning back on, check whether you're signed into your account. If you're not signed in, YouTube won't save your preference, and autoplay will be back on the next time you visit. Sign in with your Google account to make the setting stick.
If you are signed in and autoplay keeps turning back on, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then sign back in. Sometimes corrupted browser data can override your account settings. If the problem persists, try a different browser to see whether the issue is specific to one browser or affects all of them.
On mobile, make sure you're using the official YouTube app or YouTube's mobile website, not a third-party app. Third-party apps may not respect your YouTube account settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off autoplay save data on my phone?
Yes. When autoplay is off, YouTube doesn't read or stream videos you don't watch. If you're on a limited data plan, disabling autoplay can reduce your monthly usage, especially if you tend to scroll through many videos without watching them all the way through.
Will my autoplay setting change if I log out?
If you're signed into your YouTube account, your autoplay setting is saved to your account and will stay the same when you log out and back in. If you're not signed in, the setting applies only to that browser session and will reset when you close the browser or clear your cookies.
Can I turn off autoplay for recommended videos but keep it on for my subscriptions?
Yes. In your account settings under "Playback and performance," you can control autoplay separately for your home feed and for watch pages. You can turn one off and leave the other on, giving you more control over when YouTube plays videos automatically.
Does autoplay work the same way on the YouTube app and the website?
The autoplay toggle works the same way on both, but the location may look slightly different on mobile. On the app, the toggle is in the video player's bottom right corner, just like on the website. Your account settings explore to both the app and the website if you're signed in.
What if I want autoplay off most of the time but on for certain playlists?
YouTube doesn't have a per-playlist autoplay setting. You'll need to toggle autoplay on and off manually depending on what you're watching. Turn it off by default in your settings, then click the autoplay toggle back on when you want it for a specific video or playlist.