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the autoplay toggle inside instagram's settings is what actually matters - the phone-level app permissions won't stop the reels themselves from playing. dive into instagram settings, tap account, then autoplay and you'll see options for wifi, mobile data, or off completely. here's the thing most people miss: even after you disable it, instagram sometimes re-enables the feature after updates, so check back every few months. if reels still play with sound despite toggling it off, try logging out and back in; I've found that clears up those stubborn glitches.
Go to Settings > Apps and Notifications > Instagram > Permissions > disable autoplay, or within Instagram itself hit Settings > Account > Autoplay and switch it off. If that doesn't fully disable them, try turning off cellular data or WiFi while scrolling - Reels won't autoplay without a connection, though that's more of a workaround than a real fix.
I noticed mine kept playing even after toggling that setting off, so I switched my wifi to a slower connection speed temporarily and it basically forced them to buffer instead of autoplay smoothly - annoying but it actually works! Beyond what the others said, try muting the app's audio permissions in your phone's settings too, since sometimes Instagram prioritizes playing video when audio access is available.
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