Skip to main content

Get out your headphones — autoplay sound is coming to Instagram, too

Google Chrome might be helping you mute unwanted noise during your browsing session, but it looks like Instagram is taking a different approach when it comes to volume on autoplay. The Facebook-owned photo sharing platform is taking a middle of the road approach to autoplay video sound, effectively remembering your preferences during any given Instagram browsing session, and keeping that preference consistent during your time on the app.

What does that mean, exactly? Basically, if you open up Instagram, the default will still be for videos to play sans sound. However, if you turn sound on in any given video (whether it’s an ad or organic content) by tapping on the speaker icon in the bottom left corner of a post, Instagram will remember that choice and play all your subesquent videos with sound on. Of course, if you decide that you don’t, in fact, want sound on for the rest of these videos, you can tap the speaker icon again to shut everything up, and the whole app will reset one you close out of it.

Recommended Videos

Instagram confirmed to TechCrunch that this marks a “new update [that] rolled out recently,” and seems to be an attempt to make it easier for you to enjoy your Instagram experience with the sound on. After all, if you’re well-aware that all those cute cat videos you come across are oh so much better with the volume up, it can be a bit annoying to have to toggle the sound on every single time you scroll past such a video. But with this new update, Instagram assumes that if you’re comfortable watching one video with sound, you’re comfortable watching all videos with sound. And hey, if they’re wrong, you can always make adjustments as necessary.

That said, Instagram Stories videos will not be affected by this new change — they’ll only play with sound on if your smartphone is unmuted.

It only seemed like a matter of time before Instagram made this switch to having more sound with its videos. After all, parent company Facebook announced earlier this year that it would be moving away from muted autoplay videos (much to some users’ chagrin). So get your headphones ready, friends. You may be hearing a lot more from Instagram in the coming weeks.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Instagram alternative Glass is getting more expensive in 2024
The Glass app on an iPhone, in front of Glass on a web browser.

The Glass.photo service is getting a little more expensive in 2024. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Instagram is the undisputed king of mobile photography, for better or worse. And while there's been no shortage of competitors over the years, none has gotten anywhere near the popularity of the OG IG, thanks in no small part to it having the might of Meta (nee Facebook) behind it.

Read more
Instagram and Messenger get more parental supervision tools
Several people using a smartphone.

Meta is releasing additional tools for parents and guardians who want to know more about how their children are interacting with apps like Instagram, Messenger, and Facebook.

Messenger for Kids already includes a lot of similar features, but this latest update is for parents of teens who use Messenger.

Read more
Instagram finally lets you add multiple links to your bio
3D Instagram icon.

Instagram has finally relented and now offers a simple way to add multiple links to your profile. Before now, you could only have one link in your profile, but on Tuesday, the platform started allowing up to five.

But take note: The links won’t show individually. Instead, only one will appear on your profile, with the others accessible via a link.

Read more