Making Videos Autoplay on Your Shopify Product Page: A Journey Through Code and Patience

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon when the inevitable happened. We realized that our online store needed a little jazzing up—specifically, by making videos auto-play on our product pages. Why, you ask? We stumbled across a video on a competitor's site that instantly started playing, perfectly demonstrating the product before we even had time to click. We were mesmerized. Naturally, we had to have it too.

The Quest for Autoplay

Do you remember that feeling when you find a new feature you just can't live without? That's what happened. We wanted to bring to life the same seamless experience for visitors of our Shopify store, which was running on the Dawn theme. Let's be real—Shopify themes are beautiful but sometimes need a little nudge to get them to do exactly what we want.

The First Step: Research and Patience

What came next was a marathon of online tutorials, forums, and YouTube videos. We had our Eureka moment upon realizing that a simple line of JavaScript could breathe life into our autoplay dreams. Yes, dear reader, it was surprisingly straightforward.

Here's the gist of what we did—and what you might want to consider if you're tackling the same challenge.

Coding Like It's 1999

So, let's dive into the nuts and bolts of this magical process. Pop open Shopify’s code editor—consider it a peek behind the curtain. Head over to the Edit HTML/CSS section. Don’t panic; the code monsters aren’t that scary when you get used to them.

1. Identify the Right File: Depending on your version of the Dawn theme, go to the assets folder and look for a file named theme.js or slideshow.js. If you're not sure which one, think of it like midway through assembling IKEA furniture—just look for the piece that fits.

2. Insert the Code: Inside that mystical file, add this nugget of code where it seems most appropriate (often towards the bottom). It’s like finding gold at the end of the rainbow, but with braces and brackets.

   document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
     var videos = document.querySelectorAll('.your-video-class')
   
     videos.forEach(function (video) {
       video.muted = true // Mute the video, it’s a polite thing to do.
       video.play()
     })
   })
   

3. HTML Tidbits: Meanwhile, in your product template—likely in product-template.liquid—ensure your video's class name matches .your-video-class in the script above.

By now, as the code obediently slips into place, you should see the magic unfold. Your videos will leap into action as soon as your page loads. Like turning on the lights at a dark party.

Celebrate Small Wins

Wait, before you race off to show the world your hard-earned autoplay feature—test it. Not on your neighbor’s WiFi, though. That moment we refreshed our browser and it worked? We cried a little. Tears of joy, of course. The process felt like a techy marathon with a sprinkling of triumph.

Keep Tinkering

You might think: "What if browsers change their minds on autoplay rules?" Don't worry, we thought the same thing. Browsers can be fickle, but remember to stay updated with Shopify's tools and community.

If you’re like us—a team of enthusiastic insomniacs—you'll love exploring more customizations. Why stop at autoplay when there are other features to enhance your store's allure?

Final Thoughts In the Company of Friends

Sharing this journey feels like recounting an epic tale by a fireside—complete with stumbling over rogue lines of code and the thrill of making things work. Consider these musings as more than a guide; they’re an invitation to become storytellers in the ever-expanding narrative of your brand's digital stage.

And there you have it—a foray into making Shopify videos auto-play. It’s not just a technical change but an invitation to transform your product pages into lively storytellers. Who says only words can spin a yarn? Let's raise a metaphorical toast to many more days of innovation, creativity, and Shopify success stories. Cheers!