Autoplay is not blocked

[btlechowski]

Follow up to: #3751

By default we block autoplay. Autoplay is no longer consistently blocked.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Clean profile
2. Go to https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/cnt8no/best_cops_ever/
3. Block notifications and accepts cookies
4. Scroll down the page
5. Reload the page 5 times

Actual result:

The Blocked media indicator in URL bar is shown
The video is played

Expected result:

The Blocked media indicator in URL bar is shown
The video is not played

Reproduces how often:

Easily reproduced

Brave version (brave://version info)

Reproducible on

Brave	0.68.121 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (Build 7601.24494)

Brave	0.70.49 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) nightly (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (Build 7601.24494)

Not reproducible on

Brave	0.67.124 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (Build 7601.24494)

cc @brave/legacy_qa @simonhong @rebron

[LaurenWags]

@btlechowski sounds like you're saying that after refreshing the page, the video plays for you? is that correct?

Here's what I'm seeing on macOS:

1. Clean profile
2. Go to https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/cnt8no/best_cops_ever/
3. Reload the page 5 times
4. Video doesn't play until I click on it to play.
   This is how it's working on 0.67.x and 0.68.x for me.

Brave	0.67.125 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Mac OS X

Brave	0.68.128 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Mac OS X

[btlechowski]

@LaurenWags Thanks for checking. I updated the steps. I think the key was to scroll the page. I also included a video.

[LaurenWags]

Tried scrolling, still unable to reproduce. Video does not play automatically for me.

@GeetaSarvadnya @kjozwiak could you guys try as well?

Brave	0.68.130 Chromium: 76.0.3809.100 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Revision	ed9d447d30203dc5069e540f05079e493fc1c132-refs/branch-heads/3809@{#990}
OS	Mac OS X

[Brave-Matt]

I can reproduce this on several sites, as can other users who have reported similar behavior. I actually brought this up internally here:
https://bravesoftware.slack.com/archives/C0YL5KMA8/p1559587999016400
Some excerpts from that thread:
Typical behavior is as follows:

1. On the site (Youtube used in example) Autoplay is not blocked even though it is set to Block in default Site settings
2. The lock icon shows Autoplay = Block — changing this to Block (default) does not change the setting on page reload
3. Lock --> Site Settings --> Autoplay reveals that, somehow, Autoplay is now set to Allow (default) [You can see this in the first gif image attached]
4. From here, changing site setting to Block and reloading works…usually. Sometimes, behavior is similar but, as you can see in the second attached gif, sometimes changing the setting from Allow --> Block does change the setting, but doesn’t show that it’s changed and instead switches to Allow in the drop down menu — even if Autoplay is subsequently blocked

☝️ This was tested in earlier builds, but the same behavior is shown in 0.68x Release channel. Tested using macOS Mojave.

[Brave-Matt]

Had a helpful/active Community member submit a similar report confirming the above:
Quoting @hnktong:

OK, I’m getting the same thing as the OP in same version of Brave and macOS. I tried your suggestion, and the setting will not change from Allow. When I select Block or Block (Default), it just goes back to Allow.

Also, before I tried that, I tried going to the setting directly, and when I turn the toggle to “Blocked” in the detail setting, the list of site settings still says “Ask,” but it doesn’t even ask with either toggle.

So I tried adding youtube.com to the block list and did a Shift-Cmd-R to force reload, and that worked:

HOWEVER, it doesn’t appear to work in Nightly (0.71.68 Chromium: 76.0.3809.132 (Official Build) nightly (64-bit)). When I get more time, I’ll tinker more.

