Netflix is a leading streaming platform, but it can sometimes become a source of frustration. If the incessant autoplay previews or automatic episode plays are driving you crazy, there’s good news: you can easily disable these features.
With just a couple of adjustments in your Netflix account settings, you can turn off autoplay previews and halt the automatic playing of the next episode.
This means no more fumbling to mute the volume or rapidly skipping away from a title to avoid the preview. You’ll gain total control over what content plays and when. Additionally, you can stop episodes from continuing to play after you’ve fallen asleep, which can help conserve your data usage. It’s a simple process—let’s go over how to do it.
Disabling Netflix’s Autoplay Previews
Step 1: Begin by logging into your Netflix account from a web browser.
Note: You can also do this on your mobile device; just make sure to use a browser instead of the Netflix app.
Step 2: In the menu on the right side of the screen, click on Account.
Here, you’ll find a variety of information about your account, including your profiles. You’ll need to manage the autoplay settings for each profile individually (some users may prefer to keep it). By default, your account will be selected.
Scroll down and select Edit Settings, and then proceed to Playback Settings.
Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends
Step 3: Uncheck both boxes under Autoplay controls for you. There will be one box for autoplay previews and another for the next episode. Disabling the second box will stop Netflix from playing previews of titles when you hover over them, eliminating the need to quickly mute or skip past them. Unchecking the first box will prevent Netflix from automatically proceeding to the next episode in a series. While binge-watching is a popular way to enjoy shows on Netflix, turning off this option will mean you have to take a more active role in your viewing experience.
Step 4: Finally, click on Save to confirm your choices. Log out of your account.
Once you update your profile settings on one device, those changes will apply across all devices where you access Netflix.
Netflix indicates that there might be a slight delay before the new settings take effect, but you can expedite the process by switching profiles and then switching back to reload your profile with the updated settings.
If you find that you miss the autoplay features, it’s easy to return to your settings and re-enable them.
These steps apply to all Netflix subscription plans.