Enabling or Disabling Autoplay Block in Microsoft Edge — No More Surprises
Honestly, I’ve been in the same boat. One day you’re browsing away and suddenly a video or sound starts playing out of nowhere, and you’re thinking, “Hang on, wasn’t I trying to stop autoplay?” That frustration is real, especially because Microsoft Edge tends to hide some controls in awkward spots. It took me a bit of digging, but here’s the lowdown — controlling autoplay isn’t always in the easy settings anymore. Sometimes you’ve got to dive into the hidden flags, which can be a bit of a mess.
First up, if you want to disable autoplay entirely, the main method involves heading into edge://flags. Yes, that’s the experimental settings page for Edge — Microsoft hides some features here, and they aren’t always reliable, so proceed with caution. Tinkering with flags can occasionally cause your browser to behave strangely or reset to defaults. Make sure to save your work because you’ll need to restart Edge for changes to take effect.
Open your Edge browser, then type edge://flags into the address bar. Once there, don’t go scrolling aimlessly — just press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) and type “autoplay” in the search box. This will filter the options, usually labelled something like “Autoplay Media” or “Media autoplay.” Depending on your version, it might be named differently, but look for options such as “Autoplay policy” or “Autoplay settings.”
Find the dropdown next to that setting — mine was set to “Default,” but I changed it to “Disabled.” That should prevent videos and audio from starting on their own, or at least cut down on it. Here’s the catch: after making the change, you need to click the “Restart” button at the bottom of the page or close and reopen Edge for the setting to actually kick in. Skipping that step often leaves you wondering why nothing has changed.
Once Edge relaunches — fingers crossed — autoplay will be turned off or at least reduced. But don’t get your hopes up too high — as an experimental flag, it can be a bit flaky. I’ve noticed that after updates, the setting sometimes reverts or enables itself again. Also, depending on your device or brand (like Dell or HP laptops), there might be slight variations or restrictions. Some folks have reported that on certain Edge versions, this flag isn’t even visible or gets hidden behind other options.
Using the Default Settings Menu — For a More Reliable Fix
If messing around with flags sounds too risky or just plain irritating, there’s a simpler, more stable way through Edge’s main settings. Honestly, this method is less likely to revert unexpectedly and is easier to navigate. Just click the three dots in the top right corner, then select Settings. From there, look for “Cookies and site permissions” — it’s full of controls related to what sites can do, including autoplay.
Scroll down until you see options related to Media or Autoplay. Depending on your version of Edge, the labels might differ slightly, but you want to find “Control if audio and video play automatically” or a similar toggle. Switch this setting to Block. Not just “Ask” or “Allow,” but really block autoplay on all sites.
If you prefer a quicker route, use the search bar within Settings — type “Autoplay” or “Media autoplay,” and it should take you straight there. That saves you from slogging through the menus. Just remember: after changing this setting, refresh any open tabs or press F5 to reload the pages. Sometimes autoplay might slip through right after changing settings, so a quick refresh helps ensure it stays off.
Full disclosure — this setting isn’t perfect. Some sites, especially those with custom scripts or certain ad networks, might override your preferences and still autoplay. So, it’s not a foolproof method, but for most sites, it does the job better than relying on the experimental flags.
To sum up: You’ve got two main options to control autoplay in Edge:
- Use
edge://flagsand toggle the “Autoplay” flag — this offers deep control but can be unstable and may reset itself. - Stick to the regular browser settings — more reliable and straightforward, though sometimes less granular.
Whatever method you choose, remember: You’ll need to restart Edge after changing settings. It’s a bit of a hassle, but once done, you’ll have fewer surprises and fewer moments of “Why is my browser playing noises again?” It’s a bit like taming a cheeky browser beast — totally worth the effort.
Hope this helps — it took me ages to figure all this out without getting frustrated. Double-check that you’ve restarted the browser after making changes, and be aware that some sites or extensions might still cause autoplay. Good luck out there, and I hope this saves you a weekend of hassle — it almost did for me!