diff --git a/packages/styles/scss/components/video-player/_video-player.scss b/packages/styles/scss/components/video-player/_video-player.scss
index ef367a215ad..2ce8da05989 100644
--- a/packages/styles/scss/components/video-player/_video-player.scss
+++ b/packages/styles/scss/components/video-player/_video-player.scss
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ $aspect-ratios: ((16, 9), (9, 16), (2, 1), (1, 2), (4, 3), (3, 4), (1, 1));
     }
   }
 
-  :host(#{$c4d-prefix}-video-player[background-mode='true']),
-  .#{$c4d-prefix}--video-player[background-mode='true'] {
+  :host(#{$c4d-prefix}-video-player[background-mode]),
+  .#{$c4d-prefix}--video-player[background-mode] {
     .#{$c4d-prefix}--video-player__video-container {
       padding: 0;
       block-size: 100%;
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/README.stories.mdx b/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
index ef2a8303ce8..dcd52ac423f 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ import '@carbon/ibmdotcom-web-components/es/components/background-media/index.js
   <c4d-video-player-container
     playing-mode="inline"
     video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-    background-mode="true">
+    background-mode>
   </c4d-video-player-container>
 </c4d-background-media>
 ```
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/background-media.stories.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/background-media.stories.ts
index 55c83f31d64..99fb2a33d23 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/background-media.stories.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/background-media/__stories__/background-media.stories.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export const WithVideo = (args) => {
         opacity="${ifDefined(backgroundOpacity)}">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </div>
   `;
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/README.stories.mdx b/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
index f0f0a3882a7..acd4f68f7c4 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/README.stories.mdx
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ such:
   <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
     <c4d-video-player-container
       video-id="1_9h94wo6b"
-      background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+      background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
   </c4d-background-media>
 </c4d-leadspace>
 ```
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/leadspace.stories.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/leadspace.stories.ts
index c61fa9c8b52..a7e32479e50 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/leadspace.stories.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/leadspace/__stories__/leadspace.stories.ts
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ export const SuperWithVideo = (args) => {
       <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </c4d-leadspace>
   `;
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ export const TallWithVideo = (args) => {
       <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </c4d-leadspace>
   `;
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ export const MediumWithVideo = (args) => {
       <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </c4d-leadspace>
   `;
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ export const ShortWithVideo = (args) => {
       <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </c4d-leadspace>
   `;
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ export const CenteredWithVideo = (args) => {
       <c4d-background-media slot="image" opacity="100">
         <c4d-video-player-container
           video-id="0_ibuqxqbe"
-          background-mode="true"></c4d-video-player-container>
+          background-mode></c4d-video-player-container>
       </c4d-background-media>
     </c4d-leadspace>
   `;
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/__stories__/video-player.stories.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/__stories__/video-player.stories.ts
index 521036ddb05..2c04e1a1904 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/__stories__/video-player.stories.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/__stories__/video-player.stories.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /**
  * @license
  *
- * Copyright IBM Corp. 2020, 2023
+ * Copyright IBM Corp. 2020, 2024
  *
  * This source code is licensed under the Apache-2.0 license found in the
  * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
@@ -82,6 +82,42 @@ export const withLightboxMediaViewer = (args) => {
   `;
 };
 
+export const autoplay = (args) => {
+  const { aspectRatio, caption, hideCaption, thumbnail, videoId } =
+    args?.VideoPlayer ?? {};
+  return html`
+    <c4d-video-player-container
+      auto-play
+      playing-mode="inline"
+      video-id=${videoId}
+      aspect-ratio=${aspectRatio}
+      caption=${caption}
+      ?hide-caption=${hideCaption}
+      thumbnail=${thumbnail}></c4d-video-player-container>
+  `;
+};
+
+export const autoplayMuted = (args) => {
+  const { caption, hideCaption, thumbnail, videoId } = args?.VideoPlayer ?? {};
+  return html`
+    <style>
+      c4d-video-player-container[background-mode] {
+        display: block;
+        aspect-ratio: 16/9;
+        outline: 2px solid red;
+      }
+    </style>
+    <c4d-video-player-container
+      auto-play
+      muted
+      playing-mode="inline"
+      video-id=${videoId}
+      caption=${caption}
+      ?hide-caption=${hideCaption}
+      thumbnail=${thumbnail}></c4d-video-player-container>
+  `;
+};
+
 aspectRatio4x3.story = {
   name: 'Aspect ratio 4:3',
   parameters: {
@@ -171,6 +207,62 @@ withLightboxMediaViewer.story = {
   },
 };
 
