Short videos are growing in popularity thanks to TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Instagram has a huge section of short videos known as Reels. But now the Facebook app has also begun to include Instagram Reels in its users’ news feed.
For some, this may be a good thing, but for others, it is unpleasant to see random clips when scrolling through the news feed. Use this guide if you’re not transferring videos to Instagram and are looking for a way to turn them off.
How to disable video from drums in the Facebook app?
- Hide videos directly from the news feed in the Facebook app (the easiest way)
- Use Facebook in a web browser
- Disable autoplay for drums and videos
- Delete the Facebook app and install an older version (for Android)
- Use third party Facebook clients
1. Hide videos directly from the news feed in the Facebook app (the easiest way)
You can’t turn off Reels entirely, but the Facebook app gives you the option to see fewer of these posts. This is a standard Facebook option available for any post, as well as Reels. Subscribe below to show your disinterest in videos so your newsfeed has fewer videos:
- Open the Facebook app.
- Browse your news feed and look for the Reel or Reels section.
- Tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the video/post.
- This usually opens a list of options called a three-dot menu. On the reels, you will see only one “Hide” option. Fewer posts like this.
- Click Hide.
- This will delete this short video or the entire Reels section.
This setting does not guarantee that videos or short videos will be completely disabled, but you may see fewer videos if you continue to select this option whenever you see a video in your News Feed. This is by far the easiest and safest way to turn off the reels.
To make videos even less annoying, combine this trick with method 3. This way, any video you see in your news feed won’t autoplay, and then you can use the “Hide”option to tell Facebook that you don’t interested in it.
2. Use Facebook in a web browser
At the time of this writing, the reels were exclusive to the Facebook app. You won’t find videos in your news feed if you’re browsing Facebook through a web browser on your mobile phone or computer.
- Open a browser on your phone.
- Go to Facebook and login.
- Facebook browser without Reels.
To create an app icon for the Facebook mobile web app on your phone:
- Open Facebook in a web browser.
- Tap the three dots at the top right corner of the screen to open the options menu (for Chrome).
- Select Add to Home Screen.
- This will create a shortcut for the Facebook mobile site. You can now open Facebook in your browser from the home screen.
The downside to this method is that the Facebook mobile site is not as responsive and reliable as the Facebook app, so your Facebook experience may suffer.
But if you are using a tablet, then this method is recommended for you. Because when you open Facebook in your tab, you will see a web version similar to desktops and laptops. If you don’t get the desktop web version on your tablet, follow these steps (for Google Chrome):
- Open Facebook in Chrome.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner and check the box next to Work Site.
- It will load the page again.
- Now tap the address bar and type web.facebook.com.
- You will now see the desktop version of Facebook on your tablet.
3. Turn off autoplay for drums and videos.
If you don’t want to exit the Facebook app (don’t like the Facebook mobile website) and want to prevent Facebook Reels from playing automatically, you can easily do so with a few taps. Follow these steps to turn off auto-play reels:
- Open the Facebook app.
- Click on the three horizontal lines (hamburger icon) in the top right corner.
- Select the “Settings”icon in the upper right corner.
- Select “Media”from the list of Facebook settings.
- In the Autoplay section, tap the box next to “Never play videos automatically”to select that option.
- Go back and enjoy Facebook without auto-playing reels and other videos.
- You can also mute these auto-playing videos from the specified list.
The disable autoplay option is also useful if you’re on a metered data connection and don’t want these autoplay videos to consume your MB or GB.
4. Remove the Facebook app and install an older version (for Android)
This is the most drastic way to remove videos and short videos from the Facebook app. Since the Reels option is in the newer version of the Facebook app, you can uninstall the new version and install the version that does not have the Reels feature.
- Press and hold the Facebook icon on your phone’s home screen and select Delete.
- Now open the web browser app and search Google for “Facebook apk”.
- Select a website and get the Facebook app. Be sure to select the old version of Facebook.
- Install the app.
After installation, you must disable auto-updates so that the application does not update to the latest version.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Search for “Facebook”and open the Facebook app page.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
- Uncheck “Enable Automatic Updates”.
Warning. This method is risky in terms of security because you are uninstalling the latest official version of the application and installing an older version from an unofficial source. Experts do not recommend using older versions of applications.
In addition, this method also involves installing the Facebook app from a source other than Google Play.
Keep in mind that the Google Play Store provides protection against malware, stalkers, and other threats by scanning and keeping only safe apps.
Installing an app outside of a store can lead to digital security issues. To disable the reels on Facebook, it is better to use method 1, 2 or 3.
5. Use third party Facebook clients
Third-party Facebook applications are available that have an interface similar to the Facebook application. Many of them offer extra features not found in the Facebook app. These are web browsers specifically designed for browsing Facebook and Messenger, so they won’t have the Reels feature.
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Search for “Facebook App”and see the list of apps other than the official Facebook app.
- Select and install an application.
But installing an application other than the official source brings us to the security issue we discussed in the previous section.
Your Facebook account contains a lot of information about you, and using the platform through a third party application may expose your data to the application developer.
That’s why we recommend using the first three methods to disable reels and short videos on the Facebook app.
How to delete your own Instagram videos on Facebook?
All Instagram Reel creators’ videos are displayed on Facebook by default. So if you upload a video to Instagram, it can also be viewed on Facebook. Most short video creators are happy with this feature.
But if you don’t want your videos to be posted on Facebook, you can turn them off in the Instagram app. Follow these steps:
- Open the Instagram app.
- Click on your profile picture in the lower right corner.
- Select the three horizontal lines or the hamburger menu button and select Settings.
- From the “Settings”menu, select “Privacy”.
- Select “Drums”.
- Turn off the “Recommend on Facebook”toggle.
Conclusion
You can’t completely disable Reels in the Facebook app, but there are easy ways to make them less frequent and less annoying in your News Feed. You can also use the Facebook mobile site to view the site without reels.
FAQ
How to disable short clips and videos on Facebook?
To turn off videos and short videos on Facebook, use one of two methods: click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the video and select “Hide”. Or browse Facebook through a web browser. Movies are not supported on the Facebook mobile site.
What is the difference between reels and videos?
Rollers are short videos on Instagram (and Facebook), while videos are videos of any length.
Should I post my videos on Facebook?
Yes. The unity of Instagram and Facebook for Reels is a huge benefit for Reel creators. Sharing your videos on Facebook will make your videos available to a wider audience, increasing your chances of success, so you should post your videos on Facebook.
How to enable reels on Facebook?
Drums are enabled by default in the Facebook app. However, they are not yet supported on Facebook mobile and desktop sites. So, use the Facebook app to see videos in your news feed. If you don’t see Reels or the Reels section is missing from your Facebook app, update your app to the latest version.