iPhones are much less flexible when it comes to user interface and settings. There are so many things you don’t like but can’t do anything about. One such feature is video preview autoplay. Users have been looking for a way to stop this for a while. Apparently Apple listened because now there is a way to stop the autoplay of video previews.
The feature, which is actually a setting, was released with the release of iOS 13. You can now turn off autoplay of video previews, but this only works in native Apple apps. Third-party apps will include a setting for that app, if available.
Let’s start.
1. What is Video Preview?
Video previews are a short preview of a video, usually about 3 seconds, that you can watch before the actual video plays. This will give you an idea of what the video is about without playing it.
It’s a neat concept. It is like a GIF image with images taken from different parts of the video from start to finish. Don’t confuse previews for a GIF image, though. It was just a way for you to imagine it.
App developers use video previews to engage users and give them a better idea of what to expect from the video and therefore the app itself. If someone sends you a video message in iMessage, iOS will automatically play the video preview for you. This helps you know what the video has in store for you before playing it – a great way to interact with the video without playing it first.
2. Why Should You Disable?
For starters, it’s frustrating as hell. I don’t like video previews as they distract me. Even Star Wars Director Rian Johnson distracted by autoplay. Many users are fed up with auto-playing video previews on social media apps alongside Apple apps, Netflix, YouTube, and other streams. Apple TV will be the latest in a long line of apps looking to push user engagement.
There are other reasons. Video previews can consume bandwidth, which can be an issue if you’re using mobile data. Data is valuable and costly, especially when traveling abroad.
Many people experience motion sickness or are motion-sensitive. It gets worse when they encounter sudden, unwanted and unpredictable movements on the screen.
Something similar happened with the release of iOS 7 in 2013. Apple introduced a new feature called Parallax. It gave the impression that the different layers of the home screen move when you tilt the phone. Many people were seasick and were looking for a way to defuse it.
The same goes for video previews. It can get on your nerves when they play automatically without your permission.
3. Disable Video Preview Autoplay
Users have been complaining about autoplaying video previews for months. You can find threads discussing the topic on Reddit, Quora, and other forums. Finally, iOS 13 introduced a button that will disable autoplay of video previews, but only in native Apple apps like the App Store and iMessage.
Open Settings and tap Accessibility, then Gesture.
There are two options here. One of them is Autoplay Video Previews, which will disable video previews in all Apple apps. Another option to consider here is Autoplay Message Effects.
This option will disable GIFs, videos, and other animations your friends send you via iMessage. Have you ever opened a message to see hearts or confetti flying all over the screen? Did you not like what you saw or did it remind you of that fishing trip? You can avoid this feeling by disabling the feature here.
I am happy that the options are easily accessible.
What about third-party apps? In a logical move, Apple decided to add the feature to its API. This means that app developers can choose to disable autoplay video previews or even let users control it themselves if they want. And that’s the question.
It turns out that video previews are a great way to engage with viewers. It’s so prominent on your face that it’s almost impossible to ignore. As the streaming wars heat up with the launch of Apple TV+ and Disney+, there’s little hope that video previews are going anywhere.
Deactivation Instead of Signing Up
Autoplaying Video Previews is a classic example of the Disable strategy, rather than giving users the option to select an option to enable them. While there are users who will like these features because they can be interesting, not everyone is a fan of auto-playing video previews. It’s a great way to find new content and engage with videos, but it comes at a cost. You be the judge. After all, it’s your life and your device.
Next: Do you want to stop the automatic loading of images and videos in Chrome and Firefox? Check out the next post below to find out how.
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