Google has promised to end the infuriating autoplay of videos in its Chrome browser – but with a heap of exceptions that may actually make the problem worse.

Most internet users have suffered from having sound blaring out from one browser tab while looking at a different one. Although Google made it easier to find the offending tab by adding a microphone icon, it's still an embuggerance and chews data for mobile users.

Now the ad giant has issued new guidelines for developers for Chrome 63 - due for release in October - that adds the option of turning off such videos on specific websites. By January, when Chrome 64 is released, all autoplay videos with sound will be blocked. But with some important caveats.