Netflix Is Finally Letting Subscribers Disable Previews From Autoplaying. Here’s How to Do It…

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If you’re a Netflix subscriber, you’ve probably had to endure the distraction of previews playing any time you accidentally hover over one title for a moment too long. Now, thanks to customer feedback, Netflix is giving us a way to disable that feature!

This update follows a petition with over 120,000 signatures on Change.org that said in part,

“As Netflix continues to release more and more hard-hitting shows, their unstoppable previews have gone from annoying to triggering. [Certain titles] include content that is graphic, sickening, and real. It plays unprompted for people who have no interest – and it can’t be turned off.”

Netflix responded on Twitter, saying,

“Some people find this feature helpful. Others not so much. We’ve heard the feedback loud and clear — members can now control whether or not they see autoplay previews on Netflix.”

To disable previews from automatically playing, you’ll first need to sign into Netflix from a web browser rather than the app. Next, select Manage Profiles from the menu and select the profile you’d like to update. Simply uncheck the option to Autoplay previews while browsing on all devices, and this feature will be disabled.

You also have the ability to disable the next episode of a show from auto-playing. Just uncheck the box to Autoplay next episode in a series on all devices. Now go forth and Netflix in peace! 🎉


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Comments 34

  1. Alycia

    I guess I’m weird I like the preview. Thats how I figure out what want to watch next.

  2. Suzanne

    I like the preview too, but we cancelled netflix. It was impossible to watch anything after 8pm without it buffering every 2 minutes. Only streaming service that has that issue. Loving Disney+ now!

  3. Gscribble

    About time!!!

  4. Jess

    This is great news!! Thanks for the heads up!

  5. Rebecca

    Finally!! We hate it! And God forbid you click on a title to read more about it, automatically plays😬

  6. Suzanne H

    I am SO happy about this! I can not stand the previews. I want to read the description to see if I have any interest then proceed with the preview if I do.

  7. jennifer

    Finally! I have hated those auto previews the day they started.

  8. Lana

    We ditched Netflix a long time ago because the sound was so terrible alomg with the buffering.

    • animity

      Yes, the sound…what is up with that!

  9. animity

    Now Netflix, allow us to watch on two screens like all the other streaming services! If it wasn’t for the husband, Netflix would be gone. Not a big fan with the direction they have gone but that is okay. I am really liking Hulu. We signed up for the $1.99/mo for the year over the holidays and I am surprised how much I like their content and how it is structured. Oh my, and Dinsey+! Really enjoying showing the kids all the “retro” shows. Gummi Bears anyone?

    • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

      You can watch Netflix on more than one screen. I think the basic plan is two screens and you can upgrade for a few dollars to watch it on 4 at a time, animity.

      • Jess

        The very basic is one screen (8.99 a month) but you can upgrade to 2 for a few dollars.

        • Jennifer (Hip Sidekick)

          I didn’t know they only had a one-screen option! Thanks for letting me know, Jess!

    • shop4mybabies

      gummi bears is the first thing i watched on disney plus:)
      due to a year free of both we now have apple tv, disney plus, due to 1.99 a month we now have hulu, we pay 14.99 a month for netflix, but we do use/watch it the most and can watch it on four screens, my daughter has a college prime account so we watch amazon prime and because of the husband we still pay for cable, i can never watch all, this tv, not enough time lol

  10. chenga57

    Yay the previews were so distracting! Thank you!

  11. Jessica

    When will they disable “are you still watching ___?” Yes, I’m still watching The Office, thanks.

    • allie

      Seriously! Netflix, please keep me binge watch in peace.

    • Melissa

      Hahahaha- exact same!! Every single night!!

  12. tracey

    Thank goodness!! There was a lot of previews I didnt want to see, let alone my kids when we were signed in just to watch something like the Office, etc.

    • Amy

      You can set up their own account and set parental controls on it. I’ve accidentally been on the kids account without realizing and couldn’t even search for some shows and movies. They’re just completely removed. Nice when you have kids who scroll through to pick something! It’s been awhile since I set it up but I believe you just need to have their own account under who’s watching and then do the parental controls for just them.

  13. tracy

    I like the previews lol

  14. JillKristen

    I like that feature. The feature I hate is when you go to the description of a movie and it automatically starts as you are trying to read about it.

  15. rita

    Thanks so much for this info, I, too, found it annoying when previews started playing whether I wanted them too or not. I also disabled autoplay next episode. This was very helpful!

  16. Carrie

    Woohoo! Disabling right now! I can’t stand the previews automatically playing inappropriate content when my kids are in the room – the previews just start and you have to quickly move to a kids show to get it to stop!

    • Carrie

      From the profile wishing to change, I clicked on Account. Then scrolled down to Playback & clicked it. Then I was able to deselect auto play of previews. Thanks Hip2Save!!

  17. Tracy

    Thanks for this! I don’t like the auto play previews. Sometimes, I’m just scrolling!

  18. Amy

    Noticed a lot saying they don’t want their kids seeing previews and realized maybe a lot don’t know you can set parental controls for just your kids. Set up their own account under who’s watching and then use the parental controls. They won’t even see or be able to search for content that isn’t for kids. Highly recommend it if you let your little ones scroll through and pick on their own, even with supervision. Just keeps them from seeing anything they shouldn’t or something that might scare them. 😊

  19. shop4mybabies

    THANK GOODNESS. i hate previews and trailers because most of them anymore give so much of the movie away i feel like i don’t need to see it

  20. Lpmousse

    A Star Hip2Saver is a recognized member of our Hip2Save community hand selected by our team for demonstrating a long history of engagement with helpful & friendly comments across Hip2Save.com and our social channels. Our Star Hip2Saver badge acts as a verification for readers who know the ins and outs of all Hip2Save sets out to accomplish — assisting our community to live extraordinary lives on ordinary budgets. Readers cannot pay or provide any sort of exchange in order to earn this badge. Rather, they are invited to participate by a member of the Hip2Save team and opt to have the Star Hip2Saver badge added to their profile & comments.

    I don’t have NetFlix, but my parents and sister do. I spread the news and got big thanks for them for this info. 🙂 Thanks, Hip2Save!

  21. Beth

    OMG thank you for sharing! I can’t stand the playback feature – they show so many scary things!

  22. MommySpendsLess

    Thank you! This may not save money but it saves my sanity! 🙂 I find the previews to be being annoying in general but when my 10-yo daughter and I watch interior decorating, cooking and make over shows together I usually select my profile, which means a lot of the programs are things I don’t want her to see and/or things I’m not interested in. It became a tiresome game to see if I could scroll past things quickly enough to avoid triggering the preview. I hated it so much I Googled how to prevent it but at the time you couldn’t. Netflix, Prime and your blog are my main interactions with media so if you hadn’t shared I may have put up with it for months more.

  23. lori

    I totally enjoy the previews!!

  24. Gaby

    This was so annoying! Thank you for the update!

  25. yount_sm

    Oh good!!!! I’m so happy!! I hated them playing previews for things I didn’t want my kids seeing.

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