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

By Jenna | Staff Writer

Feb 07, 2020 @ 1:00 PM MST

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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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Join The Discussion

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Alycia February 7, 2020 at 1:07 pm MST

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

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Suzanne February 7, 2020 at 1:10 pm MST

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!

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Gscribble February 7, 2020 at 1:12 pm MST

About time!!!

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Jess February 7, 2020 at 1:32 pm MST

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

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Rebecca February 7, 2020 at 1:34 pm MST

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

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Suzanne H February 7, 2020 at 1:35 pm MST

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.

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jennifer February 7, 2020 at 1:43 pm MST

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

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Lana February 7, 2020 at 2:06 pm MST

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

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animity February 7, 2020 at 2:11 pm MST

Yes, the sound…what is up with that!

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animity February 7, 2020 at 2:11 pm MST

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?

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Jennifer (Hip Sidekick) February 7, 2020 at 3:15 pm MST

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.

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Jess February 7, 2020 at 5:43 pm MST

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

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Jennifer (Hip Sidekick) February 7, 2020 at 5:58 pm MST

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

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shop4mybabies February 7, 2020 at 5:52 pm MST

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

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chenga57 February 7, 2020 at 2:12 pm MST

Yay the previews were so distracting! Thank you!

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Jessica February 7, 2020 at 2:17 pm MST

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

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allie February 7, 2020 at 2:37 pm MST

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

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Melissa February 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm MST

Hahahaha- exact same!! Every single night!!

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tracey February 7, 2020 at 2:36 pm MST

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.

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Amy February 7, 2020 at 4:20 pm MST

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 onlinepletely 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.

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tracy February 7, 2020 at 3:09 pm MST

I like the previews lol

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JillKristen February 7, 2020 at 3:10 pm MST

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.

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rita February 7, 2020 at 3:31 pm MST

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!

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Carrie February 7, 2020 at 3:50 pm MST

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!

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Carrie February 7, 2020 at 3:59 pm MST

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!!

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Tracy February 7, 2020 at 4:20 pm MST

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

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Amy February 7, 2020 at 4:26 pm MST

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 reonlinemend 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. 😊

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shop4mybabies February 7, 2020 at 5:52 pm MST

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

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February 7, 2020 at 7:55 pm MST

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!

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Beth February 7, 2020 at 8:24 pm MST

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

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MommySpendsLess February 7, 2020 at 8:34 pm MST

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.

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lori February 7, 2020 at 10:50 pm MST

I totally enjoy the previews!!

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Gaby February 8, 2020 at 12:27 am MST

This was so annoying! Thank you for the update!

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yount_sm February 8, 2020 at 11:47 am MST

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

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