Thread with additional user report:
https://community.brave.com/t/disable-youtube-autoplay-on-page-load/80790

[Brave-Matt]

+1 https://community.brave.com/t/how-do-i-block-video-autoplay-on-tomshardware-com/73820?u=mattches

[Brave-Matt]

+1 https://community.brave.com/t/how-do-i-block-video-autoplay-on-tomshardware-com/73820/2?u=mattches

[Brave-Matt]

+1 https://community.brave.com/t/thehill-com-autoplay-wont-block/84453/4

[blis5fool]

I'm seeing this on Kinja sites - deadspin.com, lifehacker.com, etc.
The videos that autoplay are "Recent Videos" and "Featured Videos". Examples:

Recent Videos
https://deadspin.com/nikola-jokic-lulled-hassan-whiteside-to-sleep-1839326493

Scroll down a bit more:

Featured Videos
https://deadspin.com/

[Kronzky]

Here's another site that autoplays the video, even if I have my autoplay setting on "Ask".
The popup will ask, I say "block", and then it plays anyway...
https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/crime/multiple-people-shot-in-southeast-fresno/amp/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_CBS47&__twitter_impression=true

As I tested the repro, the behaving became somewhat random. Sometimes it would play, sometimes it wouldn't. In a private window it never seems to play.

[mikehewritesit]

Here's another one which cannot be blocked by Settings - Autoplay, even if you set to ask or specifically tell Brave to block all videos for the domain:

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/truckfirethreatensgasstation/51-c68feb83-6cb5-499f-9df8-dc743ab94dce

The only way to successfully block it from playing is to block scripts and/or cross-site trackers.

[Brave-Matt]

Several +1s from Community:
https://community.brave.com/t/i-want-to-stop-all-autoplay/95116/2

This is a fairly frustrating issue and I feel like this should be resolved sooner rather than later. Can I get an update as to where we stand on this issue? cc @rebron @bsclifton @btlechowski

[Brave-Matt]

+1's from Community:
https://community.brave.com/t/youtube-still-autoplaying/100297/4

[scottstensland]

Please fix this issue
... is the only working solution to just use firefox where it correctly disables AutoPlay ?

[kerim]

Same problem here.

[willqak]

This problem is not fixed. Steps listed above in Site Settings do not prevent videos from autoplaying. This is perpetually broken, like the broken Brave display clock displaying only 1-12, despite every setting and clock on my system a 24 hour clock. Every request to fix the broken autoplay issue and the broken Brave browser clock falls on deaf ears. One particular Brave employee, code name CNDOUGLAS, is real good at closing these issues while hot-potatoeing the issue to the next request, then closing it too.

[Ziflin]

Here's another site. It seems to popup/open the video after a small delay, but there's no reason that Brave shouldn't be able to block playback:

https://www.laptopmag.com/news/ps5-price-release-date-and-more-possibly-revealed-by-leaker

It's worth noting that Edge can and does block the playback on this page when it is set to "Limit".

[pongraczi]

Similar or same as: #10811

[MeatH00k]

Tested on both Windows 10 and Linux - Manjaro (physically different machines);

Both Global Autoplay blocking and site specific autoplay blocking havent worked for me at all, on any site i have been to on either win or linux.

Have tried different combinations of both global and site specific autoplay blocking without luck.
Also tried a fresh profile, no luck.

Brave	1.11.104 Chromium: 84.0.4147.105 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Revision	a6b12dfad6663f13a7e16e9a42a6a4975374096b-refs/branch-heads/4147@{#943}
OS	Windows 10 OS Version 1909 (Build 18363.959)

[medic17]

I can confirm this is still an issue.
OS: Windows 10 1903
brave Version 1.12.112 Chromium: 84.0.4147.125 (Official Build) (64-bit)

autoplay not blocked even in private window and may include sound

[markuszeller]

Autoplay is on status blocked on site info, but it is still not blocking - especially on Youtube.com. This is very annoying when having multiple Youtube Tabs open together.

Windows 10 20H2 OS Build 19042.508
Version 1.14.84 Chromium: 85.0.4183.121 (Official Build) (64-bit)

[warwickmm]

I just upgraded to 1.18.70 on Linux and autoplay blocking is working for me.

