Skip to main content

How to turn off autoplay previews and episodes on Netflix

Netflix catalog on a TV.
Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Netflix is one of the best streaming services on the planet, but even it can be annoying. If you're tired of Netflix's autoplay previews blaring at you or episodes that automatically keep playing when you're done watching, you'll be happy to know that there's a way to turn these features off.

With just a few clicks in your Netflix account settings, you can disable autoplay previews and stop the next episode from automatically starting.

No more scrambling to turn down the volume or quickly moving on from a title just so the preview doesn't play. You'll have full control over what plays and when. Plus, you can prevent episodes from endlessly auto-playing after you've dozed off, saving you bandwidth. It's easy to turn off. Here's how.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Netflix account

  • Computer with a browser

The Netflix home screen with Cobra Kai.
Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

How to turn off Netflix's autoplay previews

Step 1: Right out of the gates, you’ll want to login to your Netflix account from a web browser.

Note: This process can also be done on your smartphone or tablet as well, but not using the Netflix app. Use your device's browser to access your account.

Step 2: On the pull-down menu on the right side of the page, select Account.

Once here, you'll find all kinds of information about your account, including all the profiles you have set up. You'll need to deactivate the autoplay for all profiles individually (I guess some people like the feature?). By default, your account is selected.

Scroll down, then select Edit Setting. On the next page, choose Playback Settings.

Screenshot showing how to get into the Netflix settings through the web.
Screenshot Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

Step 3: Uncheck both boxes at the top, under Autoplay controls for you — there's a box for each playback setting, for previews and next episodes. If you uncheck the second box, Netflix will no longer autoplay previews of content that you happen to hover over. No more scrambling to turn the volume down, or quickly moving on from a title just so the preview doesn’t play. Unchecking the first will stop Netflix from automatically moving on to the next episode in a series you’re watching. While binge-watching is kind of the thing to do on Netflix, disabling this feature will actually require viewers to actively participate in said binge.

Netflix playback settings.
Screengrab / Digital Trends

Step 4: Lastly, select Save to lock in your choice. Log out of your account.

As soon as you make the change to your profile on one device, it will take effect across all devices on which you’re logged into Netflix.

How to turn off Netflix autoplay -- Save button.
Derek Malcolm/Digital Trends

Netflix noted that there may be a delay before the setting changes take over, but an update can be forced by switching profiles, then switching back to reload your own profile with the updated settings.

And, if you decide that you miss the ways of autoplay, you can always head back into your settings and check a box or two.

The steps above work no matter what Netflix plan you have.

Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm is a contributing editor and evergreen lead for the A/V and Home Theater section of Digital Trends. Derek…
Adolescence just became Netflix’s No. 4 Most Popular English-Language Series
Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham in Adolesence.

Adolescence continues to skyrocket up the Netflix charts. In just under one month, Adolescence is now No. 4 on Netflix's Most Popular English-Language TV list.

Since its premiere on March 13, Adolescence has accumulated over 114 million views in nearly four weeks. That's higher than every season of Bridgerton, including season 1's 113 million viewers.

Read more
3 underrated Netflix movies you should watch this weekend (April 4–6)
Izi and Benji run together in The Kitchen.

Tired of scrolling past the same Netflix recommendations over and over? You're not alone—the algorithm loves to push the biggest blockbusters and buzziest new releases front and center. But behind all the flashy thumbnails lies a treasure trove of underrated movies just waiting to be found. These are the kind of films that might not have received much hype but still pack a serious punch.

Whether you're in the mood for a suspenseful drama, a chilling dystopia, or an award-winning war film, there's something unexpected ready to surprise you. Forget the same old picks and take a chance at these hidden gems that bring bold yet overlooked stories. Get ready with some popcorn and gear up for a fun weekend with these underappreciated movies on Netflix.

Read more
This iconic animated franchise is getting a Netflix live-action TV show
The cast of Scooby Doo stands next to each other.

Looks like we've got another mystery on our hands!

Netflix announced Tuesday that a Scooby-Doo live-action series is coming to the streamer. The live-action series will be a modern reimagining of the iconic animated characters from Hanna-Barbera. Scooby-Doo will be an origin story for Mystery, Inc., the teenage sleuths who solve local crimes. The gang consists of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and their talking Great Dane, Scooby-Doo.

Read more