To stop videos from starting as you browse Facebook, open Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Preferences > Media > Autoplay and choose Never Autoplay Videos. If Facebook moves straight to another Reel after one ends, look separately for an Auto scroll switch in the Reels viewer; that control is reported on some versions, but may not appear for everyone.
Turn off video autoplay while browsing
- Open the Facebook app and tap Menu. Depending on your layout, this may appear as a menu icon or your profile picture.
- Tap Settings & privacy, then Settings.
- Under Preferences, tap Media.
- Tap Autoplay and select Never Autoplay Videos.
This path is described in an iOS walkthrough by Adweek. The labels or layout may differ by app version. The setting is the first control to try when videos begin playing as you scroll through Feed; the available guidance does not establish that it prevents playback in every place a Reel can be opened.
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If Facebook moves automatically to the next Reel
That behavior is different from a video starting as you browse. A Vision Ireland guide dated 14 May 2026 reports a separate Auto scroll switch in the Reels viewer for stopping automatic movement to another Reel. Open the viewer and look for that switch if a new Reel begins when the current one ends. Its presence is not established for every account or app version, so you may not see it.
What the setting does not promise
Facebook’s Help Center says that in June 2025 the Videos tab was renamed to the Reels tab, and that videos posted to Facebook would be shared as Reels in the coming months. Reels can appear in Feed, but the official page does not say that the autoplay preference controls every way of viewing them. The setting does not remove the Reels tab or hide all Reels, and these instructions do not establish that a Reel someone deliberately opens will remain stopped. See Facebook Help Center: Explore and watch Facebook reels.
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If you cannot find the controls or videos will not load
Check that your connection is working. If you are using Facebook in a browser and playback controls are missing or a video will not load, Facebook’s troubleshooting guidance recommends checking the connection and updating to a supported, current browser: Facebook video troubleshooting.
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