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To stop videos from starting as you browse YouTube on your phone, open the app and go to Profile picture > Settings > General > Playback in feeds > Off. YouTube calls this feature the inline player; turning it off does not necessarily remove every kind of video preview.
What the inline player does
YouTube’s inline player lets you watch while browsing. Videos in the Home feed and search results can start playing muted, with captions enabled; you can turn on sound in the player. YouTube says the setting may be on by default over Wi-Fi or mobile data. See YouTube Help: Use the inline player.
Turn off playback in feeds on the YouTube app
- Tap your profile picture in the YouTube app.
- Tap Settings, then General.
- Tap Playback in feeds.
- Select Off.
The other choices are Always on, which uses Wi-Fi and mobile data, and Wi-Fi only. YouTube notes that autoplay previews are already disabled on some devices and formats to help save battery and keep scrolling smooth. You can still start a video with one tap.
Why previews may still appear
Playback in feeds and video previews are related but distinct behaviors. YouTube describes a video preview as a three-second preview that can appear when you hover over a thumbnail on a computer or scroll past a video in mobile search. Its Help page says eligible video previews are automatically turned on when the inline player is off. So switching off Playback in feeds does not guarantee that every preview disappears. See YouTube Help: Video previews.
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Turn off previews with sound on a Smart TV
For Smart TVs, YouTube documents a separate control specifically for previews with sound: open Settings > Previews with sound and set it to Off. This setting is documented for Smart TVs and should not be treated as a universal control for other preview types or devices.
What about a computer?
YouTube’s English Help instructions cited here document the mobile app path and the Smart TV control, but not an English-language desktop path for inline playback. Desktop labels may differ, so do not rely on the mobile menu names as a guaranteed computer route. For the distinction between inline playback and short video previews, consult YouTube’s video previews guidance.
Quick Recap
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