Netflix has apparently realized that its endless thirst for engagement is pissing too many people off, and has added an option to turn off autoplay video previews. Disable this setting, and you’ll no longer be bombarded with sound and video when you linger on a selection for too long.
To disable Netflix’s autoplay previews, make sure you’re signed into Netflix on the web, then head to Account > Manage Profiles (or just click here). Select your profile from the list, then uncheck “Autoplay previews while browsing on all devices.” While you’re here, you can also curb your binge-watching habits by unchecking “Autoplay next episode in a series on all devices.” (The latter option has been around for a while now.)
Netflix first launched autoplay previews at the end of 2016. Stephen Garcia, Netflix’s director of product innovation, told Fast Company at the time that television has “decades’ worth of expectation that when you turn it on, the video and audio play. So it’s actually quite strange to have a silent experience.”
Since then, Netflix has received plenty of complaints from users who just want to browse in peace, including the director Rian Johnson, writers at sites like Kotaku, and even a dedicated “Stop Autopreview” Twitter account.
Good on Netflix for listening at last.
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