1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. Guides

How to turn off the Apple TV app’s auto-play previews on an Apple TV

By

Apple TV — the hardware — is one of the best streaming devices money can buy, giving you access to your favorite streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video, as well as apps, games, and more. But another reason one might use the Apple TV device is for the Apple TV app itself. Not only is it the hub from which you access the Apple TV+ streaming service and all its original movies, TV shows, and live sports, it can also act as an an aggregator to help you find shows and movies on your other services.

If you do use the Apple TV app, you might find the auto-play video previews that show up on the Apple TV home page or in the Apple TV app itself really annoying. First, If your sound is up, they can kick in and startle you. Plus, maybe you just want to scroll at your own pace and don't like having content served up to you. Also, if you have small kids sitting waiting for you to return with the popcorn for movie night, you don't want them exposed to previews for scary content like The Enfield Poltergeist. Or worse ... The Morning Show.

Turning this off will stop the auto-playing of previews in several places, and we're going to explain it all for you. But just to be clear, this does not affect the auto-playing of previews in any other streaming apps such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. They have their own steps for disabling them.

Read on for how to turn off auto-play previews on the Apple TV app on an Apple TV. Note that this how-to was done on tvOS 17.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Apple TV

  • Apple TV remote

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Auto-play video previews on the Apple TV home screen

Before we start, it's beneficial to explain the various auto-play video preview features on Apple TV, starting with the home screen. This is where all your apps like Netflix, Hulu, Apple Music, and yes, Apple TV, are found. If you use the Apple TV app, you likely have it placed for convenience in the top row of your most-used apps.

With the auto-play video previews feature turned On, and the Apple TV app icon in the top row selected, any content that has a video preview (not everything does), whether it's an Apple TV+ original or from other sources, will auto-play a video preview, but without sound. With a swipe up of the Apple TV remote, the previews go full-screen and play with sound in all their glory.

Turning auto-play video previews Off disables the video previews when the icon is just selected, and still-shots of the suggested shows and movies will scroll by as normal. But, swiping up is like saying "I want to see the video previews anyway," in which case the turned-Off auto-play is overridden and anything with a video preview will play full-screen and with sound.

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Auto-play video previews inside the Apple TV app

It's similar when in the Apple TV app with the auto-play previews turned On. In the Watch Now section, any content that has a video preview will play, with sound. In the TV+ tab, it's all original content, so it all will auto-play with a preview. Sports, Store, and Library do not show video previews.

Turning the auto-play previews feature Off disables the automatic playing of all video previews in both the Watch Now and TV+ sections inside the Apple TV app and there will just be still images and title information that you can scroll.

Now, with all of that out of the way, here are the steps for how to turn the auto-play video previews feature off.

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

How to turn of auto-play previews on the Apple TV app

Turning off the Apple TV apps's auto-play preview feature is super easy. Here's how.

Step 1: From the Settings menu, scroll down to and select Accessibility.

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Step 2: Scroll down again and select Motion.

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends
Related

Step 3: Lastly, scroll down to highlight Auto-Play Video Previews and click the remote to switch it from the On to Off.

Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

That's it, that's all. That's just one of the little Apple TV tips and tricks we've covered at Digital Trends. Now you can enjoy your Apple TV on your own terms without those annoying previews playing.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Derek Malcolm
Contributing Editor, A/V
Derek Malcolm is a Toronto-based technology journalist, editor, and content specialist whose work has appeared in…
Get $350 off this massive 85-inch Samsung QLED 4K TV

For those who are wondering how far your money will take you when it comes to QLED TV deals, here's a great example of an offer that will maximize your budget -- the 85-inch Samsung Q60C QLED 4K TV for a relatively affordable $1,250 from Best Buy, following a $350 discount on its original price of $1,600. We're not sure when its price returns to normal, but we expect that to happen soon. If you don't want to miss out on the savings, you're going to have to proceed with your purchase as soon as you can.

Buy Now

Read more
How much is Apple TV+?

Since its inception in 2019, Apple TV+ has established itself as a streaming service that offers some of the best, award-winning original content around. From blockbuster movies like Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon and Sian Heder's CODA to compelling original series such as Ted Lasso, Silo, and Severance, a subscription to Apple TV+ has become a must-have addition to your streaming service rotation, along with the Netflixes and Amazon Prime Videos of the world.

But one of the best things about Apple TV+ remains its relatively low price compared to more expensive options like Netflix and Hulu. Just how much is Apple TV+, and how can you save even more on your subscription cost? Read on to find out.
How much is Apple TV+?
Apple TV+costs $10 per month. You can also opt to pay $99 for an entire year of service, saving you 15%. However, customers who purchased an Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Mac can get themselves three months of Apple TV+ for free. So if you buy some new hardware now, you can use Apple TV+ at no charge. Plus, all new customers are entitled to a seven-day free trial to sample the lineup of movies and shows.

Read more
Best Buy just knocked $300 off this 85-inch Sony 4K TV

You should be ready to spend some serious cash if you're on the hunt for 85-inch TV deals, but there are some relatively affordable options like the 85-inch Sony X80K 4K TV from Best Buy. From its original price of $1,600, a $300 discount brings it down to $1,300, which is within reach for more families who are planning to upgrade their home theater setup with a massive screen. You're going to have to hurry with your purchase if you're interested though, as the bargain may disappear at any moment.

Buy Now

Read more