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Turn Off the Lights lamp icon for YouTube
Turn Off the Lights™

Stop YouTube Autoplay and Auto-Playing HTML5 Videos

Videos load paused: you decide when they start

Nobody likes opening a page and having a video start playing on its own, especially when you open several YouTube tabs at once and every single one starts making noise. The AutoStop feature in the free Turn Off the Lights browser extension solves this: it blocks YouTube videos and embedded HTML5 videos from automatically playing, so every video stays paused until you press play yourself.

How AutoStop works

When AutoStop is enabled, the extension intercepts automatic playback on YouTube and on any website that uses a standard HTML5 video player. The video still loads and buffers, but it will not start playing in the background. Found a video you actually want to watch? Click the play button and it plays normally, you stay in full control.

Why block auto-playing videos

Auto-playing videos are one of the most common annoyances on the web: they burn bandwidth, drain battery on laptops, blast unexpected sound in quiet rooms, and make opening multiple tabs chaotic. Blocking autoplay keeps your browsing quiet and lets you choose which video deserves your attention a natural companion to features like Movie Theater Mode and YouTube Auto HD when you do press play.

How to enable AutoStop

  1. Install the free Turn Off the Lights extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari or your favorite browser.
  2. Right-click the gray lamp button and choose Options to open the options page.
  3. In the Basics tab, enable the YouTube AutoStop checkbox, videos now stay paused until you click play.

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop YouTube videos from playing automatically?

Install the free Turn Off the Lights extension and enable the YouTube AutoStop checkbox in the Basics tab of the options page. YouTube videos then load paused and only start when you press play.

Does AutoStop work on sites other than YouTube?

Yes. On non-YouTube websites the extension also stops embedded HTML5 videos from auto-playing, so no video starts in the background without your consent.

Can I still play a video when I want to?

Yes. AutoStop only prevents automatic playback. Click the play button on any video and it plays normally, you stay in control of when videos start.

Is the AutoStop feature free?

Yes. It is included in the free and Open-Source Turn Off the Lights browser extension on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari and other supported browsers.

Simplicity and control in one free extension, trusted by millions of users around the world. Download Turn Off the Lights and stop auto-playing videos for good.