+autoplay.story = {
+  name: 'Autoplay',
+  parameters: {
+    knobs: {
+      VideoPlayer: () => {
+        return {
+          aspectRatio: '4x3',
+          caption: text('Custom caption (caption):', ''),
+          hideCaption: boolean('Hide caption (hideCaption):', false),
+          thumbnail: text('Custom thumbnail (thumbnail):', ''),
+          videoId: '0_ibuqxqbe',
+        };
+      },
+    },
+    propsSet: {
+      default: {
+        VideoPlayer: {
+          aspectRatio: '4x3',
+          caption: '',
+          hideCaption: false,
+          thumbnail: '',
+          videoId: '0_ibuqxqbe',
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  },
+};
+
+autoplayMuted.story = {
+  name: 'Autoplay muted',
+  parameters: {
+    knobs: {
+      VideoPlayer: () => {
+        return {
+          aspectRatio: '4x3',
+          caption: text('Custom caption (caption):', ''),
+          hideCaption: boolean('Hide caption (hideCaption):', false),
+          thumbnail: text('Custom thumbnail (thumbnail):', ''),
+          videoId: '0_ibuqxqbe',
+        };
+      },
+    },
+    propsSet: {
+      default: {
+        VideoPlayer: {
+          aspectRatio: '4x3',
+          caption: '',
+          hideCaption: false,
+          thumbnail: '',
+          videoId: '0_ibuqxqbe',
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  },
+};
+
 export default {
   title: 'Components/Video player',
   decorators: [
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-composite.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-composite.ts
index a7fd888a819..5ada0cbdaeb 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-composite.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-composite.ts
@@ -143,6 +143,12 @@ class C4DVideoPlayerComposite extends HybridRenderMixin(
   @property({ type: Boolean, attribute: 'auto-play' })
   autoPlay = false;
 
+  /**
+   * `true` load videos with sound muted.
+   */
+  @property({ type: Boolean, attribute: 'muted' })
+  muted = false;
+
   /**
    * The embedded Kaltura player element (that has `.sendNotification()`, etc. APIs), keyed by the video ID.
    */
@@ -190,7 +196,7 @@ class C4DVideoPlayerComposite extends HybridRenderMixin(
   /**
    * `true` to autoplay, mute, and hide player UI.
    */
-  @property({ type: Boolean, attribute: 'background-mode' })
+  @property({ type: Boolean, attribute: 'background-mode', reflect: true })
   backgroundMode = false;
 
   /**
@@ -214,7 +220,7 @@ class C4DVideoPlayerComposite extends HybridRenderMixin(
   /**
    * The current playback state
    */
-  @property()
+  @property({ type: Boolean })
   isPlaying = false;
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-container.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-container.ts
index 6ac26b6a0b9..d725b49bbac 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-container.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player-container.ts
@@ -168,45 +168,54 @@ export const C4DVideoPlayerContainerMixin = <
       const storedValue = localStorage.getItem(
         `${this.prefersAutoplayStorageKey}`
       );
-      const returnValue =
-        storedValue === null ? null : Boolean(parseInt(storedValue, 10));
-      return returnValue;
+
+      if (storedValue === null) {
+        return !window.matchMedia('(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)').matches;
+      } else {
+        return Boolean(parseInt(storedValue, 10));
+      }
     }
 
-    _getPlayerOptions(backgroundMode = false) {
+    _getPlayerOptions() {
+      const { backgroundMode, autoPlay, muted } =
+        this as unknown as C4DVideoPlayerComposite;
       let playerOptions = {};
-
-      if (backgroundMode) {
-        const storedMotionPreference: boolean | null =
-          this._getAutoplayPreference();
-
-        let autoplayPreference: boolean | undefined;
-
-        if (storedMotionPreference === null) {
-          autoplayPreference = !window.matchMedia(
-            '(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)'
-          ).matches;
-        } else {
-          autoplayPreference = storedMotionPreference;
-        }
-        playerOptions = {
-          'topBarContainer.plugin': false,
-          'controlBarContainer.plugin': false,
-          'largePlayBtn.plugin': false,
-          'loadingSpinner.plugin': false,
-          'unMuteOverlayButton.plugin': false,
-          'EmbedPlayer.DisableVideoTagSupport': false,
-          loop: true,
-          autoMute: true,
-          autoPlay: autoplayPreference,
-          // Turn off CTA's including mid-roll card and end cards.
-          'ibm.callToActions': false,
-          // Turn off captions display, background/ambient videos have no
-          // audio.
-          closedCaptions: {
-            plugin: false,
-          },
-        };
+      const autoplayPreference = this._getAutoplayPreference();
+
+      switch (true) {
+        case autoPlay:
+          playerOptions = {
+            autoMute: muted,
+            autoPlay: autoplayPreference,
+          };
+          break;
+
+        case backgroundMode:
+          playerOptions = {
+            'topBarContainer.plugin': false,
+            'controlBarContainer.plugin': false,
+            'largePlayBtn.plugin': false,
+            'loadingSpinner.plugin': false,
+            'unMuteOverlayButton.plugin': false,
+            'EmbedPlayer.DisableVideoTagSupport': false,
+            loop: true,
+            autoMute: true,
+            autoPlay: autoplayPreference,
+            // Turn off CTA's including mid-roll card and end cards.
+            'ibm.callToActions': false,
+            // Turn off captions display, background/ambient videos have no
+            // audio.
+            closedCaptions: {
+              plugin: false,
+            },
+          };
+          break;
+
+        default:
+          playerOptions = {
+            autoMute: muted,
+          };
+          break;
       }
 
