diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tsx
index c5e8c8c89..15cdbfb52 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tsx
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
 
   const [episodeView, setEpisodeView] = useState(false);
   const [showAudioSlider, setShowAudioSlider] = useState(false);
+  // Pause the controls auto-hide while the player settings popover is open so
+  // it can't be dismissed out from under the user (notably the iOS popover,
+  // which lives inside the controls and closes when they fade out).
+  const [settingsMenuOpen, setSettingsMenuOpen] = useState(false);
 
   const { height: screenHeight, width: screenWidth } = useWindowDimensions();
   const { previousItem, nextItem } = usePlaybackManager({
@@ -467,6 +471,7 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
     episodeView,
     onHideControls: hideControls,
     timeout: CONTROLS_CONSTANTS.TIMEOUT,
+    disabled: settingsMenuOpen,
   });
 
   const switchOnEpisodeMode = useCallback(() => {
@@ -527,6 +532,7 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
               setPlaybackSpeed={setPlaybackSpeed}
               showTechnicalInfo={showTechnicalInfo}
               onToggleTechnicalInfo={onToggleTechnicalInfo}
+              onSettingsMenuOpenChange={setSettingsMenuOpen}
             />
           </Animated.View>
           <Animated.View
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/HeaderControls.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/HeaderControls.tsx
index 2b1d6125c..f1a02b7c1 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/HeaderControls.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/HeaderControls.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ interface HeaderControlsProps {
   // Technical info props
   showTechnicalInfo?: boolean;
   onToggleTechnicalInfo?: () => void;
+  // Notifies the parent when the settings popover opens/closes so it can pause
+  // the controls auto-hide while the menu is up.
+  onSettingsMenuOpenChange?: (open: boolean) => void;
 }
 
 export const HeaderControls: FC<HeaderControlsProps> = ({
@@ -57,6 +60,7 @@ export const HeaderControls: FC<HeaderControlsProps> = ({
   setPlaybackSpeed,
   showTechnicalInfo = false,
   onToggleTechnicalInfo,
+  onSettingsMenuOpenChange,
 }) => {
   const { settings } = useSettings();
   const router = useRouter();
@@ -117,6 +121,7 @@ export const HeaderControls: FC<HeaderControlsProps> = ({
               setPlaybackSpeed={setPlaybackSpeed}
               showTechnicalInfo={showTechnicalInfo}
               onToggleTechnicalInfo={onToggleTechnicalInfo}
+              onOpenChange={onSettingsMenuOpenChange}
             />
           </View>
         )}
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
index 9246ae9da..f5dfaf624 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ interface DropdownViewProps {
   setPlaybackSpeed?: (speed: number, scope: PlaybackSpeedScope) => void;
   showTechnicalInfo?: boolean;
   onToggleTechnicalInfo?: () => void;
+  /** Forwarded to the popover so the player can pause auto-hide while it's open. */
+  onOpenChange?: (open: boolean) => void;
 }
 
 const DropdownView = ({
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ const DropdownView = ({
   setPlaybackSpeed,
   showTechnicalInfo = false,
   onToggleTechnicalInfo,
+  onOpenChange,
 }: DropdownViewProps) => {
   const { subtitleTracks, audioTracks } = useVideoContext();
   const { item, mediaSource } = usePlayerContext();
@@ -223,6 +226,7 @@ const DropdownView = ({
       groups={optionGroups}
       trigger={trigger}
       expoUIConfig={{}}
+      onOpenChange={onOpenChange}
       bottomSheetConfig={{
         enablePanDownToClose: true,
       }}