Why hero videos play without audio

Hero videos on your Roam site autoplay silently — and this is by design. This article explains why audio is not supported on autoplay hero videos, and where to use audio-enabled video content instead.

How it works

When a visitor lands on your homepage, the hero video begins playing automatically to create atmosphere and visual impact. This autoplay behaviour requires the video to be muted.

All major browsers — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge — enforce strict autoplay policies that block video with audio from playing automatically. If a site attempts to autoplay a video with sound, the browser will either prevent the video from playing entirely, or mute it anyway. In practice, this means there is no reliable way to deliver audio on an autoplaying hero video across all devices and browsers.

Roam follows this browser standard by design, ensuring your hero video loads and plays consistently for every visitor.

Why this is best practice

Beyond the technical constraint, silent autoplay is the established best practice for hero video across the web — and for good reason:

• Unexpected audio drives visitors away. Autoplay sound is one of the most common reasons people immediately leave a website. For a destination site where first impressions matter, that risk is significant.
• Visitors are often in shared or quiet environments. Many people browse on public transport, in offices, or with others nearby. Surprise audio creates a poor experience.
• Accessibility. Autoplaying audio creates barriers for visitors using screen readers and those with sensory sensitivities. WCAG 2.1 guidelines advise against it.
• The hero's job is visual. The hero video exists to create mood and inspire — it's atmosphere, not content. Audio works against that by putting the visitor on the defensive before they've engaged with your site.

Where to use audio-enabled video

If you have video content with narration, a destination soundtrack, or any audio component that adds genuine value — the right place for it is an embedded video block elsewhere on the page or in a dedicated content section.

Roam supports YouTube and Vimeo embeds throughout the page builder. Embedded videos are visitor-initiated — they press play when they're ready, in a context where they're already engaged. This delivers a far better experience than autoplay audio, and gets your content the attention it deserves.

Pro tip: A well-placed video block below the hero — with a compelling thumbnail and a clear headline — will consistently outperform autoplay audio in both engagement and accessibility.

Common questions

Can we add a "click to unmute" button on the hero video? This isn't currently supported in the hero block. If this is something your team needs, we'd encourage you to raise it as a feature request with your project manager — we track all feedback for platform improvements.

What video formats does the hero support? Hero videos are hosted in the platform by uploading an MP4 file (read more about video dimensions). For embedded video blocks elsewhere on the page, YouTube and Vimeo are supported.

Can we use audio in a Campaign Lander hero instead? No — the same browser autoplay policies apply across all hero video placements on the platform.