       return playerOptions;
@@ -219,7 +228,7 @@ export const C4DVideoPlayerContainerMixin = <
      * @private
      */
     // Not using TypeScript `private` due to: microsoft/TypeScript#17744
-    async _embedVideoImpl(videoId: string, backgroundMode = false) {
+    async _embedVideoImpl(videoId: string) {
       const doc = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(this, 'getRootNode')
         ? (this.getRootNode() as Document | ShadowRoot)
         : this.ownerDocument;
@@ -240,7 +249,7 @@ export const C4DVideoPlayerContainerMixin = <
       const embedVideoHandle = await KalturaPlayerAPI.embedMedia(
         videoId,
         playerId,
-        this._getPlayerOptions(backgroundMode)
+        this._getPlayerOptions()
       );
       const { width, height } = await KalturaPlayerAPI.api(videoId);
       videoPlayer.style.setProperty('--native-file-width', `${width}px`);
@@ -264,7 +273,7 @@ export const C4DVideoPlayerContainerMixin = <
      * @param videoId The video ID.
      * @internal
      */
-    _embedMedia = async (videoId: string, backgroundMode = false) => {
+    _embedMedia = async (videoId: string) => {
       const { _requestsEmbedVideo: requestsEmbedVideo } = this;
       const requestEmbedVideo = requestsEmbedVideo[videoId];
 
@@ -272,7 +281,7 @@ export const C4DVideoPlayerContainerMixin = <
         return requestEmbedVideo;
       }
 
-      const promiseEmbedVideo = this._embedVideoImpl(videoId, backgroundMode);
+      const promiseEmbedVideo = this._embedVideoImpl(videoId);
 
       this._setRequestEmbedVideoInProgress(videoId, promiseEmbedVideo);
       try {
diff --git a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player.ts b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player.ts
index 7926516f724..e4790a1062c 100644
--- a/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player.ts
+++ b/packages/web-components/src/components/video-player/video-player.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ class C4DVideoPlayer extends FocusMixin(StableSelectorMixin(LitElement)) {
   private _renderContent() {
     const { contentState, name, thumbnailUrl, backgroundMode } = this;
     return contentState === VIDEO_PLAYER_CONTENT_STATE.THUMBNAIL &&
-      !backgroundMode
+      !backgroundMode &&
+      !this.autoplay
       ? html`
           <div class="${c4dPrefix}--video-player__video" part="video">
             <button
@@ -184,9 +185,15 @@ class C4DVideoPlayer extends FocusMixin(StableSelectorMixin(LitElement)) {
   /**
    * `true` to autoplay, mute video, and hide UI
    */
-  @property({ attribute: 'background-mode', reflect: true })
+  @property({ attribute: 'background-mode', reflect: true, type: Boolean })
   backgroundMode = false;
 
+  /**
+   * `true` to autoplay
+   */
+  @property({ attribute: 'auto-play', reflect: true, type: Boolean })
+  autoplay = false;
+
   /**
    * Custom video description. This property should only be set when using `playing-mode="lightbox"`
    */
@@ -285,7 +292,12 @@ class C4DVideoPlayer extends FocusMixin(StableSelectorMixin(LitElement)) {
       (this.parentElement as C4DVideoPlayerContainer)?.backgroundMode
     );
 
+    const parentIsAutoplay = Boolean(
+      (this.parentElement as C4DVideoPlayerContainer)?.autoPlay
+    );
+
     this.backgroundMode = parentIsBackground;
+    this.autoplay = parentIsAutoplay;
   }
 
   /**