How to disable autoplay for videos and Live Photos in the Photos app

Do you find the live photos and videos automatically playing in the Photos app to be unnecessary or distracting? In this brief tutorial, we will guide you on how to turn off this feature.

Live Photos on iPhone Zebras

When you’re browsing through your pictures in the Photos app, you might notice that Live Photos and videos automatically play. And while this can be convenient if you’re just reliving some memories, it can be distracting if you’re looking for something in particular. If you’re someone with motion sickness, it can even cause extra discomfort.

So, here’s how to deactivate the autoplay feature for videos and Live Photos in the Apple Photos app.

Related: How to automatically pause animated images when browsing the web

Disable autoplay in Apple Photos

Follow these steps on your iOS or macOS device.

On iPhone and iPad

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and select Photos.
  3. Turn off the toggle for Auto-Play Videos and Live Photos.
Settings Photos Autoplay Toggle iPhone

Now, when you return to the Photos app library, the animated media, like videos and Live Photos, won’t autoplay.

On Mac

On Mac, you’ll make this change in the Photos app itself. So open Photos and do the following to disable autoplay.

  1. Click Photos > Settings or Preferences from the top menu bar.
  2. Make sure you’re in the General tab.
  3. Next to Photos, uncheck the box for Autoplay Videos and Live Photos.
Preferences Photos Autoplay Checkbox Mac

Since the feature to autoplay videos and Live Photos in the Photos app is a simple toggle on iOS and a checkbox on Mac, you can easily reenable it if you change your mind later.

What do you think of the autoplay feature in Photos? Is it something you like, or do you plan to disable it? Let us know!

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