How to change AutoPlay settings in Windows

This brief tutorial shows students and new users how to change the AutoPlay settings in Windows 10.

Windows computers automatically initiate its AutoPlay feature whenever you insert a removable device such as a CD, DVD, or memory card. It displays a popup by default and gives you options on what actions to take.

To simplify things, you can customize the AutoPlay feature to automatically detect the kind of disc or media inserted and take actions based on the settings you defined, so you don’t always have to choose what to do when a disc is inserted.

You also disable the AutoPlay feature so that disc and flash drives are not automatically read and executed.

This can help prevent malicious content found on drives from being executed.

To get started with changing Windows AutoPlay settings, follow the steps below:

Change Windows AutoPlay Settings

You must go to AutoPlay settings in the Windows Settings App to change them. To get to the Windows Settings app, click Start ==>, then select the Settings gear as shown below:

When the Settings app options, navigate to Devices as shown below.

Click “AutoPlay” on the left menu to add the AutoPlay settings.

Under Use AutoPlay for all media and devices,  you can turn off Windows AutoPlay so that all media discs and other formats are not automatically started when inserted into Windows.

When the AutoPlay feature is disabled, you’ll have to launch the content from the external media manually.

You can choose to leave AutoPlay on and customize individual settings. Choose the type of media you want to modify and select the action you want AutoPlay to perform when you connect each type of media or device.

These are the settings you can choose:

Removable drive:

• Take no action
• Open the folder to view files (File Explorer)
• Ask me every time
• Configure storage settings (Settings)

Memory card:

• Import photos and videos (Photo)
• Play (Windows Media Player)
• Take no action
• Open the folder to view files (File Explorer)
• Ask me every time

You can select these actions to happen whenever a particular media is inserted into the computer.

AutoPlay Settings in the Control Panel

Windows Control Panel gives you granular control settings for different media formats. You can fine-tune settings for specific media.

That should do it!

Changing the Windows 10 AutoPlay setting is incredibly easy. Whether changing it for security reasons or simply trying to automate the opening of content from the inserted disc, you simply need to set it and forget it.

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to change Windows AutoPlay settings. If you find any error above, please use the form below to report.