Version 1.18.70 Chromium: 87.0.4280.101 (Official Build) unknown (64-bit)

[mikehewritesit]

Just tested 1.18.70 on Windows 10 and while it's better, some autoplay is still getting through despite the Autoplay Blocked icon being displayed on YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo, Tumblr and likely others too. (And no, it's not just sites falling back to GIFs etc., it's actual video with an interactive scrollbar and (muted) audio.)

On YouTube and Twitter at least, it's intermittent. That is to say that simply by reloading the same page or clicking the same link on YouTube, or scrolling past and then returning to a video in your Twitter feed, the exact same video will be blocked sometimes and plays by itself on other attempts.

[pongraczi]

Just tested quickly 1.18.70 on linux and it seems much better now.
It does not start video on the following sites:

• messenger (sent or received videos)
• imdb

I will check it for longer period during normal daily use.

[rebron]

@mikehewritesit @pongraczi Looks like with 1.18.70 and higher this has been working better.

@btlechowski
I ran through original STR with version below (current release) and looks like auto play is blocked. I don't see the indicator in the url bar, however, that matches Chrome 94 behavior. I think this one might be ok to close.

cc: @Brave-Matt

Brave	1.30.87 Chromium: 94.0.4606.71 (Official Build) (arm64)
Revision	1d32b169326531e600d836bd395efc1b53d0f6ef-refs/branch-heads/4606@{#1256}
OS	macOS Version 12.0 (Build 21A5534d)

[scottstensland]

still not as good as firefox ... go to some yt vid as in https://youtu.be/VTRQwlpEG2k?t=21

paste video it should NOT auto start ... then click inside video to stop it then with mouse right click inside video to pick current time URL ... then paste that URL and it should NOT auto start however here on brave it does auto start whereas say on firefox it correctly do not auto start

brave
Version 1.32.44 Chromium: 94.0.4606.71 (Official Build) nightly (64-bit)

[Wickiot]

June 2022, still not working. I set autoplay to block by default and medias play on page load. Blocking domain individually works, but I want to manage a whitelist, not a blacklist, much less hassle.

[spylogsster]

I set Autoplay off, visited a few video sites and cannot reproduce it, @Wickiot maybe you can share any steps or videos to reproduce the problem on our side? thanks

cc @brave/qa-team if anyone can take a look too, thanks

[Wickiot]

I set Autoplay off, visited a few video sites and cannot reproduce it, @Wickiot maybe you can share any steps or videos to reproduce the problem on our side? thanks

cc @brave/qa-team if anyone can take a look too, thanks

Browse over to youtube.
Right-click>Open link in a new tab for a few videos.
The videos autoplay when switching to the new tabs.
The autoplay disabled icon is showing on all tabs in the right end of the address bar.
The first new tab sometimes doesn't autoplay when the browser was just started, but every subsequent tab opened that way autoplays.

[MadhaviSeelam]

@Wickiot thanks for sharing steps to reproduce.
Still can't reproduce using above steps in the current release version in Win 11 x64 withAuto play blocked in brave://settings/content/autoplay.

Brave	1.43.93 Chromium: 105.0.5195.127 (Official Build) (64-bit)
Revision	912488396852bf658ab32465980c0b93a3c27a83-refs/branch-heads/5195@{#1109}
OS	Windows 11 Version 21H2 (Build 22000.978)

[Wickiot]

I tried on my professional computer and can't reproduce it, but somehow still get the issue on my personal computer.
Personal computer is running Win 10 Home 21H2 with Brave 1.43.93
Professional computer is running Win 10 Pro 21H1 with Brave 1.43.93
Decided to try a brand new profile by renaming the AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser folder so it creates a new one and then it worked as expected.
I restored my previous profile and then again, youtube videos autoplay despite the settings being toggled off and the icon showing it off on the address bar.
It appears I'll have to spend some time rebuilding a profile from scratch, unless there's a trick to fix it.