YouTube's Autoplay feature queues up another video the moment the one you're watching ends, which is exactly how a "quick video" turns into an hour. It's a real on/off switch, unlike some of YouTube's other controls, but it lives in a different place on every device. Here's where to find it everywhere, and what it doesn't cover. If the pull goes beyond autoplay, see how to quit YouTube addiction.
Quick answer: on iPhone, turn off Autoplay from the switch at the top of any video, or permanently from profile picture → Settings → Autoplay. On youtube.com, use the toggle at the bottom-right of the video player. On a smart TV, go to Settings → Autoplay in the YouTube app. None of this touches Shorts, which has no autoplay setting at all — it's a continuous vertical feed by design.
Turn off Autoplay on iPhone
There are two ways to do it in the iOS app, and they control the same setting:
- From the video you're watching: at the top of the video player, tap the Autoplay switch to turn it off. A pause icon means it's off; a play icon means it's on.
- From your settings, for every video going forward: tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Autoplay, and switch it off.
If Autoplay is on but you want to stop just the next video, tap Cancel on the countdown that appears as the current video ends. Note that Autoplay can be set independently per device — turning it off on your iPhone doesn't change it on your computer or TV.
Turn off Autoplay on youtube.com
On a computer, the toggle sits at the bottom of the video player, next to the volume control. Click it to switch Autoplay off; the same "Cancel" option appears on the end-of-video countdown if you want to stop one video without changing the setting permanently.
Turn off Autoplay on a smart TV
On the YouTube app for TVs and game consoles (Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, game consoles, and similar):
- Open the YouTube app and go to your profile, then Settings.
- Scroll to Autoplay.
- Select the option to turn it off.
If you're casting from your phone or tablet instead of using the TV's own YouTube app, expand the control bar at the bottom of the screen to reach the Autoplay toggle for that session. YouTube TV (the live-channel subscription product) has a separate "Autoplay on start" setting in its own app settings, which controls whether content starts playing the moment you open the app rather than what plays next.
Why Shorts has no autoplay switch
Search "turn off YouTube Shorts autoplay" and you won't find a setting for it, because Shorts isn't built around the same end-of-video handoff as regular videos. It's a continuous vertical swipe feed, closer to a short-video app than a video player with a queue — there's no "next video" prompt to decline, because the next one is already loaded and ready the moment you swipe.
Turning off ordinary Autoplay, pausing your watch history, or using "Take a break" reminders in Settings doesn't change this. If Shorts itself is the problem, those controls won't fix it; see our full breakdown in How to disable YouTube Shorts: every option in 2026 and how Stillfeed removes the Shorts tab and shelves on iPhone, free from your first launch.
What Autoplay does and doesn't stop
- It won't autoplay past typing or scrolling. If you type a comment or search, or scroll past the player, the queued-up next video doesn't start on its own.
- It stops itself after inactivity. On mobile data, Autoplay stops after about 30 minutes of inactivity; on Wi-Fi, after about 4 hours.
- Under-18 accounts default to Autoplay off, and a supervised account may have it locked off by a parent or guardian.
- It doesn't touch the Shorts shelf on your home feed or the Shorts tab in the bottom bar — those stay regardless of your Autoplay setting.
Common questions
How do I stop YouTube from autoplaying the next video?
On iPhone or Android, tap the Autoplay switch at the top of the video player, or turn it off for good from Settings → Autoplay. On a computer, use the toggle at the bottom of the player. On a TV, it's under Settings → Autoplay in the YouTube app.
Does turning off Autoplay stop YouTube Shorts from playing one after another?
No. Shorts is a swipe-based feed with no autoplay setting of its own — the continuous playback is the format, not an Autoplay toggle you can switch off.
Why does Autoplay keep turning back on?
Autoplay is set separately per device and per YouTube profile, so turning it off on your phone doesn't change your computer or TV. If it resets on the same device, check whether you're signed into a different Google Account than usual.
Does pausing my watch history stop autoplay?
No, those are separate settings. Pausing watch history stops YouTube from using what you watch to shape recommendations; it doesn't change whether the next video plays automatically.
Sources
- Google, Autoplay videos — YouTube Help.
If it's really Shorts eating your time rather than ordinary autoplay, turning off Autoplay won't be enough — see what actually removes Shorts, or open YouTube through Stillfeed for free and skip the setting hunt entirely.
