Microsoft Edge Chromium: Video Autoplay Blocker

Another useful feature has landed on the Canary branch of Microsoft Edge Chromium. A new option allows preventing web sites from automatically playing videos.

The feature is activated by the edge-limit-autoplay flag, which is "Algorithmically limits certain websites from playing media automatically" as it follows from its text description.

The current implementation of Video Autoplay Blocker doesn't provide extended controls on how the browser blocks annoying media content. It won't affect most popular web sites as of now. More options are coming to enable extended per-site blocking mode. It is a work-in-progress.

Enable Video Autoplay Blocker in Microsoft Edge

1. Open Edge Chromium Canary. It should have the version number 77.0.211.0 or greater.
2. Type chrome://flags#edge-limit-autoplay in the address bar.
3. Hit the Enter key and enable the flag Limit Media Autoplay.
4. Relaunch the browser when prompted.

You are done. The direct link to the flag is chrome://flags/#win-use-native-spellchecker.

Other changes Microsoft has already added to the Chromium code base include:

• Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
• Aura Tooltips which solve the dark theme issue with tooltips
• Support for Windows Spell Checker in Chromium Engine

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At the moment of this writing, the latest Microsoft Edge Chromium versions are as follows.

• Beta Channel: 76.0.182.11
• Dev Channel: 77.0.197.1
• Canary Channel: 77.0.211.0

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As you may already know, Microsoft Edge, the default web browser of Windows 10, is moving to a Chromium-compatible web engine in the Desktop version. Microsoft explains that the intention behind this move is to create better web compatibility for customers and less fragmentation for web developers. Microsoft has already made a number of contributions to the Chromium project, helping to port the project to Windows on ARM. The company promises to contribute more to the Chromium project.

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I have covered many Edge tricks and features in the following post:

Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge

Also, see the following updates.

• Microsoft Edge: Support for Windows Spell Checker in Chromium Engine
• Microsoft Edge Chromium: Prepopulate Find with Text Selection
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Gets Tracking Prevention Settings
• Microsoft Edge Chromium: Change Display Language
• Group Policy Templates for Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Microsoft Edge Chromium: Pin Sites To Taskbar, IE Mode
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Will Allow Uninstalling PWAs as Desktop Apps
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Includes YouTube Video Info in Volume Control OSD
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Canary Features Dark Mode Improvements
• Show Icon Only for Bookmark in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Autoplay Video Blocker is coming to Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Microsoft Edge Chromium is Receiving New Tab Page Customization Options
• Enable Microsoft Search in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Grammar Tools Are Now Available in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Now Follows System Dark Theme
• Here’s how Microsoft Edge Chromium looks on macOS
• Microsoft Edge Chromium now installs PWAs in the root of the Start menu
• Enable Translator in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Dynamically Changes Its User Agent
• Microsoft Edge Chromium Warns When Running as Administrator
• Change Search Engine In Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Hide or Show Favorites Bar in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Install Chrome Extensions in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft Edge Chromium
• Chrome Features Removed and Replaced by Microsoft in Edge
• Microsoft Released Chromium-based Edge Preview Versions
• Chromium-Based Edge to Support 4K and HD Video Streams
• Microsoft Edge Insider extension now available in Microsoft Store
• Hands-on with the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Edge Insider Addons Page Revealed
• Microsoft Translator is Now Integrated with Microsoft Edge Chromium

Thanks to Leo!