Autoplay on YouTube is supposed to be a pretty handy feature — once you finish watching a video, the next one kicks in automatically, and you don’t have to click anything. That countdown circle and “up next” info make it seamless, especially when binge-watching playlists or just trying to stumble onto new content. But of course, Windows, browsers, or the YouTube app itself can throw a wrench into things. Sometimes autoplay just stops working, and it’s kind of frustrating because there’s no clear reason why. Naturally, this guide is here to walk through some fixes that have helped quite a few folks fix the issue.
Whether it’s a browser hiccup, a setting somewhere that got toggled off, or a app glitch, there’s usually a way to bring autoplay back. The key is to go through some common troubleshooting steps—you’ll probably fix it or at least narrow down what’s causing the problem. After messing with these, you should see the autoplay start working again, or at least get a better idea of where the mishap is happening. Not sure why it’s this complicated, but hey, YouTube likes to keep us on our toes.
Methods To Fix YouTube Autoplay Not Working
Autoplay keeps things flowing smoothly. So, if you’re stuck with videos not playing automatically, here are some practical methods to get it back on track. These work on the web version, browser app, or even your phone’s YouTube app—pretty much everywhere you watch.
Fix YouTube Autoplay on Web
If using YouTube in your browser is where things are failing, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Browsers sometimes get stuck with outdated caches, or settings go sideways. Here’s what to do:
Fix 1: Toggle the Autoplay Button and Verify Settings
Autoplay may be turned off without realizing it, especially if you’ve clicked around your settings or toggled something accidentally. It helps to re-enable it manually.
- Open your browser and go to youtube.com. Play any video, then look at the top right of the video player for the autoplay toggle. Make sure it’s switched on. Sometimes, it gets toggled off without notice.
- Next, click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings. In the menu, find the Autoplay switch and verify it’s turned on. This toggle is usually near the video player, but sometimes other extensions or browser tweaks can mess with it.
- If autoplay doesn’t start after that, try signing out of your account, then log back in. That sometimes resets weird glitches.
On some setups, this kind of fix works after a quick browser restart or a refresh of the page. Not sure why that’s necessary, but it’s worth a shot.
Fix 2: Keep Your Browser Up to Date
Sometimes, old browser versions don’t play nice with YouTube’s latest updates. They might cause scripts or features to break, including autoplay. So, check your browser version and get the latest update.
- In Chrome, go to Settings > About Chrome. Chrome auto-checks for updates, so if it’s pending, it’ll update and prompt a restart. Do that, then reload YouTube.
- On Firefox, click Menu > Settings > General > Check for updates. Same idea—update, then relaunch and see if autoplay kicks in.
Again, this is kind of hit-or-miss, but it’s a good step since browsers with pending updates are often flaky in weird ways.
Fix 3: Clear Browser Cache & Cookies
This one’s classic. Corrupted cache files or stale cookies can mess with YouTube’s scripts, including autoplay. Here’s how to clear that out:
- Click the three-dot menu in Chrome or the hamburger menu in Firefox.
- Select More tools > Clear browsing data.
- Choose the Basic or Advanced tab, check boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
- Set the time range to All time, then hit Clear data.
- Refresh YouTube, sign in again if needed, and test autoplay.
This fix often helps with weird playback issues that pop up unexpectedly.
Fix 4: Remove and Re-add Videos or Playlist Items
If you’ve got a playlist with a bunch of videos added, sometimes YouTube gets confused or the playlist itself causes autoplay issues. Try removing some videos and see if that resets things.
- Open YouTube’s Library tab from the left sidebar.
- Navigate to Playlists, find the problematic playlist.
- Click the three dots next to a video and choose Remove from playlist. Do this for a few videos, then recheck if autoplay is working.
Worth a shot, especially if the feature stopped working after adding lots of videos or messing around with playlists. Sometimes this extra step makes the system happy again.
Fix YouTube Autoplay on Smartphones
If watching on your phone or tablet, the process is a little different. The app can glitch, or settings might be turned off without noticing. Here’s what to try:
Fix 1: Restart the YouTube App
Sounds dumb, but restarting the app is often overlooked. Just close it completely and reopen. This can clear temporary bugs that stop autoplay from functioning properly.
Fix 2: Disable Muted Playback or Check Muted Settings
Yes, it might sound weird, but if your muted playback feature is turned on, autoplay can be disabled or behave odd. Flipping this off can help:
- Open the YouTube app, go to Profile > Settings.
- Navigate to the General section, then tap on Muted Playback.
- Turn off the setting. Now, re-test autoplay.
This step is more relevant if videos are playing audio muted or if your device’s settings are set to muting videos automatically.
Fix 3: Reinstall the YouTube App
If nothing else works, reinstalling might be necessary. Sometimes app updates or corrupt files cause features like autoplay to break. Delete the app from your device, then head to Google Play or App Store to install the latest version. After reinstalling, log in and check if autoplay behaves now.
Not every time, but on some devices, this clears up persistent glitches that just won’t go away otherwise.
Wrap-up
These fixes cover most situations where YouTube autoplay decides to take a break for no good reason. Usually, toggling a setting, updating your browser/app, or clearing cache solves the problem. Just keep in mind that some issues can be caused by Chrome extensions, ad-blockers, or even network restrictions, so don’t forget to rule those out if nothing else works.
Hopefully, this shaves off some headache hours for someone. Autoplay is supposed to be simple—nature of tech that it rarely feels that way.
Summary
- Toggle autoplay button and verify settings
- Update your browser or app to the latest version
- Clear browser cache and cookies
- Remove videos from playlists or reset playlists
- Restart the app or reinstall if needed