Don’t we all hate it when we open web pages and suddenly a video or advert starts playing on one of them? Chrome displays a volume indicator to let you know which tab is the culprit, but you still have to search for the video within that page to actually silence it.
With the Mute Inactive Tabs extension for Chrome, you can auto-mute all background tabs automatically so that you don’t get distracted from your task by noisy unwanted auto-playing videos.
This article with help you set up the extension in your Chrome web browser.
Installation and Setup
Simply head over to the Chrome Web Store and search for the Mute Inactive Tabs extension or follow this link.
When you see the extension pop up, click “Add to Chrome” and then confirm the installation.
Once the extension is installed, you will see its icon in the top bar of your browser.
To test if the extension is working, simply open a YouTube video and open another tab next to it. You will find that once you switch away from the YouTube tab, the sound will stop playing immediately.
Actually, the video is continue playing in the background, but you will not hear any sound unless you switch back to the YouTube tab. Also, most flash elements aren’t allowed to load at all.
If you want to play a video or audio in the background (such as a Podcast or music streaming), you can simply toggle the extension off by clicking its icon on the top bar or open those specific tabs in a new window.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to put up with annoying auto-playing videos that often pop up in our day-to-day browsing. With this extension installed you should have a much quieter and distraction-free Internet experience.
Let us know if it works for you in the comments section below.