Stop Autoplay Video in Safari on Mac: Settings and Fixes

Updated 9 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To stop autoplay video in Safari on a Mac, open Safari’s settings, choose Websites, select Auto-Play, and set sites to Never Auto-Play. You can apply that rule to every website or make exceptions for individual sites; the exact controls may look a little different across macOS versions.

Set a default autoplay rule

Open Safari.
From the menu bar, choose Safari > Settings. On older macOS versions, this may be called Safari > Preferences.
Select the Websites tab.
In the left-hand list, click Auto-Play. If you do not see it, scroll through the list of website permissions.
Use the menu beside When visiting other websites and choose Never Auto-Play.

This sets Safari’s default for sites that do not already have their own saved setting. It generally prevents videos from starting automatically, including many videos that would otherwise begin without sound. It does not remove videos from pages or block you from playing them yourself.

Change autoplay for one website

Safari can keep a different autoplay choice for a particular site. Open that site in Safari, then choose Safari > Settings for This Website from the menu bar. If an Auto-Play option appears in the site’s settings panel, choose the behavior you want there. Depending on the Safari version and the site, the choices can include allowing all autoplay, stopping media with sound, or never allowing autoplay.

You can also manage saved choices from Safari > Settings > Websites > Auto-Play. The list shows sites with a specific rule; use the menu alongside a site to change its setting. A site-specific choice can take precedence over the default for other websites, so check this list if one page keeps playing video despite the general setting.

Choose Never Auto-Play for a site that should remain quiet until you press play.
Allow autoplay only for a site where automatic playback is useful to you.
Remove or change a site’s special rule if you want it to follow the general setting again.

What Safari’s autoplay choices mean

Autoplay is not always a simple on/off behavior. Websites can request playback in different circumstances, and browsers may treat video with sound differently from silent video. Safari’s available choices let you decide how much automatic playback to permit:

Allow All Auto-Play: permits the site to start media automatically, subject to browser behavior and the site’s implementation.
Stop Media with Sound: prevents automatic playback when media has sound, while silent media may still start.
Never Auto-Play: is the strictest option and is the best choice if you do not want a site starting video on its own.

These settings control automatic playback, not every kind of motion or media. An animated image, a looping visual effect, or a video that starts only after you interact with the page may behave differently. Safari’s rule also does not necessarily stop audio you intentionally started earlier or media in another app.

If video still starts automatically

First, confirm that you changed the setting in Safari’s Websites > Auto-Play panel, rather than a similar control in another browser. Then check whether the page has an individual rule that overrides the general default. Reload the page after changing the choice; a video that was already playing may not stop immediately just because you changed a preference.

If the problem continues, try these checks:

Close and reopen the affected tab, then revisit the site.
Review the Auto-Play list for a site-specific permission.
Temporarily test the page in a new Safari window. If behavior differs, a saved site setting or existing page state may be involved.
Check whether a content blocker or website feature is affecting the page. Disable extensions only as a troubleshooting test, and turn them back on if they are not relevant.
Install available macOS updates if Safari is behaving unexpectedly; Safari updates are generally delivered with macOS updates.

Some websites use scripts, embedded players, or custom controls, so their behavior may not match what you expect from a basic video element. A site may also start media after a click or another interaction; that is not the same as a video beginning automatically when the page loads. If a particular page ignores the preference, its own player controls may offer a separate way to pause or mute it.

Autoplay settings versus other ways to stop video

Safari’s website setting is usually the best first choice because it targets automatic playback without blocking the whole site. Muting your Mac or lowering the volume only silences sound; it does not stop the video from playing or using resources. Pausing a video’s player works for that instance, but may not prevent another video from starting later.

Content blockers and extensions can affect page elements, but they are broader tools and may interfere with site features. They are not necessary for the built-in autoplay preference. Also, autoplay control is not the same as blocking pop-up windows, preventing downloads, or stopping animated content. Use the setting that matches the behavior you want rather than assuming one Safari permission controls all media.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off autoplay for every website in Safari?
Yes. Go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Auto-Play and set When visiting other websites to Never Auto-Play. Check the site list too, because an individual rule may differ from the default.

Why does a silent video still play?
Your setting may be Stop Media with Sound, which can allow silent video to start. Choose Never Auto-Play for a stricter rule, and check whether the site has its own setting.

Can I allow autoplay on one site but block it elsewhere?
Yes. Set the default for other websites to Never Auto-Play, then choose an allowed behavior for the specific site in Safari’s Auto-Play settings or its website settings panel.

Does this stop videos I click to play?
No. The setting concerns automatic playback. You can still start a video by pressing its play control, though a site’s player may have its own behavior.

Where did the Auto-Play setting go?
Open Safari’s Settings and select Websites, then look in the sidebar for Auto-Play. On older releases, Settings may be labeled Preferences. If the panel is missing or differs, update macOS when an update is available and check Apple’s current Safari guidance.

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