To turn off autoplay on Facebook, open Menu, go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Media under Preferences, and choose Never autoplay videos under Autoplay. You can also pick On Wi-Fi only, so videos start by themselves only when your phone is on Wi-Fi.
Facebook gives you three autoplay choices, not just on and off. Pick the right one and you'll stop videos blaring as you scroll, save mobile data, or both.
The three autoplay options compared
| Option | What happens |
|---|---|
| On mobile data and Wi-Fi | Videos start by themselves as you scroll, on any connection. |
| On Wi-Fi only | Videos autoplay only when your phone or tablet is connected to Wi-Fi. |
| Never autoplay videos | Nothing plays until you click it. |
The same setting covers animations as well as videos, so switching off autoplay quietens both.
iPhone: where the Media setting lives
- Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook.
- Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.
- Scroll down to Preferences and tap Media.
- Below Autoplay, tap Never autoplay videos.
If you don't see Media in the iPhone app settings, try updating the Facebook app, then look again.
Android: same setting, slightly different labels
- Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook, then tap Settings and privacy and Settings.
- Scroll down to Preferences, tap Media, then choose an option below Autoplay.
You can change your autoplay settings at any time, so there's no harm in trying one and switching later.
How mobile data fits in
Videos use more data than other posts on Facebook and may affect your mobile data plan. That's why On Wi-Fi only is a popular middle ground. Even then, a video you click to play while you're on mobile data will still use mobile data.
And if you leave autoplay fully on, Facebook's help centre notes you may still need to click a video to play it when your mobile connection is slow or you've used a lot of mobile data recently. Scrolling past an autoplay video also uses less data than stopping to watch it.
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If videos won't play at all after a change, this guide to fixing Facebook videos that won't play walks through the usual causes. And if it's the pings rather than the videos that annoy you, here's how to turn off Facebook notifications by type.
Bottom line: which option to choose
Choose Never autoplay videos if you want full control and silence while you scroll. Choose On Wi-Fi only if you're happy for videos to play at home but want to protect your mobile data when you're out. Either way, it's a quick job in Media under Preferences, and you can switch back whenever you like.
Frequently asked questions
Does turning off autoplay stop animations too?
The help article on stopping autoplay in your Feed covers videos and animations, and the three Autoplay options apply to both.
Will videos still use data if I choose Wi-Fi only?
Only if you click to play one while on mobile data. Then it uses mobile data.
