Auto play video on my home page (Dawn theme) doesn't work through instagram link

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A user embedded an autoplay video on their Shopify homepage using custom liquid code in the Dawn theme. The video works correctly across all web browsers on desktop and mobile devices.

The Problem:
The video fails to autoplay when the website link is accessed through Instagram’s in-app browser.

Suggested Solutions:

  • Add a controls attribute to allow manual playback if autoplay is blocked
  • Be aware that Instagram’s in-app browser may have media policies that disable autoplay
  • Consider using embedded video platforms like YouTube, which tend to be more compatible with Instagram’s browser
  • Ensure video file size is optimized (under 1MB if possible) to encourage playback

Status: The issue remains unresolved, with troubleshooting suggestions provided but no confirmed fix yet.

Summarized with AI on November 4. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi All

I have embeded an auto play video on my shopify homepage (dawn theme) by using custom liquid code, it works fine in all web browsers on both desktop and mobile phone.

However, when I click website link through instagram, the video seems not playing. Does anyone know how to solve the problem?

my custom liquid code is like this:

video { width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; margin: 0 auto; }
2

Hi @junwang08 ,

When videos don’t autoplay in in-app browsers like Instagram, it’s often due to the app’s default settings that limit autoplay for certain types of media. However, here are a few tips that might help:

1. Use Controls Attribute: Instagram’s in-app browser may require some form of interaction to enable autoplay. Adding the controls attribute can allow the user to manually start the video if autoplay doesn’t work.

2. Check for Media Policies: Instagram’s in-app browser may disable autoplay due to data usage policies. Ensure your video file size is minimized (under 1MB if possible) to encourage playback.

3. Test with an Embedded Video Host (e.g., YouTube): Some users have more success with embedded videos from platforms like YouTube, as Instagram’s browser is generally more compatible with these services. For example:

I hope these suggestions are helpful!

Best regards,
Liz

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