How to Make a Video Autoplay on Squarespace (2026)

Adding video to your Squarespace site is one of the best ways to grab attention. In fact, 91% of businesses currently use video as a marketing tool (Wyzowl, 2026). Even more impressively, companies using video on landing pages see 34% higher conversions (DesignRush, 2026).

But nothing is more frustrating than setting a video to autoplay, only to have it sit frozen behind a "Play" button when a visitor lands on your page.

In 2026, web browsers are stricter than ever about autoplay. To protect users from unexpected noise and high data usage, browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox will block any video that tries to play with sound automatically. If you want your Squarespace video to play on load, it must be muted.

Here is the complete guide to making your videos autoplay on Squarespace, whether you are using native uploads, YouTube embeds, or professional hosting like Swarmify. If you're just getting started, you might also want to check our basic guide on how to add videos to your Squarespace website.

1. Autoplay for Native Squarespace Video Uploads

If you are using Squarespace 7.1, you can upload video files directly to your site. This is the most straightforward method, but it comes with file size limits that can impact your page load speed.

To enable autoplay for a native upload:

1. Add a Video Block to your page.
2. Upload your video file (or select one from your library).
3. Once uploaded, click the Edit (pencil) icon on the block.
4. Scroll down to the Video Settings.
5. Toggle "Mute" to ON. (Crucial: Autoplay will not work without this).
6. Toggle "Autoplay" to ON.
7. (Optional) Toggle "Loop" to ON if you want the video to repeat indefinitely.

By default, Squarespace will hide the player controls when autoplay is enabled to create a seamless, background-like effect. Don't forget to add a Custom Featured Image as a fallback in case the visitor has a slow connection.

2. Autoplay for YouTube and Vimeo Embeds

Many users prefer to host their videos on YouTube or Vimeo and embed them on Squarespace. To make these autoplay, you can't rely on the standard Squarespace block toggles—you need to modify the embed URL manually.

For YouTube:

When you paste your YouTube URL into a Video Block or a Code Block, you need to add specific parameters to the end of the link. If your URL is https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID, change it to:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID?autoplay=1&mute=1&playlist=VIDEO_ID&loop=1

Note: YouTube requires the playlist parameter to be the same as your VIDEO_ID for the loop function to work correctly.

For Vimeo:

Vimeo follows a similar pattern. Add the following to your embed URL:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/VIDEO_ID?autoplay=1&muted=1&loop=1

If you are using the standard Squarespace Video Block with an external link, look for the "Video Settings" section. Sometimes Squarespace can pass these parameters through, but using a Code Block gives you more reliable control over the final output. This is especially true if you are comparing different video hosting platforms for your business.

3. Autoplay with SmartVideo (The Professional Way)

If you want a guaranteed autoplay experience that loads instantly and keeps your brand front-and-center, SmartVideo is the robust alternative to YouTube. It handles browser restrictions automatically so you don't have to fiddle with parameters.

To add an autoplaying SmartVideo to Squarespace:

1. Add a Code Block to your page section.
2. Paste your SmartVideo snippet (generated in your Swarmify dashboard).
3. Add the autoplay and muted attributes directly to the tag.

Your code will look like this:

<smartvideo src="YOUR_VIDEO_URL" width="100%" height="auto" autoplay muted controls></smartvideo>

SmartVideo automatically serves the optimal format for every device and ensures the video plays immediately, even on mobile devices where standard embeds often fail.

4. Using Background Videos (Banners and Sections)

If you want a video to play behind your text in a page section, Squarespace makes this easy. Background videos are automatically set to autoplay, mute, and loop by default because they are treated as design elements rather than primary content.

To add a background video in Squarespace 7.1:

• Click Edit on the page.
• Click Edit Section on the section where you want the video.
• Click the Background tab.
• Select Video.
• Upload a file or paste a YouTube/Vimeo link.

Squarespace handles the technical heavy lifting here, but be careful—large background videos can significantly hurt your Core Web Vitals and SEO rankings if they aren't compressed properly.

Squarespace Native vs. Third-Party vs. SmartVideo

Choosing the right method for autoplay depends on your priorities. Native uploads are easy but slow. YouTube is free but comes with "related videos" that distract your visitors. SmartVideo offers a middle ground: professional performance without the complexity.

Why Your Squarespace Video Isn't Autoplaying

If you've followed the steps and your video still won't play, check these common culprits:

• The Video is Unmuted: As mentioned, the vast majority of autoplay failures are caused by having the sound turned on. Browsers will simply kill the process.
• Mobile Low Power Mode: Most iPhones and Android devices will disable autoplay if the phone is in battery-saver mode to conserve energy.
• Slow Connection: If your video file is too large (like a 4K file uploaded natively), the browser may time out before the video can even begin to play. Always compress your video size before uploading.
• Browser Settings: Some users have high-security browser extensions or settings that block all forms of autoplay regardless of site configuration.

By the way - if you need a YouTube alternative for your Squarespace website, Swarmify SmartVideo gives you full control without ads, distractions, or complicated embed parameters. It automatically optimizes your video for every browser and device, ensuring your autoplay works exactly as intended. For a complete comparison, see our guide to video hosting for business websites.

Frequently Asked Questions