How to Turn Off Automatic Playback of Videos and GIFs on Social Media

Sep 11, 2025
Technology

Photo: Collected. Getty Images

Staff Reporter | PNN:

Videos and GIFs autoplaying on social media can be annoying for many users or lead to excessive data usage. Whether you want to save data, reduce app addiction, or control your viewing experience, there are ways to disable autoplay on several popular platforms.

Facebook:

On desktop, click your profile icon at the top right, or on the mobile app, tap the profile icon in the navigation bar. Then go to Settings & Privacy > Preferences > Media > Video Playback, and select the Never option.

Instagram:

Tap your profile picture at the bottom right of your profile. Then click the three-line icon at the top right and navigate to Settings and Activity > Your App and Media > Media Quality, and toggle on Use Less Cellular Data.

X (Twitter):

Click your profile picture, then go to Settings and Privacy > Accessibility, Display, and Languages > Data Usage, and turn off Video Autoplay. You can also go to Settings and Privacy > Display and Sound > Media Previews to gain additional control.

Bluesky:

In the mobile app, tap the three-line icon at the top left, then go to Settings > Content and Media > Autoplay Videos and GIFs, and toggle it off.

Threads:

Currently, Meta’s Threads platform does not provide an option to disable autoplay.

By using these controls, users can save data and make their social media experience more comfortable and manageable.