Chrome learns to mute sites based on your web history
It's no longer an all-or-nothing affair.
Right now, your web browser's response to auto-playing content tends to take one of two extremes: either it mutes everything or blasts your ears. But there are some times you do want sound right away, such as a livestream or a game -- do you have to remember to turn sound on every time there, too? Google doesn't think you have to. The latest version of Chrome automatically mutes and plays tabs based on your browsing history. If you tend to slap the mute button most of the time on a given site, Chrome will eventually provide blissful silence all on its own. Let the audio flow on a regular basis, however, and Chrome will know to leave that site alone.
You don't need a history for this to work, either. If you have a clean slate, Chrome will default to autoplaying on 1,000-plus sites where users tend to be comfortable with sound. Google readily admits that there will be moments where you'll have to unmute a clip, but it's betting that this will offer a more "predictable" surfing experience over time.
