Social media is full of … Full of reels, vertical videos and endless doomscrolling. And if you’re someone who uses it for news, connecting with friends or knowledge but gets lost in the black magic of social media powers, we at GadgetsToUse have just the thing for you. Here are five ways you can block videos and images on your X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Reddit feeds.
(Also read: 6 Ways to Block Spam Replies Under Your Posts on X)
Once upon a time, my phone died, and since I was travelling in the metro for the first time, I looked up to see what I was doing by watching everyone around me. What do I mean? Almost 99.5% of people were glued to their screens with their necks down and crouched spines. Giving me enough time to ponder, I tested three extensions that could help block videos on social media. While, unfortunately, these are only available as Chrome extensions, there’s another way to prevent videos from playing on the X mobile app. Let’s dive in.
The idea of blocking videos is simple. Videos are made to draw attention (comparatively, more than images) and blocking them lets you get out of the doomscrolling! Here are a few methods to get this done on Chrome or mobile.
1. Using HTML Content Blocker Extension
This powerful Chrome extension allows you to selectively block specific HTML elements on web pages, including videos and images on social media platforms.
1. Head to the Chrome Web Store to install the HTML Content Blocker Extension, and add it.
2. Once installed, click on the extension icon in your browser toolbar to open its settings.
3. Navigate to the social media platform you want to modify (e.g., X, Facebook, or Reddit).
4. Use the extension’s interface to select and block video and image elements on the page.
2. Using Block Image Video Extension
1. Install the Block Image Video Extension from Chrome Web Store and add it.
2. Click on the extension icon to activate it.
3. Once toggled on, all media will disappear from the feed.
4. Browse your social media feeds without the distraction of visual content.
3. Using Hide Images & Videos Extension
1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and install the Hide Images and Videos Extension
2. After installation, click on the extension icon to activate it.
3. Use the toggle switch to turn off images and videos on your current page.
4. Refresh your social media feed to see the changes take effect.
4. Turning off Auto-play on X mobile app
This is rather a simple way to avoid images and videos from within the X (formerly Twitter app). Here’s how to do it.
1. Open the X app and click on your profile on the top left corner.
2. Then, go to “Settings & Support” and tap on “Settings and Privacy“.
3. Next, scroll down to “Accessibility, display and languages“.
4. Then tap on “Display” and toggle off “Media previews“.
FAQs
Q. Will blocking videos and images affect my overall social media experience?
While blocking videos and images may change your social media experience, many users find it helps them focus on meaningful content and reduces time spent mindlessly scrolling.
Q. Can I temporarily enable videos and images if needed?
Yes, most extensions and browser settings allow you to quickly toggle the blocking feature on and off, giving you flexibility when you want to view specific visual content. You can read how to do it in the guide above.
Q. Do these methods work on all social media platforms?
No. The Chrome extensions mentioned typically work across various websites, including major social media platforms. However, the effectiveness may vary depending on how each platform structures its content. For example, the HTML Content Blocker extension does not work well on Twitter but works fine on Reddit, Facebook and Instagram.
Wrapping Up
In this guide, we explored how to block videos and images on Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook. This would, in turn, save you from mindless, endless doom-scrolling on your devices. For more such useful tips, tech news and guides follow GadgetsToUse.
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