How to turn off autoplay on YouTube on your computer or mobile device, to prevent subsequent videos from playing automatically

• It's easy to turn off autoplay on YouTube on your computer or mobile device.
• You might want to turn off autoplay on YouTube if you don't want recommended videos to immediately play after you finish watching one video.
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So, it happened again - you clicked on a YouTube video intending to watch that one clip of a standup routine, and suddenly it's 45 minutes later and you're watching the 23rd video delivered to you via YouTube autoplay.

The autoplay feature on YouTube will automatically play a new video after the one you're watching is over, leading you down a perpetual rabbit hole of recommendations and nonstop content. Sometimes, this might be a good way to discover new videos, but it can also suggest videos you don't want to watch.

Whether a time thief or an annoyance, YouTube's autoplay feature is often best switched off.

Fortunately, that's easy to do on a computer and on the mobile app. Here's how to do it.

How to turn off autoplay on YouTube on your computer

Turning off YouTube autoplay on a desktop or laptop could not be easier.

While you are watching a video, click on the blue dot beside the word "AUTOPLAY" above the column of video thumbnail images on the right side of the screen.

You can always click the gray dot to turn autoplay back on.

How to turn off autoplay on YouTube on your mobile device

To turn off autoplay in the YouTube mobile app, tap on your profile image (or your avatar) in the top right corner of the screen.

Then hit "Settings," and finally, on the next menu, scroll down and tap the slider beside the words "Autoplay next video."

You can tap the slider again to turn autoplay back on in the YouTube mobile app.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to speed up YouTube videos as much as 2 times the normal speed, or slow them down

• How to put a YouTube video on repeat on your computer or mobile device, so it plays on loop

• How to post a YouTube video on Facebook in several different ways, using YouTube's 'Share' feature

• How to stop videos from automatically playing on Facebook, whether you're on desktop or mobile

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