Instagram sound is on by default because the platform is designed to create an immersive, engaging experience where audio brings content to life, this is a deliberate design choice, not a technical glitch. Understanding why is Instagram sound on helps you take control of your feed, mute unwanted noise, and tailor your audio experience to your preferences, and when you go live on Instagram you can manage your microphone settings before starting your broadcast. You can also create a highlight on Instagram to save your best Stories with sound intact for new followers to discover later.
Why is Instagram sound on by default
Instagram automatically plays sound on videos and Stories to make the platform feel more dynamic and engaging. When you scroll through your feed, the app assumes you want to hear the audio that accompanies a video, just as you would on TikTok or YouTube. This default setting is intentional: sound adds depth, emotion, and authenticity to content, whether it’s a friend’s laugh, a brand’s jingle, or a trending song. However, this can catch users off guard, especially in quiet environments. The good news is that you can change this behavior with a few taps in your settings.
How to manage autoplay sound settings
To stop videos from playing with sound automatically, you need to adjust Instagram’s autoplay controls. This gives you the power to decide when you want to hear audio and when you prefer silent scrolling.
- Go to your profile by tapping your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top right corner.
- Select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Accounts, then choose Sounds.
- Under Autoplay, toggle off Videos in Feed and Videos in Explore.
Once you disable these options, videos in your feed and Explore tab will play muted by default. You can still tap any video to hear its sound, this setting only affects autoplay behavior.
How to adjust in-app sound volume
Instagram also lets you control the default loudness of videos within the app. This is separate from your phone’s overall volume and allows you to set a consistent audio level for all Instagram videos.
- Navigate to your profile, then tap the menu icon and go to Settings and privacy.
- Tap Accounts and then Sounds.
- Look for the Volume slider and drag it left to lower the default volume or right to increase it.
This setting applies to all videos that play with sound, so you can prevent sudden loud noises without muting every video individually.
How to mute an Instagram account
If a specific account’s posts or Stories are too noisy or distracting, you can mute them without unfollowing. This is useful for accounts that post frequent videos with loud audio, or for taking a break from someone’s content.
- Find a post from the account you want to mute in your feed, or go to their profile.
- Tap the three dots (...) in the top right corner of the post or profile.
- Select Mute.
- Choose to mute their Posts, Stories, or both.
Muting hides their content from your feed and Stories without notifying them. You can unmute the account at any time by repeating these steps and selecting Unmute.
Controlling sound on Instagram Stories
Stories behave slightly differently from feed videos. When you tap through Stories, sound will play automatically if you last had it on, but you can toggle it instantly.
To turn sound on or off for a single Story, simply tap the speaker icon at the top of the screen while viewing it. The app remembers your last volume setting, so if you mute one Story, the next one will also start muted until you tap the icon again. This gives you quick control without digging into settings every time.
For example, if you are creating a poll on Instagram and want to add a voiceover or music to your Story, you can enable sound before recording by tapping the speaker icon. This ensures your audience hears the audio when they view your poll.
